Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/140

104 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS already shown throughout the country. Whatever displeasure political circles may have taken in learning Theodore Roosevelt s determination to exclude political influence from the army, the navy, and the colonies, must resemble the displeasure that political circles have invariably taken at every step in his career at learning that he proposed, so far as lay within the scope of his power, to see that merit, and merit only, was rewarded, and that honesty, and honesty only, was practised. His in tentions regarding rural free delivery service in the post-office department correspond with his well- known views as to civil service reform. It may be said that his most important acts have not been those to create the greatest comment. One of his least important acts, namely, inviting as a guest to his table a distinguished and honorable member of the colored race, occasioned an outburst of temper from southern newspapers the folly of which reaches such dimensions as to be historical. His first annual message to Congress, Decem ber 3, 1901, was, as could be expected, entirely like himself and wholly unlike most of the preceding documents of this class. Abstract sentiments were few ; concrete convictions were many and unequivo cally expressed. Its length was immediately for gotten in its interest. Its style was of a very close texture; it was the number and importance of its topics that made it long. Among the many vital