Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/141

 THEODORE ROOSEVELT 105 themes for legislative attention, such as anarchy, the so-called trusts, the army, the navy, the tariff, and civil-service reform to mention no more- there was vagueness in only one, namely, the ques tion of ship subsidy. Perhaps no human mind could achieve so much expression of opinion about existing conditions and future policy without some slight dislocation of logic somewhere. In speaking of the Philippines, the message says: &quot;What has taken us thirty generations to achieve we can not expect to see another race accomplish out of hand.&quot; This is surely true. But in speaking of the Indian tribes, the message says: &quot;The Indian should be treated as an individual, like the white man.&quot; Placed next to each other, these two statements contain elements of humor ; perhaps had they been called to his attention, Mr. Roosevelt would have expressed them differently. To describe Theodore Roosevelt as a man of action is true, but is not the whole truth; to de scribe him as a man of letters is equally true, but is not the whole truth. It is not possible for con temporary judgment adequately to estimate him; to esteem him is easy indeed. It should not go un remarked that he stood on September 14 more un shackled by prejudice than has generally been pos sible for one in his position. For him the way was unimpeded by extorted promises, and lay clear to