As we face a president ial Election Year and prepare for it, it will be an insight all of us can benefit from. The second is the speaker umwelf, our esteemed Professor Emeritus of history william b. Crawley william b. Crawley , he has just completed 50 years on the faculty of university of the Mary Washington he has compete he has contributed in numerous ways. Our Historic Preservation program in the creation of this great life series among them. It is for his excellence in teaching his perhaps best known. And to thousands of our students who have come through our halls. He has received our institution highest honors in teaching from his colleagues and his students. Many of whom through the years have voted him as the faculty member who has made the greatest impact upon their lives. Dr. Crawley through these years has become a true icon of this community. So, it is with great pleasure that i introduce Professor William b crawley, who, drawing upon his 50 years of teaching political history, has truly learned and shared so much of his knowledge. We will be sharing it again with us today, as he looks at the life of one of six highly interesting and sometimes controversial president s. President s,dern day none is so straightforward as the story may recall or the history may have told us. Dr. Freilich, would you please share with us now dr. Frawley, would you please share with us now . Thank you, lisa. Welcome to a lecture today on theater roosevelt, one of the most dynamic to occupy that office. To understand is those contribution as the first president ial leader of reform and to appreciate how transformative his actions were, we need to examine the social, economic and cultural environment in which he lived. Going to new york in 1858, was about to up in an era of rapid, vast growth in america, as the nation expanded dramatically in terms of geography, population and, above all, wealth. Age,ooming economy of that was aided by the advent of conventions. It was the age of edison. Hugehe development of corporations often growing to monopolistic proportions. By the advent of inventions. And the prevailing popularity of social darwinism. Adherence to that philosophy, that is, applying darwins tenets of biological natural selection, that is, survival of the fittest, to the world of economics, business and society in general, supported a government philosophy of laissezfaire, whereby businesses were allowed to develop unfettered by government regulations. One consequence was the accumulation of a wealth by some, with names like morgan, rockefeller, carnegie, vanderbilt, and others, socalled robber barons. At the same time a was unevenly distribute it, crating vast inequalities. Creating such vast inequalities. This situation inspired mark twain to deviate the gilded age, bright and shiny on the surface but increasingly built on a substratum of poverty. Situation in this the late 19th century, demands for reform again to arise. A movement promoted by the revelations of a group of activists known somewhat derisively at that time as the black writers rough riders. It included ida tarbell and her expose of a standard oil trust. And more widely known, upton sinclair, whose book, the jungle, focused on the unsavory, literally unsavory practices of the meatpacking industry. The first significant Reform Movement involve the populists led by Williams Jennings bryan in the 1890s. Agrarian Movement Never gained sufficient support from middle and upperclass voters or from urban voters. So it was superseded around the turnofthecentury by a more broadly based movement known as progressivism. The success of that movement in bringing about reform was largely owing to the energetic efforts of Theodore Roosevelt, often civilly referred to as tr, or teddy. , it should be noted, was not a very likely candidate originally to become a reform later. He was born into one of the wealthiest, most aristocratic at of old new york families. Likely one born into such a status what emerged as a leader for reform. He might well have been expected to be a firm conservative but that was not to be the case. Why wasnt it . Well, as a child, roosevelt had , troubled byckly asthma, terribly troubled by asthma, and weak eyesight. So we undertook to correct the shortcomings and worked hard to improve his health. He became a boxer. He became an ardent outdoorsman. He once that a. Of time working on ranch in the west. ,is zest for physical activity particularly of the literate kind, became legendary. Belligerent kind, became legendary. Tohas become customary personalityevelts as being the result of overcompensation for his early physical inferiority. Whatever the case may be, Teddy Roosevelt certainly took great pleasure in the physical, the adventurous and the dangerous. Few men have ever been able to gratify their desires to such an extent. His life was indeed a full one. So let me just hit the highlights of it here at the beginning. He graduated from harvard in 1880, study law afterwards columbia, though did not receive his degree. He served one term in the near legislature. He served six years on the u. S. Civil service commission. He served two years as a new york police commissioner. He served one year as assistant secretary of the navy. That might not seem like a terribly exciting job, but he made it exciting. It