Show 1 I leonard wood w I 1 reprinted from an article by Tb Theodor eodore ft roosevelt HooB evelt in n the outlook by arrangement with the outlook ot of which theodore roosevelt to contributing dator ii copyright 1910 13 i 1 ir ho outlook company Voin pany all rights nighta reserved gen leonard has lurt jupt returned irow ram south america to take up his bis duties fit as chief or of the general staff of df the united states army the highest mili military position the service at fords nearly 12 years ago when leonard wood was waa acting as governor of el lintl antl ago I 1 wrote in the outlook about what he had already achl achieved eted and nd what he could ild be trusted to achieve during the intervening 12 years he lies haa played a very conspicuous part among the men who have rendered signal service to tho the country hy by the way in which they have hava enabled it to grapple with the duties and responsibilities incurred by the spanish war what has been accomplished in the philippines in cuba in porto rico in panama and in san domingo during these 12 years represents re resents a sum of achievement of which this nation has a tight light to be extremely proud in each lacall ty the problem has haa been different in each locality it has been soliel with signal success of course there have been mistakes and shortcomings but on the whole it would be difficult to find anywhere a finer record of sue accomplishment this record Is primarily due to the admirable ity of the men put at the head of affairs in the different places tatt taft luke wright smith and forbes hunt winthrop post and col ton governor magoon colonel goeth als to these and their colleagues and subordinates the country owes oes a heavy debt of obligation most of those I 1 have mentioned are civilians colonel goethals under whom the gigantic work of the panama canal Is being accomplished with literally astounding rapidity and sue cess Is a representative of the army the share of the army in the honor roll Is very large the importance of work like that of general bell in the philippines of general barry in cuba can hardly be overestimated but as a whole of all the work of the army officers the greatest in amount and the greatest in variety of achieve ment must be credited to general wood and moreover he has at times combined with singular success the functions of civil administrator and military commandant the part played by the united states in cuba has been one of the most honorable ever played by any nation in dealing with a weaker power one of the most satisfactory in all respects and to general wood more than to any other one man Is due the credit of starting this work and conducting it to a successful conclusion during the earliest and most difficult years like almost all of the men mentioned as well as their colleagues general wood of course incurred the violent hatred of many dishonest schemers and un scrupulous adventurers and of a few more or less leas m well ell meaning persons persona wh were misled by the thee he e schemers and but it la is astounding to any one acquainted with the facts to realize not merely what be cd but how be succeeded in gala gain ing the good will of the enormous ma bority of the men whose good will could be won on only in honorable fish ton ion spaniards and cubans christian and moroa catholic eccle cede elastics and protestant les in each ease case the great majority of those whose opinion was visa bapst north having grew to regard general wood as their special champion and ablest friend as tho the man who more than any others understood and sympathized with their peculiar needs and waa aas anxious and able to lecher them the help they most needed ills administration was as signally successful in the moro country as lu in cuba in each case AIM it brought in its train peace an increase la in material prosperity and a rigid adherence to honesty as the only policy tolerated among officials ills opportunity for military service has not been great either in the philippines or while lie he ft as the governor of cuba still on several occasions he was obliged to carry on operations against hostile tribes of moros mores and in each case ho he did his work with skill energy and efficiency and once it was done he showed as much humanity in dealing with the vanquished as he had bad shown capacity to vanquish them in our country there are some come kinds of success which receive an altogether dl disproportionate financial reward but in no other country Is the financial reward so eo small email for the kind of service done by leonard wood and by the other men whose names I 1 have given above general wood Is an army officer with nothing but an army officers pay and v we e accept it as a matter of course that he be should have received practically no pecuniary reward for those services which he rendered in positions not such as an army officer usually occupies there Is not an other big country in the world where he would not have received a substantial reward such as here no one even thinks of his receiving yet aft er all the reward for which he ha most cares to Is the opportunity to render service and this opportunity has been given him once and again lie he now low stands as calef of staff of the amerl can army the army in which he be was serving in a subordinate position as surgeon burgeon 13 years ago ills rise riad has been astonishing and it has been due purely to his own striking fica tion and striking achievements again and again he has rendered great ice fee to the american people end and he w will continue to render such service illde in the position he now holds THEODORE ROOSEVELT |