1 6 Preface 



ignorance or from lack of morality; while the 

 doctrinaire, the man of theories, whether writ- 

 ten or spoken, is useless if he can not also act. 



These essays are written on behalf of the 

 many men who do take an actual part in try- 

 ing practically to bring about the conditions 

 for which we somewhat vaguely hope; on be- 

 half of the under-officers in that army which, 

 with much stumbling, halting, and slipping, 

 many mistakes and shortcomings, and many 

 painful failures, does, nevertheless, through 

 weary strife, accomplish something toward 

 raising the standard of public life. 



We feel that the doer is better than the 

 critic and that the man who strives stands far 

 above the man who stands aloof, whether he 

 thus stands aloof because of pessimism or be- 

 cause of sheer weakness. To borrow a simile 

 from the football field, we believe that men 

 must play fair, but that there must be no shirk- 

 ing, and that success can only come to the 

 player who "hits the line hard." 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT 



SAGAMORE HILL, 

 October, 1897 