was he who ordered admiral doing to the philippines in the spanishamerican war. And, mostysmic important battle, the battle of manila bay took place, as a result of dos being ordered to the philippines. Eweys being ordered to the philippines. He served one term as governor to new york. He was a wellknown author. He wrote a four volume study of the war of 1812. He wrote a book called, the winning of the west. Hero popular biographies. He also worked he wrote popular biographies. He worked in the dakota territories as a rancher. And he served in the spanishamerican war, where he gloried in his role as the colonel who was the head of the volunteer rough riders. Much is known about those exploits because he wrote about them, so, many people learned about roosevelt activities and , and someone at the time said the book was so selfcentered roosevelt should have titled it, alone in cuba. He was a scholar, a genuine intellectual. Was there he is as colonel roosevelt, rough riders. Life was certainly not without sorrow. He suffered one of the most rivas tragedies i think of any public figure i am aware of. That is his wife, to whom he was exceedingly devoted, died shortly after giving birth to the first child, alice. And within 24 hours of that, his mother died. Both his wife and mother were buried on the same day. Theater roosevelt was far from doll. People dull. People called rosemont names, his enemies attacked him, but nobody accused him of being dull. People called was about names. It people called roosevelt names. Thats his robust lifestyle made it surprising he became president because to get there he took the office of Vice President. He was not excited about it. He got the nomination to run with mckinley in 1900, as his Vice President. Mckinleys previous Vice President died in office. The recent roosevelt was nominated for the job was because there were people in the Republican Party who wanted to get him out of new york, he was making a nuisance of himself in the eyes of conservatives. They said, how can we get rid of him in your . Well in new york . Well, someone had a great idea of kicking him upstairs, so to speak. After all, the vice presidency was harmless. Most people in the Republican Party were not bothered by that. Bothered, one was bothered, mark hanna said in discussing was both possible nomination, he said, dont any of you realize that there will only be one life between this madman and the white house . Apparently nobody cared. And roosevelt was nominated. He was not enthusiastic about it. He said quote the vice presidency is an Honorable Office for a young man there is not much to do. He ran for Vice President with mckinley and he were elected. So he became Vice President of the United States. Soon there was very much for this young man to do because on september 6, 1901, William Mckinley was assassinated. Theater roosevelt at the age of 42 became the youngest president in American History. And stellas. And still is. Some will say what about jack kennedy . This could be a trick question. Tricky it is a bit tricky. If you ask who was the youngest person to be president . And still theater roosevelt. Still Theodore Roosevelt. The youngest person ever elected to as president was jack kennedy. So i thought you might want to keep that distinction in mind. When he became president , mark hanna was furious and said i told William Mckinley it was a mistake to nominate that while man. I asked if he realized what would happen if he should die and now that cowboy is president of the United States. America waited expectantly to see what tr would do. One historian wrote, americans in the early 1900s not easily overlook and agitator who wrought one of the nations most aristocratic names who could charm sunday school class or later regiment and who happened to be president of the United States. Americans probably expected excitement and they were not to be disappointed. Mark twain said Teddy Roosevelt was the tom sawyer of the political world, always hunting for a chance to show off. One of his cabinet members put it this way, he sent a message to roosevelt, on russells 46th birthday. Roosevelt. You have made a good start in life and your friends have great hopes for you to grow up. He was 46. Surely he thought attention and always wanted to be the center of attention. It was said roosevelt was the kind of person who wanted to be the bride at every wedding, the corpse at every funeral. My favorite story to illustrate may be apocryphal but heres the story. Roosevelt came and said i had the most wonderful dream last night i dreamed that i died and went to heaven. On the first night, the celestial choir sang. It was magnificent. There were a thousand sopranos. A thousand altos. A thousand bases. Said, what about the tenors . Twitch roosevelt replied, i sang tenor. So you get the idea. Then was this Progressive Movement about under roosevelt . Lets look first at that investing accomplishments and go through these briefly. The thing to remember as i talk about these different elements of his to mastech program, of his domestic program, the important thing to bear in mind is that they were pathbreaking. Were, they constituted such a, and many cases dramatic break with the american past, particularly in terms of government regulation. Students, howmy big a role did the United