Itisalsowelltorememberthatasenseofhumorisahealthyanti-
scorbutictothatportentousseriousnesswhichdefeatsitsownpurpose。
Occasionallybitsofself-educationprovedofunexpectedhelptothechildreninlateryears。Likeotherchildren，theywereapttotaketobedwiththemtreasureswhichtheyparticularlyesteemed。Oneoftheboys，justbeforehissixteenthbirthday，wentmoosehuntingwiththefamilydoctor，andclosepersonalfriendoftheentirefamily，AlexanderLambert。Oncenightovertookthembeforetheycamped，andtheyhadtoliedownjustwheretheywere。NextmorningDr。Lambertratherenviouslycongratulatedtheboyonthefactthatstonesandrootsevidentlydidnotinterferewiththesoundnessofhissleep；towhichtheboyresponded，“Well，Doctor，youseeitisn’tverylongsinceIusedtotakefourteenchinaanimalstobedwithmeeverynight！”
Asthechildrengrewup，SagamoreHillremaineddelightfulforthem。
Therewerepicnicsandridingparties，thereweredancesinthenorthroom——sometimesfancydressdances——andopen-airplaysonthegreentenniscourtofoneofthecousin’shouses。Thechildrenarenolongerchildrennow。Mostofthemaremenandwomen，workingouttheirownfatesinthebigworld；someinourownland，othersacrossthegreatoceansorwheretheSouthernCrossblazesinthetropicnights。Someofthemhavechildrenoftheirown；someareworkingatonething，someatanother；incableships，inbusinessoffices，infactories，innewspaperoffices，buildingsteelbridges，bossinggraveltrainsandsteamshovels，orlayingtracksandsuperintendingfreighttraffic。
Theyhavehadtheirshareofaccidentsandescapes；asIwrite，wordcomesfromafar-offlandthatoneofthem，whomSethBullockusedtocall“Kim“becausehewasthefriendofallmankind，whilebossingadangerousbutnecessarysteelstructuraljobhashadtworibsandtwobackteethbroken，andisbackatwork。Theyhaveknownandtheywillknowjoyandsorrow，triumphandtemporarydefeat。ButIbelievetheyareallthebetteroffbecauseoftheirhappyandhealthychildhood。
Itisimpossibletowinthegreatprizesoflifewithoutrunningrisks，andthegreatestofallprizesarethoseconnectedwiththehome。Nofatherandmothercanhopetoescapesorrowandanxiety，andtherearedreadfulmomentswhendeathcomesverynearthosewelove，evenifforthetimebeingitpassesby。Butlifeisagreatadventure，andtheworstofallfearsisthefearofliving。Therearemanyformsofsuccess，manyformsoftriumph。Butthereisnoothersuccessthatinanyshapeorwayapproachesthatwhichisopentomostofthemany，manymenandwomenwhohavetherightideals。Thesearethemenandthewomenwhoseethatitistheintimateandhomelythingsthatcountmost。Theyarethemenandwomenwhohavethecouragetostriveforthehappinesswhichcomesonlywithlaborandeffortandself-sacrifice，andonlytothosewhosejoyinlifespringsinpartfrompowerofworkandsenseofduty。
OnSeptember6，1901，PresidentMcKinleywasshotbyanAnarchistinthecityofBuffalo。IwenttoBuffaloatonce。ThePresident’sconditionseemedtobeimproving，andafteradayortwoweweretoldthathewaspracticallyoutofdanger。Ithenjoinedmyfamily，whowereintheAdirondacks，nearthefootofMountTahawus。Adayortwoafterwardswetookalongtrampthroughtheforest，andintheafternoonIclimbedMountTahawus。AfterreachingthetopIhaddescendedafewhundredfeettoashelfoflandwheretherewasalittlelake，whenIsawaguidecomingoutofthewoodsonourtrailfrombelow。Ifeltatoncethathehadbadnews，and，sureenough，hehandedmeatelegramsayingthatthePresident’sconditionwasmuchworseandthatImustcometoBuffaloimmediately。Itwaslateintheafternoon，anddarknesshadfallenbythetimeIreachedtheclubhousewherewewerestaying。ItwassometimeafterwardsbeforeIcouldgetawagontodrivemeouttothenearestrailwaystation，NorthCreek，somefortyorfiftymilesdistant。Theroadsweretheordinarywildernessroadsandthenightwasdark。Butwechangedhorsestwoorthreetimes——whenIsay“we“ImeanthedriverandI，astherewasnooneelsewithus——andreachedthestationjustatdawn，tolearnfromMr。Loeb，whohadaspecialtrainwaiting，thatthePresidentwasdead。ThateveningItooktheoathofoffice，inthehouseofAnsleyWilcox，atBuffalo。
OnthreepreviousoccasionstheVice-PresidenthadsucceededtothePresidencyonthedeathofthePresident。Ineachcasetherehadbeenareversalofpartypolicy，andanearlyimmediateandnearlycompletechangeinthepersonnelofthehigheroffices，especiallytheCabinet。
