Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/129

THEODORE ROOSEVELT 97 as those which had surprised and dismayed the legislatures of New York. They were (as they have always been) characterized by a directness and candor which on the face of them appeared to be based upon inexperience or ignorance, but which were in reality based upon extremely shrewd and adroit observation. Mr. Roosevelt added twenty thousand places to the scope of the reform law, and so admirable was his work altogether that Presi dent Harrison has said of it: "If he had no other record than his service as an employee of the civil service commission, he would be deserving of the nation s gratitude and confidence." Mr. Cleveland, upon succeeding Mr. Harrison as president, re tained Roosevelt, and thus his work continued for two years more, until May 1, 1895, when he re signed to become president of the Police board of New York city. Besides his other labors, while in Washington, he had begun what he considers his most important literary work, "The Winning of the West," and had also written many fugitive articles upon the subjects of natural history and politics. For nearly two years he was president of the Police board of New York city, where, as usual, he set himself to the cleaning of the corruption and the blackmail with which he found the entire de partment rotten. His measures produced the natural outcry of rage from the politicians with