States dailyment play in the lives of americans at that time . What did the federal government do . They were stumped by it and this is true, the federal government was responsible for national security, military, that is true. But that did not affect people on an everyday basis, most people. So im saying, how did the average american come into contact with the federal government . Roosevelt . Efore well, the answer is, the government delivered the mail. The postal service. Aside from that, there was not much involvement or interference from the federal government in the daily lives of americans. This began to change. The point is that is what roosevelts presidency marked a pivotal break with the past. It increased government regulation. It increased role of the federal government. We will talk about specifics, but that is the overarching point of this. Several areas in which roosevelt was active. One was business regulation. You know, the dictates of social darwinism, laissezfaire, government didnt get involved when a copy ran its business. When a company ran its business. But there were calls for reform and change, to try to correct some inequalities. Much of it dealt with railroads. Again, asked my students, why so much about railroads . If you had anything to ship in the country at that time, how are you going to send it . Unless you live a river, ship by boat. You had to use railroads. On trying tofocus bring regulation to railroads. The first major thing that did that was the elkins act, in 1903. Actice to say this prohibited the giving of rebates by railroads, refunds to large shippers, which meant large shippers got kickbacks and small people had to pay full freight. Literally full freight. The point is, it was different. A different concept to have a government step into private economy and say, these private businesses can be regular did that way. More about that later. Conservation. F this is one of trs main interest. The passage of the collins you legs act which provided for the proceeds from the sale of government lands should be used for federal air gauge and projects. The overall picture is the government was involving itself for the first time in conservation. Most people up till that time believed the country is so big and wealthy, no need to conserve. Conservation was not on anybodys mind. But it was on roosevelts mind. And this is one thing he supported. Again, a pathbreaking president here. Also, there was the problem of regulating trusts, these giant monopolies. Muchont need to think too to figure out why the existence of monopolies could be detrimental to the consumer. Allowing prices to rise and so forth. One of the big Progressive Movements was some kind restrictions of the trusts. Indeed one of the pictures and i remember from my high school textbook, are never cartoon showing russ about carrying a big stick. That was one of his mottos, speak softly and carry a big stack. Showing roosevelt carrying a big stick. The cartoon showed roosevelt with a big stick dashing the trusts. His idea was not to break up the trusts, that will come later with wilson. But his idea was to regulate them, to do something to restrict some of the more damaging when novelistic practices. Damaging monopolistic practices. So, what could he do . It was unlikely he could get the kind of law passed that he wanted. So he did what was available at the time, the sherman antitrust act. That had been passed in 1890, but had rarely been used, because big business generally controlled the government during those years, the republican era of big business. And so, the act had not really been used very effectively if at all during that time. I can think of one case but by and large it had not been used much since the mid1890s. Well, roosevelt instructed his suitney general to bring against one of the biggest trusts, maybe the biggest railroad trust, northern northernompany Securities Corporation which controlled the rail traffic in the west, particularly the northwest. Against brought a suit northern securities, calling for its breakup, on account of its monopolistic practices. And, sure enough, the courts agreed and Northern Security was indeed broken up, setting as i say it, that precedent. And, subsequently, other monopolies were broken up as well. Standard oil trust, American Tobacco company, and others. Well, as they resolved these vigorous pursuit of trust and his conservation work, and so on, roosevelt was acquiring a very large following , and great popularity. So, that is not to say everybody, the capitalists and monopolists were not on his side. But the American Public really was entranced by was not. So light roosevelt. Was entranced by roosevelt. So in 1904 he was ready to seek the presidency in his own right. But he did one think he probably wished he had not done. He promised that if elected, he would not seek another term, which he could have done then as there was no prohibition against it. Franklin d roosevelt was elected four times. Promised he wrote would not seek another term if elected. He was elected by a landslide. Very few people in this audience could tell me who he ran against . Never myselfre every time i talk about this. Alton b parker. As i said to my students, not a household name, saving his own household. He was overwhelmingly defeated when roosevelt