There is probably no man in Ainer-
I
ican politics who is more generally
discussed at the present time by
newspaper writers than Theodore
Roosevelt, of the civil service commis
sion. Nearly all of the ultra spoils
men in both parties utterly dislike
him for audaciously championing
a theory diametrically opposed to their
ideas of practical politics; while, on the
other band, be has the confidence and
esteem of many civil service reformers,
who believe that in enthusiasm, pluck
and general lighting qualities be is
well fitted to champion and maintain
the principle which they bold dear.
The St. I’anl Pioneer Press, a leading
republican newspaper of good convic
tions upon civil service and tariff re
form, but which always smothers its
convictions during a political cam
paign, says
Theodore Roosevelt, of the national
civil service commission, is proving
himself to be most emphatically (he
right man in the right place. The
commission has never yet been oili
eered by men exactly suited to its needs.
11 has wanted a man of energy as
well as of brains, of pride as well as
enthusiasm, of determinal ion to en
force and enlarge the law as well as
faith in its eilicaey. In one word it
has needed a lighter. This is what it
gets in Mr. Roosevelt. And the spoils
men are having a hard time with him.
