nscience determine his action on each question which arose。 He flocked by himself on a peak。 He was too practical； however； to hold this course long。 Experience had already taught him that under a constitutional government parties which advocate or oppose issues must rule； and that in order to make your issues win you must secure a majority of the votes。 Not by playing solitaire； therefore； not by standing aloof as one crying in the wilderness； but by honestly persuading as many as you could to support you； could you promote the causes which you had at heart。 The professional politicians and the Machine leaders still thought that he was stubborn and too conceited to listen to reason； but in reality he had a few intimates like Billy O'Neil and Mike Costello with whom he took counsel； and a group of thirty or forty others； both Republican and Democratic； with whom he acted harmoniously on many questions。
They all united to fight the Black…Horse Cavalry； as the gang of 〃strike〃 legislators was called。 One of the most insidious bills pushed by these rascals aimed at reducing the fares on the New York Elevated Railway from ten cents to five cents。 It seemed so plausible！ So entirely in the interest of the poor man！ Indeed； the affairs of the Elevated took up much of Roosevelt's attention and enriched for years the Black…Horse Cavalrymen and the lobbyists。 He also forced the Assembly to appoint a commission to investigate the New York City police officials； the police department being at that time notoriously corrupt。 They employed as their counsel George Bliss； a lawyer of prominence； with a sharp tongue and a contempt for self…constituted reformers。 While Roosevelt was cross…examining one of the officials； Bliss； who little understood the man he was dealing with； interrupted with a scornful and impertinent remark。 〃Of course you do not mean that； Mr。 Bliss；〃 said the young reformer with impressive politeness； 〃for if you did we should have to put you out in the street。〃 Even in those early days； when Roosevelt was in dead earnest； he had a way of pointing his forefinger and of fixing his under jaw which the person whom he addressed could not mistake。 That forefinger was as menacing as a seven shooter。 Mr。 Bliss； with all the prestige of a successful career at the bar behind him； quickly understood the meaning of the look； the gesture； and the studied courtesy。 He deemed it best to retract and apologize at once； and it was。
Roosevelt consented to run for a third term and he was elected in spite of the opposition of the various elements which united to defeat him。 Such a man was too。 dangerous to be acceptable to Jay Gould and the 〃interests；〃 to Black…Horse Cavalry； and to gangs of all kinds who made a living； directly or indirectly； by office…holding。 His friends urged him for the speakership； but this was asking too much of the Democratic majority； and besides； there were Republicans who had winced under his scourge the year before and were glad enough to defeat him now。 Occasionally； some kind elderly friend would still attempt to show him the folly of his ways； and we hear reports of one gentleman； a member of the Assembly and an 〃old friend；〃 who told him that the great concern in life was Business； and that lawyers and judges； legislators and Congressmen； existed to serve the ends of Business。 〃There is no politics in politics；〃 said this moral guide and sage。 But he could not budge the young man； who believed that there are many considerations more important than the political。
During this third year； he made a straight and gallant fight to improve the condition under which cigars were made in New York City。 By his own investigation； he found that the cigar makers lived in tenements； in one room； perhaps two； with their families and often a boarder； these made the cigars which the public bought； in ignorance of the facts。 Roosevelt proposed that； as a health measure which would benefit alike the cigar…makers and the public； this evil practice be prohibited and that the police put a stop to it。 His bill passed in 1884； but the next year the Court of Appeals declared it unconstitutional； because it deprived the tenement…house people of their liberty and would injure the owners of the tenements if they were not allowed to rent their property to these tenants。 In its decision； the court indulged in nauseating sanctimony of this sort： 〃 It cannot be perceived how the cigar…maker is to be improved in his health； or his morals； by forcing him from his home and its hallowed associations and beneficent influences to ply his trade elsewhere。〃 This was probably not the first time when Roosevelt was enraged to find the courts of justice sleekly upholding hot…beds of disease and vice； on the pretense that they were protecting liberty。 Commenting on this episode； Mr。 Washburn well says： 〃As applied to the kind of tenement I have referred to； this reference to the 'home and its hallowed associations' seems grotesque or tragic depending upon the point of view。〃*
* Washburn； 11。