thought the presidency in 1904 and was elected by acclamation, and overwhelming trait. Once he was president and his own and overwhelming victory. Once he was president in his own right he promised a square deal for the american people. One thing he did to get the square deal was to address again the railroad problem. This may seem to students a petty sort of thing but it was not. Not a terribly important thing, but was. It turns out the elkins act was not being effectively enforced. Because what happened was, in in order to change, address or redress some of these grievances of the elkins act, cases had to go to the court system. The courts were notoriously conservative and often decided in favor of businesses, as opposed to the consumer. And so, what roosevelt wanted was the ability, the government to have the ability to set the rates railroads could charge, which was a tremendous departure in practice from previous practices. That was what was embodied in the heparin act the hepburn act. This was a far cry from laissezfaire government. Here you have the government wanting the right with the interstate commerce commission, the icc, which had been established, to fix the rates railroads could charge without going to the court system. By application. The precedent was there that the government might be able to control, control may be too strong a word but to affect other businesses by setting regulations and so forth without going first through the court system. Bringing us to another of roosevelt major contributions. I do not know if i said, i should have said this was embodied in the hepburn bill. Another significant roosevelt ofievement was the passage what today we would call Consumer Protection laws. I am not sure they were called that then. There were a couple of these that were particularly important. Federal Meat Inspection act paired. If you know what the jungle is about you might assume this was influenced by the popularity of that novel. It provided for federal inspection of all Meat Products involved in interstate commerce. At a second act was the pure food and drug act which permitted the selling of products particular the canned and bottled goods under false or misleading labels. This was important because patent medicines that were widely used and very popular and they did oftentimes, the bottled ones did relieve pain and it help, the problem was it did not say on the label but in regards to alcohol i think almost a hundred proof. The people who drank it did indeed feel better, but only briefly, and it was certainly not a curative. Towith this said, you have bottle things and label things truthfully as to what is in the product. These were very important Consumer Protection laws. Now, with regard to the major social issues of the day, roosevelts performance was, i think we have to say mixed. Concerning womens suffrage, for example, he was an early advocate, all the way back to 1880. In his senior thesis at harvard he had written, i think there can be no question that women should have equal rights with men. That is a pretty direct statement. While president , he continued to support womens suffrage and included it in his 1912 platform. Was lessublic support than fervent. For example he wants said personally, i believe in womens suffrage, but i am not an enthusiastic advocate of it because i do not regard it as a very important matter. On another occasion he was more condescending, saying, we hear much about womens rights, as to that, decent men should be thinking about womens rights all the time. While the men are doing that, the women should be attending to their duties. Well, in any case, he did not live to see the passage of the 19th amendment, the womens suffrage amendment, dying six months before it was passed by congress in june of 1919. Views on racial matters were more problematic. He earned the praise of progressives and that hated tread up southern the hatred of southern segregationist by inviting work to washington to the white house for dinner. Invitingwas by booker t. Washington to the white house for dinner. This was regarded as an audacious act at the time. His record was besmirched by his role in the brownsville affair in which he on flimsy evidence issued dishonorable discharges to an entire company of black soldiers, segregated, course, who are alleged to have been involved in a disturbance in texas. Well, they were exonerated decades later, not that it did those individuals any good at the time there were exonerated in the 1970s. So his record i think was mixed. Extent, trs mystic actions were overshot domestic actions were overshadowed by dramatic events in the area of foreign affairs. Notably his aggressiveness, his impetuous this, his bullying, and lease lovely of all, his arrogant attitude toward latin american countries. Involves themple building of the panama canal. Which was perhaps in the long run the most noteworthy of the roosevelt presidency. To examine that complex machinations of the panama would take more time then we have for this lecture so i must summarize this convoluted story of politics, diplomacy and international intrigue. It included mainly the u. S. And columbia, of which panama was a part at that time. Is after much negotiation, a treaty was written by the u. S. And club you and columbia, by terms of which the u. S. Would