We have in Theodore Roosevelt, a man of many parts, none of which is
unimportant but all of them vital. When he speaks upon any subject he
not only speaks with determination but with an absolute knowledge of the
subjects he treats.
“Col.” Roosevelt, as he delights to be called, began in the New York
legislature, then became President of the New York City Police
Commission, where he did some powerful work in suppressing vice and the
saloon evil. Becoming too powerful a factor in American affairs after
his brilliant career as Governor of New York, he was nominated as
Vice-President of the United States, the politicians thinking thus to
close his career.
But he became President of the United States, succeeding to that high
office through the deplorable assassination of President McKinley, and
received the suffrages of the people for a second term because of his
energetic Americanism, and as an exponent of “Fair Play.”
He is now a private citizen, but as distinguished and as influential as
if he were filling the Presidential office. He is all energy,
persistence and force of character. He will fight, talk, or argue his
points, as long as he can stand on his feet, and then he will write them
to the world. No such man ever before lived in the United States.
On the other hand, among our Colored Americans, there stand at the top
two great leaders, Dr. Washington and Prof. Du Bois. Both of these men
represent different schools of thought and each of them has an equally
large following. This is encouraging, because working along different
lines, as is the case with diverse national parties, one serves as a
check upon the other, and without going to extremes they may follow a
happy medium.