as Roosevelt began forty…four Anti…Trust suits； and concluded only four important cases during his seven and a half years in office； under Taft sixty…six new suits were begun and many of the old ones were successfully concluded。 Some great cases； like that of the Standard Oil and of the Railroad Rates； had been settled； which equaled in importance any that Roosevelt had taken up。 In the course of debate on the stump； each side made virulent accusations against the other； and things were said which were not true then and have long since been regretted by the sayers。 That happens in all political contests。
Roosevelt himself； being the incarnation； if not indeed the cause； of the Progressive Party； had to endure an incessant volley of personal attack。 They charged him with inordinate ambition。 We heard how Mr。 William Barnes； Jr。； the would…be savior of the country； implied that Roosevelt must be defeated in order to prevent the establishment of monarchy in the United States。 Probably Mr。 Barnes； in his moments of reflection； admitted to himself that he did not really mean that； but many campaign orators and editors repeated the insinuation and besought free…born Americans not to elect a candidate who would assume the title of King Theodore。 Many of his critics could account for his leaving the Republican Party and heading another； only on the theory that he was moved by a desire for revenge。 If he could not rule he would ruin。 The old allegation that he must be crazy was of course revived。
After the election； the Republican Regulars； who had stubbornly refused； to read the handwriting on the wall during the previous four years； heaped new abuse upon him。 They said that he had betrayed the Party。 They said that he had shown himself an ingrate towards Taft； whose achievements in the Presidency awoke his envy。 And more recently； many persons who have loathed the Administration of President Wilson； blame Roosevelt for having brought down this curse upon the country。
These various opinions and charges seem to me to be mistaken； and in the foregoing chapters； if I have truly divined Theodore Roosevelt's character； every reader should see that his action in entering the field for the Republican nomination in 1912； and then in founding the Progressive Party； was the perfectly natural culmination of his career。 Some one said that he went off at a tangent in 1912。 Some one else has said better that this tangent was a straight line leading back to 1882； when he sat in the New York Assembly。 Remember that the love of Justice was from boyhood his leading principle。 Remember that； after he succeeded in having a law passed relieving the miserably poor cigar…makers from the hideous conditions under which they had to work； a judge declared the law unconstitutional； thereby proving to Roosevelt that the courts； which should be the citadels of justice； might and did； in this case； care more for the financial interests of landowners than for the health； life； and soul of human beings。 That example of injustice was branded on his heart； and he resolved to combat the judicial league with in humanity； wherever he met it。 So Abraham Lincoln； when； at the age of twenty…two he first saw a slave auction in New Orleans； said； in indignant horror； to his companion； John Hanks： 〃If I ever get a chance to hit that thing ＇meaning slavery＇ I'll hit it hard。〃 Exactly thirty years later； Abraham Lincoln； as President； was hitting that thingslaveryso hard that it perished。 Roosevelt's experience as Assemblyman； as Civil Service Commissioner； as Police Commissioner； as Governor； and as President； had confirmed his belief that the decisions of the courts often stood between the People and Justice。
Especially in his war on the Interests was he angered at finding corporate abuses； and even criminal methods； comfortably protected by an upholstery of favoring laws。 With that tact and willingness to compromise on non…essentials in order to gain his essential object； which mark him as a statesman； he used the Republican Party； naturally the party of the plutocrats who controlled the Interests； just as long as he could。 Then； when the Republican Machine rose against him； he quitted it and founded the Progressive Party； to be the instrument for carrying on and completing the great reforms he had at heart。 Here was no desertion； no betrayal； here was； first of all； common sense； if the road no longer leads towards your goal； you leave it and take an other。 No one believed more sincerely than Roosevelt did； in fealty to party。 In 1884 he would not bolt； because he hoped that the good which the Republican principles would accomplish would more than offset the harm which the nomination of Blaine would inflict。 But in 1912； the Republicans cynically rejected his cause which he had tried to make the Republican cause； and then； as in 1884； he held that the cause was more important than the individual； and he followed this idea loyally； lead where it might。
