40 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



two of the most important reform 

 measures of recent years. 



In 1884 he made his first appear- 

 ance before the nation, going as a 

 delegate to the National Republi- 

 can Convention of that year. For 

 the next five years he was princi- 

 pally occupied as ranchman and 

 author. As a ranchman he lost 

 money but gained the magnificent 

 health which he has ever since 

 possessed, the material for some of 

 his most interesting books, and a 

 deputation for boldness and 'cour- 

 a'ge, second to none in the country. 

 In 1889 he was appointed national 

 civil service commissioner. He 

 took the civil service laws as he 

 found them and enforced them 

 most vigorously. He made the 

 spoilsmen of both parties hate him; 

 but he won the unbounded admira- 

 tion of the whole country by his 

 courage, honesty and ability. 



From Washington he returned to 

 New York where he was appointed 

 police commissioner under the re- 

 form administration of Mayor 

 Strong. The hitherto corrupt po- 

 lice force was purified and made 

 efficient as it never was before or 

 since, to the astonishment and 

 gratification of all right-minded 

 persons. An amusing anecdote is 

 told of the way he reformed one 

 policeman whom he found on his 

 beat half intoxicated. Determined 

 to teach him a lesson he could 

 never forget, Mr. Roosevelt stirred 

 him up a little and got himself ar- 

 rested and taken to the station 

 house. The officer's feelings when 

 he discovered the personalty of his 

 prisoner, may be better imagined 



than described, 



In President McKinley's first 

 term came the appointment as as- 

 sistant secretary of the navy. He 

 was largely instrumental in prepar- 

 ing the navy for the conflict with 

 Spain and very influential in get- 

 ting Dewey sent to Hong Kong and 

 Manila. Then, finding that there 

 would really be a war, he resigned 

 his position in the navy. Then, 

 there occurred the following con- 

 versation, very characteristic of 

 the man. A lady friend said to 

 him: "Mr. Roosevelt, you have a 

 wife and five children depending 

 upon you for support. You have 

 no right to resign such a position 

 to enter upon service in the field, 

 where you are in danger of losing 

 your life any moment." 



"It is true," replied Mr. Roose- 

 velt quietly but earnestly, "that I 

 have a wife and five children de- 

 pending upon me for support. It 

 is equally true that no one has been 

 more earnest in trying to bring on 

 this war. for the sake of our national 

 honor than myself. Therefore it 

 is my duty as well as my great 

 pleasure to help prosecute it to a 

 successful termination to the fullest 

 extent of my ability, thereby help- 

 ing to make this the greatest and 

 best nation on the face of the earth, 

 which my children can enjoy after 

 I am gone." 



Accordingly he proceeded to or- 

 ganize the First Cavalry Volun- 

 teers, familiarly known as the 

 Rough Riders, of which he was at 

 first lieutenant colonel, and then 

 colonel before the end of the war. 

 The history of this regiment in- 



