70 REFORMER AND PEACEMAKER 



told when they had the opportunity to express their real sentiment, 

 and he must have looked forward with some hope and some anxiety 

 to the election of 1904, to learn if the people really approved him, or 

 if they merely waited their opportunity to shelve him effectually. 



If he really had any doubt in this direction, it was dispelled when 

 the time came to act. The enthusiastic nomination which he received 

 was enough to show that he was by all odds the first choice of the 

 Republican party. And when the vote of the people was cast it became 

 evident that he was the first choice of all parties, that the magic of 

 his name had swept hosts of converts from the Democratic ranks. 

 This was shown by his immense plurality in the popular vote of over 

 2,500,000, far the greatest that any President had ever received, and 

 his large Electoral College majority of 196. Evidently the people at 

 large wanted Roosevelt, and it remained for him to justify their faith 

 in him. 



That we are correct in crediting him with a strong desire for 

 election to the Presidency we may quote his own words to show. This 

 he has said: 



"I do not believe in playing the hypocrite. Any strong man fit 

 to be President would desire a nomination and re-election after his 

 first term. Lincoln was President in so great a crisis that perhaps he 

 neither could nor did feel any personal interest in his own re-election. 

 But at present I should like to be elected President just as John Ouincy 

 Adams, or McKinley, or Cleveland, or John Adams, or Washington 

 himself desired to be elected. It is pleasant to think that one's country- 

 men think well of one. But I shall not do anything whatever to secure 

 my nomination save to try to carry on the public business in such 

 shape that decent citizens will believe I have shown wisdom, integrity 

 and courage." 



On the 4th of March, 1905, this favorite of the American people, 

 for in the highest sense he was that, was inaugurated President of the 

 United States. He was now a man unhampered, except by the plat- 

 form of the Convention, and that was broad enough to carry out all 

 the reforms in which he felt an interest. No purpose of running for 

 another term trammeled him. He had cut the bridges in that direction 

 behind him by announcing positively that he had no such intention. 