Ihadneverfeltthatthiswaswisefromanystandpoint。IfamanisfittobePresident，hewillspeedilysoimpresshimselfintheofficethatthepoliciespursuedwillbehisanyhow，andhewillnothavetobotherastowhetherheischangingthemornot；whileasregardstheofficesunderhim，theimportantthingforhimisthathissubordinatesshallmakeasuccessinhandlingtheirseveraldepartments。Thesubordinateissuretodesiretomakeasuccessofhisdepartmentforhisownsake，andifheisafitman，whoseviewsonpublicpolicyaresound，andwhoseabilitiesentitlehimtohisposition，hewilldoexcellentlyunderalmostanychiefwiththesamepurposes。
IatonceannouncedthatIwouldcontinueunchangedMcKinley’spoliciesforthehonorandprosperityofthecountry，andIaskedallthemembersoftheCabinettostay。TherewerenochangesmadeamongthemsaveaschangesweremadeamongtheirsuccessorswhomImyselfappointed。IcontinuedMr。McKinley’spolicies，changinganddevelopingthemandaddingnewpoliciesonlyasthequestionsbeforethepublicchangedandastheneedsofthepublicdeveloped。Someofmyfriendsshooktheirheadsoverthis，tellingmethatthemenI
retainedwouldnotbe“loyaltome。”andthatIwouldseemasifI
were“apalecopyofMcKinley。”ItoldthemthatIwasnotnervousonthisscore，andthatifthemenIretainedwereloyaltotheirworktheywouldbegivingmetheloyaltyforwhichImostcared；andthatiftheywerenot，Iwouldchangethemanyhow；andthatasforbeing“apalecopyofMcKinley。”Iwasnotprimarilyconcernedwitheitherfollowingornotfollowinginhisfootsteps，butinfacingthenewproblemsthatarose；andthatifIwerecompetentIwouldfindampleopportunitytoshowmycompetencebymydeedswithoutworryingmyselfastohowtoconvincepeopleofthefact。
ForthereasonsIhavealreadygiveninmychapterontheGovernorshipofNewYork，theRepublicanparty，whichinthedaysofAbrahamLincolnwasfoundedastheradicalprogressivepartyoftheNation，hadbeenobligedduringthelastdecadeofthenineteenthcenturytoupholdtheinterestsofpopulargovernmentagainstafoolishandilljudgedmock-radicalism。ItremainedtheNationalistasagainsttheparticularistorState’srightsparty，andinsofaritremainedabsolutelysound；forlittlepermanentgoodcanbedonebyanypartywhichworshipstheState’srightsfetishorwhichfailstoregardtheState，likethecountyorthemunicipality，asmerelyaconvenientunitforlocalself-government，whileinallNationalmatters，ofimportancetothewholepeople，theNationistobesupremeoverState，county，andtownalike。ButtheState’srightsfetish，althoughstilleffectivelyusedatcertaintimesbybothcourtsandCongresstoblockneededNationallegislationdirectedagainstthehugecorporationsorintheinterestsofworkingmen，wasnotaprimeissueatthetimeofwhichIspeak。In1896，1898，and1900thecampaignswerewagedontwogreatmoralissues：1theimperativeneedofasoundandhonestcurrency；2theneed，after1898，ofmeetinginmanfulandstraightforwardfashiontheextraterritorialproblemsarisingfromtheSpanishWar。OnthesegreatmoralissuestheRepublicanpartywasright，andthemenwhowereopposedtoit，andwhoclaimedtobetheradicals，andtheiralliesamongthesentimentalists，wereutterlyandhopelesslywrong。Thishad，regrettablybutperhapsinevitably，tendedtothrowthepartyintothehandsnotmerelyoftheconservativesbutofthereactionaries；ofmenwho，sometimesforpersonalandimproperreasons，butmoreoftenwithentiresincerityanduprightnessofpurpose，distrustedanythingthatwasprogressiveanddreadedradicalism。ThesemenstillfromforceofhabitapplaudedwhatLincolnhaddoneinthewayofradicaldealingwiththeabusesofhisday；buttheydidnotapplythespiritinwhichLincolnworkedtotheabusesoftheirownday。BothhousesofCongresswerecontrolledbythesemen。TheirleadersintheSenatewereMessrs。
AldrichandHale。TheSpeakeroftheHousewhenIbecamePresidentwasMr。Henderson，butinalittleoverayearhewassucceededbyMr。
Cannon，who，althoughwidelydifferingfromSenatorAldrichinmattersofdetail，representedthesametypeofpublicsentiment。ThereweremanypointsonwhichIagreedwithMr。CannonandMr。Aldrich，andsomepointsonwhichIagreedwithMr。Hale。Imadearesoluteefforttogetonwithallthreeandwiththeirfollowers，andIhavenoquestionthattheymadeanequallyresoluteefforttogetonwithme。