In trying thus to state Roosevelt's position fairly； I do not mean to imply that I should agree with his conclusions in regard to the Recall of the Judicial Decisions； and the experiments which have already been made with the Referendum and Initiative and Direct Primaries are so unsatisfactory that Roosevelt himself would probably have recognized that the doubts； which many of us felt when he first proposed those measures； have been justified。 But I wish to emphasize my admiration for the large consistency of his career； and my conviction that； with out his crowning action in 1912； he would have failed to be the moral force which he was。 If ambition； if envy； if a selfish desire to rule； had been the motives which guided him； he would have lain low in 1912； for all his friends and the managers of the Republican Party assured him that if he would stand aside then； he would be unanimously nominated by the Republicans in 1916。 But he could not be tempted。
CHAPTER XXIII。 THE BRAZILIAN ORDEAL
〃They will be throwing rotten apples at me soon；〃 Theodore had said to his sister； on the day when New York went frantic in placing him among the gods。 His treatment； after he championed Progressivism； showed him to be clairvoyant。 Not only did his political opponents belabor himthat was quite naturalbut his friends； having failed to persuade him not to take the fatal leap； let him see plainly that； while he still had their affection； they had lost their respect for his judgment。 He himself bore the defeat of 1912 with the same valiant cheerfulness with which he took every disappointment and thwarting。 But he was not stolid； much less indifferent。 〃 It is all very well to talk with the Crusading spirit；〃 he said after the election； 〃and of the duty to spend and be spent； and I feel it absolutely as regards myself； but I hate to see my Crusading lieutenants suffer for the cause。〃 He was thinking of the eager young men； including some of his kinsmen； who had gone into the campaign because they believed in him。
His close friends did not follow him； but they still loved him。 And it was a sign of his open…mindedness that he would listen to their opinions and even consult them； although he knew that they entirely rejected his Progressivism。 General Luke E。 Wright； who remained a devoted friend but did not become a Progressive； used to explain what the others called the Colonel's aberration； as being really a very subtle piece of wisdom。 Experienced ranchmen； he would say； when their herds stampede in a sudden alarm； spur their horses through the rushing cattle； fire their revolvers into the air； and gradually； by making the herds suppose that men and beasts are all together in their wild dash； work their way to the front。 Then they cleverly make the leaders swing round； and after a long stampede the herd comes panting back to the place it started from。 This； General Wright said； is what Roosevelt was doing with the multitudes of Radicals who seemed to be headed for perdition。
Just as he had absented himself in Africa for a year； after retiring from the Presidency； so Roosevelt decided to make one more trip for hunting and exploration。 As he could not go to the North Pole； he said； because that would be poaching on Peary's field； he selected South America。 He had long wished to visit the Southern Continent； and invitations to speak at Rio Janeiro and at Buenos Aires gave him an excuse for setting out。 As before； he started with the distinct purpose of collecting animal and botanical specimens； this time for the American Museum of Natural History in New York； which provided two trained naturalists to accompany him。 His son Kermit； toughened by the previous adventure； went also。
Having paid his visits and seen the civilized parts of Brazil； Uruguay； and Argentina； he ascended the Paraguay River and then struck across the plateau which divides its watershed from that of the tributaries of the Amazon； for he proposed to make his way through an unexplored region in Central Brazil and reach the outposts of civilization on the Great River。 Dr。 Osborn had dissuaded him from going through a tract where the climate was known to be most pernicious。 The Brazilian Government had informed him that； by the route he had chosen； he would meet a large riverthe Rio da Duvido； the River of Doubtby which he could descend to the Amazon。 Roosevelt's account of this exploration； given in his 〃The Brazilian Wilderness；〃 belongs among the masterpieces of explorers' records。
There were some twenty persons； including a dozen or fifteen native rowers and pack…bearers； in his party。 They had canoes and dugouts； supplies of food for about forty days； and a carefully chosen outfit。 With high hopes they put their craft into the water and moved downstream。 But on the fourth day they found rapids ahead； and from that time on they were constantly obliged to land and carry their dugouts and stores round a cataract。 The peril of being swept over the falls was always imminent； and as the trail which constituted their portages had to be cut through the matted forest； their labors were increased。 In the first eleven days； they progressed only sixty miles。 No one knew the distance they would have to traverse nor how long the river would be broken by falls and cataracts b