Jacob A. Riis (1849–1914). Theodore Roosevelt, the Citizen. 1904.
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| an issue of clean streets and clean politics, though but a year out of college, made his canvass squarely upon that basis, and astounded old-time politicians by the fire he put into the staid residents of the brownstone district, who were little in the habit of bothering about elections. He, too, was started upon a round of the saloons, under management. At the first call the management and that end of the canvass gave out together. Thereafter he went it alone. He was elected, and twice re-elected to his seat, with ever-increasing majorities. Astor was beaten, and, in anger, quit the country. Today he lives abroad, a self-expatriated American. Theodore Roosevelt, who believes in the people, is President of the United States. |
| There was no need of my asking him how he came to go into politics, for how he could have helped it I cannot see; but I did. He thought awhile. |
| “I suppose for one thing ordinary, plain, every-day duty sent me there to begin with. But, more than that, I wanted to belong to the governing class, not to the governed. When I said that I wanted to go to the Republican Association, they told me that I would meet |