be permitted to build a canal across panama in exchange for 10 million and the annual rental of 250,000. But before can be finalized by respective governments, columbia walked and refused to ratified and refused to ratify the agreement claiming it would be a rejection of their sovereignty which was true. Roosevelt believed to be one of the greatest project in the history of civilization. Wastruth is, roosevelt generally contemptuous of Latin Americans anyway. Referring to the club he and government as the quote contemptible Little Creatures in bogota. And as foolish and homicidal rruptionists, co he asserted we may have to give a lesson to these jackrabbits. Politically correct, he was not. If anyone dared to mention columbia had every legal right to do what their country what they pleased, roosevelt would be furious and he declared i want that canal the, raging, to talk of columbia as a responsible power to be dealt with as we will deal with holland or belgium or switzerland or denmark is absurd. More like a group of sicilian bandits, you cannot make an agreement with columbia rulers anymore than you could melt jelly to the wall. I did my best to get them to act straight then determined i would do what ought to be done, without regard to the. Without regard to them. That turned out to be a devious involvement in arranging for panama to declare its Independence Club you, independence from columbia, what appears to have been roosevelt surreptitious support. Details of this episode remain murky, but the consensus is roosevelt did have a hand in conniving for the achievement of panamanian and dependence. Once panama declared its independence, the u. S. Moved immediately to recognize the new nation and signed a treaty that gave the u. S. The right to attend the canal zone across the country. Works to began on this and omers project, and was completed on this enormous project, and was completed in 1914, on the eve of world war i. One residue of the affair was the lingering columbia scimitar the u. S. , understandable colombian resentment toward the u. S. , understandable. Assevelt regarded club you confirming that nicest standards of mental ethics but on an of governmental ethics, but on another occasion he boldly declared, i took the canal zone, and let congress debate. And while the debate goes on, the canal does also. In any event this was not roosevelts finest hour and certainly not his most admirable one. Then there was the roosevelt corollary to that munro doctrine, munro doctrine, a source of further contention with latin america. The original monro doctrine proclaimed in 1824 the latin american was no longer open to european conversation, a unilateral proclamation i gone unchallenged and intervening decades. Your the end of the century went england and germany threatened to intervene in latin american countries to collect debts, to the point of issuing this corollary to the effect that latin american nations and financial troubles with overseas creditors the u. S. Would intervene, take over the customs houses and pay off the debts, thereby keeping european nations out of the western hemisphere, in accordance with the monroe doctrine. Despite latin american opposition to such actions the u. S. Did intervene in several instances, notably in the dominican republic. Q. But was especially resistant to american intervention, and attitude which sent the volatile tr into a tirade saying this. Cuba was especially resistant. Just at this moment i am so great with that infernal little cuban republic, that i would like to wipe its people off the face of the earth. Paul we had wanted from them, is that they would behave themselves, be prosperous and happy, so we would not have to intervene. And low and behold, started utterly unjustifiable and pointless revolution, that we have no alternative except to intervene. Nationstin american tended to be skeptical or opposed to such intervention, regarding it as an infringement on their sovereignty. And particularly fearful of the u. S. Would use it as an opportunity for annexation, a motive roosevelt vehemently denied. In actual operation, the corollary did not result in prolonged american [indiscernible] , certainly not an annexation, but it did lead to distrust and hatred which many south american republics had toured the United States for many years until the corollary was officially reversed by Franklin D Roosevelts Good Neighbor policy. Ofore positive example roosevelts expansive outlook and Foreign Policy concern his efforts to bring an end to the longrunning russojapanese war. He invited delegates to meet in portsmouth, new hampshire, which resulted in a treaty during the war to the end. Thats for those efforts roosevelt was awarded the nobel peace prize. I can send you he is undoubtedly the most unlikely recipient ever to receive a peace prize, given his naturally alicos nature and his aggressive tendencies naturally alicos nature and aggressive ted bellicose nature and aggressive tendencies. It was during roosevelt presidency the u. S. Began to establish itself as a world power. Roosevelt attempted to illustrate that emergence through a symbolic and controversial effort known as the voyage of the great white fleet. As idea was to send the entire u. S. Naval fleet on and around the world to her. Tour. One congress indicated