Hero's: Teddy

7/28/1920

Michael Easterling

Looking at little asthmatic Teddy 

who could imagine that one day

his face would be carved on Mt. Rushmore along with Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln?.

Who could imagine that one day historians would say

he was one of our greatest?

He was home-schooled 

loved nature studies, history, zoology, and taxidermy,

wrote ‘The Natural History of Insects’ at age 9.

Had a photographic memory.

Early on to overcome his sickliness, he adopted ‘The Strenous Life,” 

ultimately boxing, rowing, horseback riding, tennis, Polo, judo and many other athletic endeavors.

He attended Harvard College 1976 -1980

graduating Phi Beta Kappa, 

publishing  two books while there,

one The History of Naval Warfare.

His wife and mother died in his graduation year,

his father in 1976.

He worked in New York state politics

then behind the scenes in the Republican Primary of 1884

supporting the African American candidate John Lynch.

He headed West, becoming a cowboy and rancher in Utah,

owning a cattle herd, 

organizing The Little Missouri Stockman’s Association and the Boone Crockett Club,

and writing three books on the wilderness.

He headed back East after his herd was

wiped out during the winter of 1886.

Then he worked for the Civil Service Commission,

as New York City Police Commissioner

then as Assistant Secretary of the Navy.

He made history as he formed the cavalry group ‘The Rough Riders’

journeying to Cuba to fight the Spanish there.

Later he described ‘The Battle of Kettle Hill’ as 

“the finest moment of my life.”

Posthumously he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor

for his heroism in that battle,

the only President to ever receive that honor.

Then back again to the states to serve as 

Governor of New York and as Vice President

to President William McKinley.

McKinley was assassinated in 1901 and 

Teddy became the 26th President of the United States.

One can hardly make up his amazing achievements

while he served. 

He regulated Standard Oil and the National Securities Agency,

created the Department of Commerce,

settled the Coal Strike of 1902,

established just rates for Railroads,

the Meat Imperative Act of 1906,

the Pure Food and Drug Act,

established the US Forest Service,

5 National Parks,

many state parks and bird preserves, 

built the Panama Canal,

brokered peace between Japan and Russia

for which he received the Nobel  Peace, 

battled for old age pensions, 

unemployment insurance, public housing for the poor, Native Americans, Labor Unions

reduced work hours, children’s work laws, more regulations for large companies. (constantly in anti-trust wars with JP Morgan and John D. Rockefeller).

But his increased moving to the left and battling ways turned off his fellow Republicans,

Teddy unsuccesfully ran for the Presidency again in 1912 not as a Republican but as the Progressive Party candidate. the Bull Moose Party. 

He was shot while stumping, but continued, arriving in Milwaukee

he said:  

“Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t know whether you are fully aware that I have just been shot, but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose.” 

In the interim before the Election he returned to his adventurer ways.

He led an African Safari for the Smithsonean Institute killing or trapping 11,400 animals.

Then after the Election in 1913 he led a South American Expedition 

for the American Museum of Natural History

in unexplored territory

on the Rio du Devida and Amazon River,

suffering  a leg wound and contacting malaria in the jungle, losing 60 pounds and almost dying.

He returned to the states in 1914 but never fully recovered.

He died in his sleep at his beloved Sangamore Hill home in New York at age 60 in 1919.

His son Archibald informed the rest of the family:

“The old lion is dead.”

So how can we describe Theodore Roosevelt Jr.?

How do we describe such quantity and quality?

He was an intellectual, a politician, a statesman, a cowboy, a prolific author, a warrior, a naturalist, conservationist, an explorer, a big game hunter.

He was an enemy of Big Business.

Peace and Animal Activists will always look down on him.

Many feel he bullied Columbia in the building of the Panama Canal

But this rich, privileged, sickly little boy probably accomplished as much or more than any of our other presidents.

He had a huge heart 

He was pure energy

He was unstoppable.

“Roosevelt more than any other man showed the singular primitive quality that belongs to ultimate matter-the quality that mid-eval theology assigned to God - he was pure act.”  Henry Adams

“Talk softly and carry a big stick.”   Teddy Roosevelt