Wesucceededinworkingtogether，althoughwithincreasingfriction，forsomeyears，Ipushingforwardandtheyhangingback。Gradually，however，Iwasforcedtoabandontheefforttopersuadethemtocomemyway，andthenIachievedresultsonlybyappealingovertheheadsoftheSenateandHouseleaderstothepeople，whowerethemastersofbothofus。Icontinuedinthiswaytogetresultsuntilalmostthecloseofmyterm；andtheRepublicanpartybecameoncemoretheprogressiveandindeedthefairlyradicalprogressivepartyoftheNation。Whenmysuccessorwaschosen，however，theleadersoftheHouseandSenate，ormostofthem，feltthatitwassafetocometoabreakwithme，andthelastorshortsessionofCongress，heldbetweentheelectionofmysuccessorandhisinaugurationfourmonthslater，sawaseriesofcontestsbetweenthemajoritiesinthetwohousesofCongressandthePresident，——myself，——quiteasbitterasiftheyandI
hadbelongedtooppositepoliticalparties。However，Iheldmyown。I
wasnotabletopushthroughthelegislationIdesiredduringthesefourmonths，butIwasabletopreventthemdoinganythingIdidnotdesire，orundoinganythingthatIhadalreadysucceededingettingdone。
Therewere，ofcourse，manySenatorsandmembersofthelowerhousewithwhomuptotheverylastIcontinuedtoworkinheartyaccord，andwithagrowingunderstanding。Ihavenotthespacetoenumerate，asIwouldliketo，thesemen。FormanyyearsSenatorLodgehadbeenmyclosepersonalandpoliticalfriend，withwhomIdiscussedallpublicquestionsthatarose，usuallywithagreement；andourintimatelycloserelationswereofcourseunchangedbymyentryintotheWhiteHouse。Hewasofallourpublicmenthemanwhohadmadetheclosestandwiseststudyofourforeignrelations，andmoreclearlythanalmostanyothermanheunderstoodthevitalfactthattheefficiencyofournavyconditionedournationalefficiencyinforeignaffairs。Anythingrelatingtoourinternationalrelations，fromPanamaandthenavytotheAlaskanboundaryquestion，theAlgecirasnegotiations，orthepeaceofPortsmouth，IwascertaintodiscusswithSenatorLodgeandalsowithcertainothermembersofCongress，suchasSenatorTurnerofWashingtonandRepresentativeHittofIllinois。Anythingrelatingtolaborlegislationandtomeasuresforcontrollingbigbusinessorefficientlyregulatingthegiantrailwaysystems，IwascertaintodiscusswithSenatorDolliverorCongressmanHepburnorCongressmanCooper。WithmenlikeSenatorBeveridge，CongressmanafterwardsSenatorDixon，andCongressmanMurdock，Iwasapttodiscussprettynearlyeverythingrelatingtoeitherourinternalorourexternalaffairs。Thereweremany，manyothers。ThepresentpresidentoftheSenate，SenatorClark，ofArkansas，wasasfearlessandhigh-mindedarepresentativeofthepeopleoftheUnitedStatesasIeverdealtwith。HewasoneofthemenwhocombinedloyaltytohisownStatewithanequallykeenloyaltytothepeopleofalltheUnitedStates。Hewaspoliticallyopposedtome；butwhentheinterestsofthecountrywereatstake，hewasincapableofconsideringpartydifferences；andthiswasespeciallyhisattitudeininternationalmatters——includingcertaintreatieswhichmostofhispartycolleagues，withnarrowlackofpatriotism，andcompletesubordinationofNationaltofactionalinterest，opposed。Ihaveneveranywheremetfiner，morefaithful，moredisinterested，andmoreloyalpublicservantsthanSenatorO。H。Platt，aRepublican，fromConnecticut，andSenatorCockrell，aDemocrat，fromMissouri。TheywerealreadyoldmenwhenIcametothePresidency；anddoubtlesstherewerepointsonwhichIseemedtothemtobeextremeandradical；
buteventuallytheyfoundthatourmotivesandbeliefswerethesame，andtheydidallintheirpowertohelpanymovementthatwasfortheinterestofourpeopleasawhole。IhadmetthemwhenIwasCivilServiceCommissionerandAssistantSecretaryoftheNavy。AllIeverhadtodowitheitherwastoconvincehimthatagivenmeasureI
championedwasright，andhethenatoncedidallhecouldtohaveitputintoeffect。IfIcouldnotconvincethem，why！thatwasmyfault，ormymisfortune；butifIcouldconvincethem，Ineverhadtothinkagainastowhethertheywouldorwouldnotsupportme。ThereweremanyothermenofmarkinbothhouseswithwhomIcouldworkonsomepoints，whereasonotherswehadtodiffer。Therewasonepowerfulleader——aburly，forcefulman，ofadmirabletraits——whohad，however，beentrainedinthepost-bellumschoolofbusinessandpolitics，sothathisattitudetowardslife，quiteunconsciously，remindedmealittleofArtemusWard’sviewoftheTowerofLondon——“IfIlikeit，I’llbuyit。”Therewasabiggovernmentaljobinwhichthisleaderwasmuchinterested，andinreferencetowhichhealwayswishedmetoconsultamanwhomhetrusted，whomIwillcallPittRodney。OnedayI