it would not fund such an adventure, roseville came up with an audacious strategy. He let it be known he had enough money in his current budget to send the fleet fly around the world, which he fully intended to do. And if congress wished their return, they would have to appropriate the necessary funds to do it. Well, the plight worked. Off the ploy worked. Off went the ships, painted white, over there gunmetal gray. Critics feared the worst, particularly when the ships visited japan. There was considerable hostility at the time. The fleet was warmly welcomed even in japan. While it was of no particular strategic importance, the voyage was significant in illustrating americas increasing world prominence, which would soon be more evident in world war i. As his term near debts and it was clear was not as his term near its end, it was clear roosevelt could have been elected easily in 1908. True to his word in 1904, a mistake he realized, he did not run. Instead he opted for an african safari, which prompted one of his opponents she said he hoped that every lion would do its duty. Before he left, roosevelt was careful to handpick his successor, a man he thought will continue to carry on his progressive programs, the man he chose was his friend William Howard taft. It was a choice he would live to regret. Office, tring provided insight into his future plans, and a poignant letter to his daughter, in which she wrote every now and then, people come to me, tell me our countrymen face the problem of what it will do with its expresident. I answer them there will be one expresident about whom they need not give themselves the slightest concern, for he will do for himself, without any outside assistance. I add they need waste and 70 on the. Need waste notes sympathy on me, that ive had the best time if any man my age in the world and i have enjoyed myself in the white house more than i have ever known the president to enjoy himself, and im going to enjoy myself thoroughly when i leave the white house. And what is more, continue as long as i possibly can, to do some kind of work, that will count. Out roosevelt did not accomplish any particularly great achievements after all, though not for lack of effort. Its a became apparent that tr was restless in retirement. After all, there were only so many elephants to kill. It had become increasingly disappointed he became increasingly disappointed in what he perceived as a lack of progressive commitment by his successor and soontobe former friend president taft. Zeal was evident in what was probably the bestknown speech of his entire career. The oft quoted man in the arena speech, that he delivered in paris, in 1910, two years after living the white house. You have probably heard it before, parts of it. Let me quote part of it because i think it eloquently reveals roosevelt character. Character. Ts i think you will agree that it is a powerful speech and that it is eloquently expressed. It is not the critic who counts, he said, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or whether the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man he was actually in the arena, whose face is marred dust, sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs, who comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming. But who does actually strive to do the deeds. Who knows great enthusiasms, great devotions, who spends himself on where the cause. Who at the best nose at the end the tribe of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls, who neither know victory nor defeat. Prof. Crawley fame progressivism was weathering under taft fearing that progressivism was weathering under taft withering under taft, roosevelt decided to run again in 1912 as a candidate of the Progressive Party he established, popularly known as the bull moose party, after roosevelt declared himself be as strong as a bonus. But in that election just as strong as it will moose. But in that election the split of votes between him and the income it taft permitted the election of the democrat woodrow wilson. It was during this campaign that tr was the victim of an attempted assassination. Giving a speech, he was hit by an assassins bullet. It resulted in a superficial wound and typical of roosevelts bravado, he continued the speech. I think most people having been shot, probably called at aday. But not the inimitable tr. After 1914, as the great war in europe waged, roosevelt was an ardent advocate of american intervention, no surprise. He petitioned thenpresident wilson to let him raise a volunteer regiment, allow the rough riders, to find in your. Dusty fight and europe. Wilson declined to go and fight in europe. Wilson declined. Roosevelt son was killed in the war which some believed diminished roosevelt belligerent attitude. Diedy case, by the time he 50s,ly 1919, in his late i believe, roosevelt had done enough to secure his legacy, as one of americas greatest president s. So, what was that legacy . Roosevelt made many contributions to the Progressive Movement. It is likely he would never have flourished without his energetic leadership. The loss he passed illustrated his about the laws that he passed illustrated his ability to bring about reform to the legislative process. His greatest contribution is not to be seen in any one lower set of laws that were