Amid work of this kind； fighting and fearless； constantly adding to his reputation among the good as a high type of reformer； and adding to the detestation in which the bad held him； he completed his third term。 He resolutely refused to serve again and declined the offers which were pressed upon him to run for Congress； nor did he accept a place on the Republican National Committee。
The death of his mother on February 12； 1884； followed in twenty…four hours by that of his wife； who died after the birth of a daughter； brought sorrow upon Roosevelt which made the burden of his political work heavier and caused him to consider how he should readjust his life； for he was first of all a man of deep family affections and the loss of his wife left him adrift。
To S。 N。 D。 North； editor of the Utica Herald and a well…wisher of his； he wrote from Albany on April 30； 1884：
Dear Mr。 North： I wish to write you a few words just to thank you for your kindness towards me； and to assure you that my head will not be turned by what I well know was a mainly accidental success。 Although not a very old man； I have yet lived a great deal in my life； and I have known sorrow too bitter and joy too keen to allow me to become either cast down or elated for more than a very brief period over success or defeat。
I have very little expectation of being able to keep on in politics； my success so far has only been won by absolute indifference to my future career； for I doubt if any one can realize the bitter and venomous hatred with which I am regarded by the very politicians who at Utica supported me； under dictation from masters who were influenced by political considerations that were national and not local in their scope。 I realize very thoroughly the absolutely ephemeral nature of the hold I have upon the people； and the very real and positive hostility I have excited among the politicians。 I will not stay in public life unless I can do so on my own terms； and my ideal； whether lived up to or not； is rather a high one。 For very many reasons I will not mind going back into private life for a few years。 My work this winter has been very harassing； and I feel both tired and restless； for the next few months I shall probably be in Dakota； and I think I shall spend the next two or three years in making shooting trips； either in the Far West or in the Northern woodsand there will be plenty of work to do writing。*
* Douglas； 41…42。
This letter is a striking revelation of the inmost intentions of the man of twenty…five； who already stood on a pinnacle where hard heads and mature might well have been dizzy。 Evidently he knew him self； and even in his brief experience with the world he understood how uncertain and evanescent are the winds of Fame。 If he had ever suffered from a 〃swelled head；〃 he was now cured。 He felt the emptiness of life's prizes when the dearest who should have shared them with him were dead。
CHAPTER III。 AT THE FIRST CROSSROADS
The year 1884 was a Presidential year； and Roosevelt was one of the four delegates…at…large* of New York State to the Republican National Convention at Chicago。 The day seemed to have come for a new birth in American politics。 The Republican Party was grown fat with four and twenty years of power； and the fat had overlain and smothered its noble aims。 The party was arrogant； it was corrupt； it was unashamed。 After the War； immense projects involving huge sums of money had to be managed； and the Republicans spent like spendthrifts when they did not spend like embezzlers。 I do not imply that the Democrats would not have done the same if they had been in command； or that there were not among them many who saw where their profit lay； and took it。 The quadrupeds which feed at the Treasury trough are all of one species； no matter whether their skins be black or white。
* The other delegates…at…large were President Andrew D。 White of Cornell University； J。 T。 Gilbert； and Edwin Packard。
But now a new generation was springing up； with its leaven of hope and idealism and its intuitive faith in honesty。
More completely than any one else； Roosevelt embodied to the country the glorious promise of this new generation。 But the old always dies hard after it has long been the blood and mind of a creed； a class； or a party。 Terrible also is the blind； remorseless sweep of a custom which may have sprung up from good soil； not less than one spawned and nurtured in iniquity。 Frankenstein laboriously constructing his monster seems to personify society at its immemorial task of creating institutions； each institution as it becomes viable rends its creator。
So the Republican Party lived on its traditions； its privileges； its appetites； its arrogance； and it refused to be transmuted by its youngest members。 In 1876 it resorted to fraud to perpetuate its hold on power。 Unchastened in 1880； three hundred and six of its delegates attempted through thick and thin to force the nomination of General Grant for a third term。 The chief opposing candidate was James G。 Blaine； whose unsavory reputation； however； caused the majority of the convention which was not pledged to Grant to repudiate Blaine and to choose Garfield as a compromise。 Then follow