theodore roosevelt-第15章
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nt fad which indicates that its victims neither see clear nor think straight； could not spread its veils over him。 The man who visualizes is safe from that intellectual weakness and moral danger。 But although Roosevelt felt the sway of the true emotions； he allowed only his intimates to know what he held most intimate and sacred。 He felt also the charm of beauty； and over and over again in his descriptions of hunting and riding in the West； he pauses to recall beautiful scenery or some unusual bit of landscape； and even in remembering his passage down the River of Doubt； when he came nearer to death than he ever came until he died； in spite of tormenting pain and desperate anxiety for his companions； he mentions more than once the loveliness of the river scene or of the massed foliage along its banks。 Naturalist though he was； bent first on studying the habits of birds and animals； he yet took keen delight in the iridescent plumage or graceful form or the beautiful fur of bird and beast。
The quality of a writer can best be judged by reading a whole chapter； or two or three； of his book； but sometimes he reveals a phase of himself in a single paragraph。 Read； for instance； this brief extract from Roosevelt's 〃Through the Brazilian Wilderness；〃 if you would understand some of the traits which I have just alluded to。 It comes at the end of his long and dismaying exploration of the River of Doubt； when the party was safe at last； and the terrible river was about to flow into the broad； lakelike Amazon； and Manaos was almost in sight； where civilization could be laid hold on again； Manaos； whence the swift ships went steaming towards the Atlantic and the Atlantic opened a clear path home。 He says：
'The North was calling strongly the three men of the NorthRocky Dell Farm to Cherrie； Sagamore Hill to me； and to Kermit the call was stronger still。 After nightfall we could now see the Dipper well above the horizonupside down with the two pointers pointing to a North Star below the world's rim； but the Dipper； with all its stars。 In our home country spring had now come； the wonderful Northern spring of long； glorious days； of brooding twilight； of cool； delightful nights。 Robin and bluebird； meadow…lark and song…sparrow were singing in the mornings at home； the maple buds were red； windflowers and bloodroot were blooming while the last patches of snow still lingered； the rapture of the hermit thrush in Vermont； the serene golden melody of the wood thrush on Long Island； would be heard before we were there to listen。 Each was longing for the homely things that were so dear to him； for the home people who were dearer still； and for the one who was dearest of all。' *
* Through the Brazilian Wilderness； 320。
CHAPTER VI。 APPLYING MORALS TO POLITICS
I have said that Roosevelt devoted the two years after he came back to New York to writing； but it would be a mistake to imagine that writing alone busied him。 He was never a man who did or would do only one thing at a time。 His immense energy craved variety； and in variety he found recreation。 Now that the physical Roosevelt had caught up in relative strength with the intellectual； he could take what holidays requiring exhaustless bodily vigor he chose。 The year seldom passed now when he did not go West for a month or two。 Bill Sewall and Wilmot Dow were established with their families on the Elkhorn Ranch； which Roosevelt continued to own； although； I believe； like many ranches at that period； it ceased to be a good investment。 Sometimes he made a hurried dash to southern Texas； or to the Selkirks； or to Montana in search of new sorts of game。 In the mountains he indulged in climbing； but this was not a favorite with him because it offered less sport in proportion to the fatigue。 While he was still a young man he had gone up the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc； feats which still required endurance； although they did not involve danger。
While we think of him； therefore； as dedicating himself to his literary workthe 〃Winning of the West〃 and the accounts of ranch lifewe must remember that he had leisure for other things。 He watched keenly the course of politics； for instance； and in 1888 when the Republicans nominated Benjamin Harrison as their candidate for President； Roosevelt supported him effectively and took rank with the foremost Republican speakers of the campaign。 After his election Harrison； who both recognized Roosevelt's great ability and felt under obligation to him； wished to offer him the position of an under…secretary in the State Department； but Blaine； who was slated for Secretary of State； had no liking for the young Republican whose coolness in 1884 he had not forgotten。 So Harrison invited Roosevelt to be a Civil Service Commissioner。 The position had never been conspicuous； its salary was not large； its duties were of the routine kind which did not greatly tax the energies of the Commissioners； who could never hope for fame； but only for the approval of their own consciences for whatever good work they did。 The Machine Republicans； whether of national size； or of State or municipal； were glad to know that Roosevelt would be put out of the way in that office。
They already thought of him as a young man dangerous to all Machines and so they felt the prudence of bottling him up。 To make him a Civil Service Commissioner was not exactly so final as chloroforming a snarling dog would be； but it was a strong measure of safety。 Theodore's friends； on the other hand； advised him against accepting the appointment； because； they said； it would shelve him； politically； use up his brains which ought to be spent on higher work； and allow the country which was just beginning to know him to forget his existence。 Men drop out of sight so quickly at Washington unless they can stand on some pedestal which raises them above the multitude。
The Optimist of the future； to hasten whose coming we are all making the world so irresistibly attractive； will be endowed； let us hope； with a sense of humor。 With that； he can read history as a cosmic joke…book； and not as the Biography of the Devil； as many of us moderns； besides Jean Paul； have found it。 How long it has taken； and how much blood has been spilt before this or that most obvious folly has been abolished！ With what absurd tenacity have men flown in the face of reason and flouted common sense！ So our Optimist； looking into the conditions which made Civil Service Reform imperative； will shed tears either of pity or of laughter。
As long ago as the time of the cave…dweller； who was clothed in shaggy hair instead of in broadcloth or silk； prehistoric man learned that the best arrow or spear was that tipped with the best piece of flint。 In brief； to do good work； you must have good tools。 Translated into the terms of today； this means that the expert or specialist must be preferred to the untrained。 In nearly all walks of life this truth was taken for granted； except in affairs connected with government and administration。 A President might be elected； not because he was experienced in these matters； but because he had won a battle； or was the compromise candidate between two other aspirants。 As it was with Presidents； so with the Cabinet officers； Congressmen； and State and city officials。 Fitness being ignored as a qualification to office； made it easy for favoritism and selfish motives to determine the appointment of the army of employees required in the bureaus and departments。 That good old political freebooter； Andrew Jackson； merely put into words what his predecessors had put into practice： 〃To the victors belong the spoils。〃 And since his time； more than one upright and intelligent theorist on government has supported the Party System even to the point where the enjoyment of the spoils by the victors seems justified。 The 〃spoils〃 were the salaries paid to the lower grade of placemen and womensalaries usually not very large； but often far above what those persons could earn in honest competition。 As the money came out of the public purse； why worry？ And how could party enthusiasm during the campaign and at the polls be kept up； if some of the partisans might not hope for tangible rewards for their services？ Many rich men sat in