passed but seen in the impetus he gave to reform in general. He served most effectively, as a popularizer, as a spark plug. What one writer called a cheerleader for reform. As during some did up, roosevelt was the greatest publicity meant progressivism ever had. I suggest Roosevelt Service to the nation go beyond that to include a new concept to the presidency should be. In trs view, the president to be a true leader, not just a passing follower of the american people. In that sense roosevelt maybe considered the first truly modern president. In carrying out his conception of the active presidency, roosevelt was uniquely wellequipped by his personality. His flamboyant, robust, spirited attitude, one for him and admiration seldom granted to any National Political eater before or since. Any national put ago leader before or since. Political later before since. Trs making a, senator, chasing a bear, busting a trust and dragging it from its layer. They are calling tr a lot of things, the men in the private coach, the dayy coach likes tr. As one observer put it he was a great big boy. By his personality you cannot resist the man. Historians agreed with the popular feeling of his contemporaries that Teddy Roosevelt was unique in modern American History. As one put it, if the rough riders was not the greatest of president s, he was entirely the noisiest. He carried a big stick, soft speaking resembled the bellowing of a bull moose during mating season. He became an iconic figure partly as the result of the eponymous teddy bear. With an alabama bear hunt. Great hunter that he was, great outdoorsman that he was, he had for some reason expressed a desire to go on a bear hunt in alabama. Apparently in the mountains of alabama there were bear to be had, to be shot, so he went. To his disappointment, i guess the first, they found no bears. So his host not wanting him to be disappointed believe it or not found a bear somehow. And tether the bear, apparently tethered the bear to a tree, so that when rose but came back and saw this, he could shoot the bear. He did come back and did see the mayor. But as you can imagine he did see the bear. But as you can imagine with any sense of sportsmanship, he did not shoot at but ordered that the bear be released. This story made the rounds and it was heard by among others, a brooklyn candy store operator. Had askedold twice, who also sold toys handmade by him and his wife. They were inspired to make a brown plush bear with button eyes, to put in his store window, and he labeled it, teddies bear. Teddys bear. Description from a prominent historian of the unfolding legend. From that modest start the most loved and famous toy in the country was launched. Note nursery could be without it. It became the security blanket for millions of children including the ones whose father inspired. Republicans took the civil of a teddy bear to their hearts and it became the standard decoration for the rallies. At dinner in the white house where trs closest friend and associates gathered to bid him farewell as he prepared to leave the presidency, teddy bears were place. D at each at his death a poem appeared called the teddys wave. Wee p. I heard the little teddy bears in the stillness softly weeping. We join them in their sad lament, traditions and their keeping, for he had meant so much to us, their patron saint is sleeping. In his book, president ial greatness, noted historian Thomas Bailey summed it up. Was a greatosevelt personality, a great activist, great preacher of the morality, great controversial list and a great showman. He dominated the area as he dominated conversations. Sometimes people wondered other they had and administration are circus. He was a great egoist, self or fire, a great exhibitionist, had a great headline catcher, so much so some critics felt he degraded the dignity of his high office. But the masses loved him and he cruised to be a popular idle vote at her, a consummate and a vote getter, a consummate politician, and opportunist, and a great leader. In conclusion, Theodore Roosevelt, if he had been better balanced, less the perpetual adolescent, he wouldve been perhaps a greater met and maybe a greater president , but he would not have been the arose about. One of his that she would not e been Theodore Roosevelt but he would not event the roosevelt. One of his friends said you have to hate the colonel an awful lot not to love him. Thank you. From George Washington to george w. Bush, every sunday at 8 00 p. M. Eastern, we feature the presidency, our weekly sears expiring president s, politics policies and legacies. You are watching American History tv, all weekend, every weekend, on cspan3. The cspan cities tour travels the country exploring the american story. We have vented 200 communities across the nation. Like Many Americans our staff is staying close to home due to coronavirus. Next, a look at one of our cities to her visits. Has name was william c velasquez. But everyone knew him as willie. Pres. Clinton willie was and is a name synonymous with democracy in america. Through the organization he founded, the southwest Voter Registration education project, he nearly doubled hispanic Voter Registration and dramatically increased the number of latino elected officials in this nation
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