theodore roosevelt-第7章
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F。 A。 P。 Barnard； William T。 Black； Willard Bullard； Joseph H。 Choate； William A。 Darling； Henry E。 Davies； Theodore W。 Dwight； Jacob Hess； Morris K。 Jesup； Edward Mitchell； William F。 Morgan； Chas。 S。 Robinson； Elihu Root； Jackson S。 Shultz； Elliott F。 Shepard； Gustavus Tuckerman； S。 H。 Wales； W。 H。 Webb。
This list bears the names of at least two men who will be long remembered。 There are also several others which were doubtless of more political value to the aspirant to office in 1881。
Just after the election Roosevelt wrote to his classmate； Charles G。 Washburn：
'Too true； too true； I have become a 〃political hack。〃 Finding it would not interfere much with my law； I accepted the nomination to the Assembly and was elected by 1500 majority； leading the ticket by 600 votes。 But don't think I am going to go into politics after this year； for I am not。'
Roosevelt's allusion to the law requires the statement that in the autumn of 1880 he had begun to read law in the office of his uncle； Robert Roosevelt； not that he had a strong leaning to the legal profession； but that he believed that every one； no matter how well off he might be； ought to be able to support himself by some occupation or profession。 Also； he could not endure being idle； and he knew that the slight political work on which he embarked when he joined the Twenty…first District Republican Club would take but little of his time。 During that first year out of college he established himself as a citizen； not merely politically； but socially。 On his birthday in 1880 he married Miss Lee and they set up their home at 6 West Fifty…seventh Street； he joined social and literary clubs and extended his athletic interests beyond wrestling and boxing to hunting； rifle practice； and polo。
His law studies seem to have absorbed him less than anything else that he undertook during all his life。 He could not fail to be interested in them； but he never plunged into them with all his might and main as if he intended to make them his chief concern。 For a while he had a desk in the office of the publishers； G。 P。 Putnam's Sons： but Major George Putnam recalls that he did little except suggest wonderful projects； which 〃had to be sat down upon。〃 Already a love of writing infected him。 Even before he left Harvard he had begun 〃A History of the Naval War of 1812；〃 and this he worked on eagerly。 The Putnams published it in 1882。
One incident of Roosevelt's canvass must not be overlooked。 The Red Indians of old used to make their captives run the gauntlet between two lines of warriors： political bosses in New York in 1880 made their nominee run the gauntlet of all the saloonkeepers in their district。 Accordingly； Jake Hess and Joe Murray proceeded to introduce Roosevelt to the rum…sellers of Sixth Avenue。 The first they visited received Theodore with injudicious condescension almost as if he were a suppliant。 He said he hoped that the young candidate； if elected； would treat the liquor men fairly； to which the 〃suppliant〃 replied that he intended to treat all interests fairly。 The suggestion that liquor licenses were too high brought the retort that they were not high enough。 Thereupon； the wary Hess and the discreet Joe Murray found an excuse for hurrying Roosevelt out of the saloon； and they told him that he had better look after his friends on Fifth Avenue and that they would look after the saloon…keepers on Sixth Avenue。 That any decent candidate should have to pass in review before the saloon…keepers and receive their approval； is so monstrous as to be grotesque。 That a possible President of the United States should be the victim needs no comment。 It was thoroughly characteristic of Roosevelt that he balked at the first trial。
He says in his 〃Autobiography〃 that he was not conscious of going into politics to benefit other people； but to secure for himself a privilege to which every one was entitled。 That privilege was self…government。 When his 〃kid…glove〃 friends laughed at him for deliberately choosing to leap into the political mire； he told them that the governing class ought to govern； and that not they themselves but the bosses and 〃heelers〃 were the real governors of New York City。 Not the altruistic desire to reform； but the perfectly practical resolve to enjoy the political rights to which he had a claim was his leading motive。 It is important to understand this because it will explain much of his action as a statesman。 Roosevelt is the greatest idealist in American public life since Lincoln； but his idealism； like Lincoln's； always had a firm； intelligent； practical footing。 Roosevelt himself thus describes his work during his first year in the New York Assembly：
I paid attention chiefly while in the Legislature to laws for the reformation of Primaries and of the Civil Service and endeavored to have a certain Judge Westbrook impeached； on the ground of corrupt collusion with Jay Gould and the prostitution of his high judicial office to serve the purpose of wealthy and unscrupulous stock gamblers； but was voted down。
This brief statement gives no idea of either the magnitude or quality of his work in which； like young David； he went forth to smite Goliath； the Giant Corruption；； entrenched for years in the Albany State House。 I do not believe that in at tacking the monster； Roosevelt thought that he was displaying unusual courage； much less that he was winning the crown of a moral hero。 He simply saw a mass of abuse and wickedness which every decent person ought to repudiate。 Most decent persons saw it； too； but convention； or self…interest； party affiliation； or unromantic； every…day cowardice； made them hold their tongues。 Being assigned to committees which had some of the most important concerns of New York City in charge； Roosevelt had the advantage given by his initiation into political methods as practiced in the Twenty…first District of knowing a little more than his colleagues knew about the local issues。 Three months of the session elapsed before he stood up in the Chamber and attacked point…blank；one formidable champion of corruption。 Listen to an anonymous writer in the Saturday Evening Post：
It was on April 6； 1882； that Roosevelt took the floor in the Assembly and demanded that Judge Westbrook； of New bury； be impeached。 And for sheer moral courage that act is probably supreme in Roosevelt's life thus far。 He must have expected failure。 Even his youth and idealism and ignorance of public affairs could not blind him to the apparently inevitable consequences。 Yet he drew his sword and rushed apparently to destructionalone； and at the very outset of his career； and in disregard of the pleadings of his closest friends and the plain dictates of political wisdom。 That speechthe deciding act in Roosevelt's careeris not remarkable for eloquence。 But it is remarkable for fear less candor。 He called thieves thieves； regardless of their millions； he slashed savagely at the judge and the Attorney General； he told the plain unvarnished truth as his indignant eyes saw it。*
* Riis； 54…55。
Astonishment verging on consternation filled the Assemblymen； who； through long experience； were convinced that Truth was too precious to be exhibited in public。 Worldly wisdom came to the aid of the veteran Republican leader who wished to treat the assault as if it were the unripe explosion of youth。 The callowness of his young friend must excuse him。 He doubtless meant well； but his inexperience prevented him from realizing that many a reputation in public life had been shattered by just such loose charges。 He felt sure that when the young man had time to think it over； he would modify his language。 It would be fitting； therefore； for that body to show its kindliness by giving the new member from New York City leisure to think it over。
Little did this official defender of corruption understand Mr。 Roosevelt； whose business it was then to uphold Right。 That was a question in which expediency could have no voice。 He regarded neither the harm he might possibly do to his political future nor to the standing of the Republican Party。 I suspect that he smarted under the leader's attempt to treat him as a young man whose breaks instead of causing surprise must be condo
