Biographical Sketch 5 



to literary and historical work. The upbuilding 

 of the great West is one of the great world move- 

 ments, in some respects the most important fact of 

 the century now closing. Roosevelt began writing 

 the story of it in 1886, under the title of The Win- 

 ning of the West; the first two volumes appearing 

 in 1889, the third in 1894, and the fourth in 1896. 

 Each volume describes a distinct period and is com- 

 plete in itself. The last carried the story through 

 the Louisiana Purchase. The history has been in- 

 terrupted by the Spanish War and the engrossing 

 duties of the office of Governor of New York; but 

 it is hoped that the leisure hours of a Vice-President 

 and the facilities of the libraries in Washington will 

 afford the time and opportunity for its completion. 

 Readers of the four volumes already published will 

 understand the reasons why Roosevelt has such an 

 extraordinary hold upon the sentiment and sym- 

 pathy of the Western people. They will see that, 

 although born and bred in the great city of the "East, 

 he realizes that the bone and sinew of this country, 

 its strength and the sources of its wealth, are in the 

 wide valley between the Alleghanies and the Rocky 

 Mountains. Its origin and growth have been stud- 

 ied by him in every detail; he has participated 

 enough in its life thoroughly to understand it, and 

 he is in close touch and accord with its aspirations 

 for the future. 



In 1889, Roosevelt was appointed by President 

 Harrison a member of the Civil Service Commis- 

 sion at Washington and soon became its president, 



