488 



CONSERVATION 



and could have gotten them under a 

 peck. But no one has yet formulated 

 the theory of our institutions, nor had 

 they, before the beginning of this cen- 

 tury, worked out a theory or practise 

 of political ethics. But a revolution 

 has been accomplished by the incompar- 

 able work of the United States Civil 

 Service Commission, of which Theo- 

 dore Roosevelt was one of the earliest 

 and most effective commissioners. 



This is what Mr. Roosevelt has laid 

 foundations for doing. His ethical con- 

 tributions are much more far-reaching 

 and important than his restrictions on 

 unlawful financial power. He has 

 worked out a new constructive ethical 

 idea on scientific foundations. He has 

 realized that idea, not only in stemming 

 the tide of individualism rampant, but 

 he has shown the path which will avoid 

 the evils of socialism. He has been the 

 first man in position of peculiar power 

 or influence since Hamilton to see 

 clearly and draw distinctly the natural 

 line of cleavage which separates the two 

 great principles in natural antagonism 

 in America. He has precipitated the 

 political issue of the twentieth century, 

 not merely in the United States, but the 

 world issue of the tiventieth century, 

 that between the democracy of individ- 

 ualism, which threatens the very exist- 

 ence of democracy upon the earth, and 



{To he 



the democracy of nationalism, which 

 offers the only rational and ethical al- 

 ternative for socialism or individualism. 



"The chief aim of De Tocqueville," 

 says Professor Flint, "was to demon- 

 strate that democracy was in imminent 

 peril of issuing in despotism." Farther 

 on, he says : "There is nowhere visible 

 on earth to-day any power capable of 

 resisting or crushing democracy. If 

 there be none such, it does not follow 

 that it will not be arrested in its prog- 

 ress, but it follows that it will only be 

 arrested by itself." 



The distinguishing characteristic of 

 Mr. Roosevelt's statesmanship is that, 

 if he has marked the outlines for the 

 future of the only kind of democracy 

 in which politics and ethics can ever 

 coincide, he has saved democracy from 

 itself. 



Therefore, I say distinctly, knowing 

 that the judgment of history will back 

 me up, and that the magazines and pub- 

 lishing houses owned in Wall Street 

 will not, that Theodore Roosevelt is one 

 of the few universal political geniuses 

 of the world, and that a new era in 

 world politics and a new day for ra- 

 tional, ethical and constructive democ- 

 racy dawned upon the world the day 

 Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as 

 President of the United States. 

 continued) 



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Bairs Head Reservoir, Colorado Riyer, California and Arizona 



