the days of my life-第83部分

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　re　the　Panama　Canal。　On　the　9th　of　March　the　Under…Secretary；　Mr。　Loomis；　took　us　to　see　the　President；　Mr。　Roosevelt；　who　was　then　celebrating　his　inauguration。　The　White　House　was　crowded　with　people　waiting　to　shake　hands　with　the　new　Chief　of　the　State；　amongst　whom　I　noted　a　band　of　Indian　chiefs；　men　with　long　black　hair；　copper…coloured　skins；　and　strongly　marked　features。　Mr。　Loomis　took　us　to　the　President’s　private　room；　a　double　chamber　connected　with　a　large　ante…room　by　folding　doors。　These　doors　stood　open；　and　beyond　them　were　gathered　a　number　of　gentlemen　awaiting　the　President。　I　take　it　that　they　were　the　Council　of　State　or　Cabi。
Then　the　President　appeared　and　shook　hands　with　us　warmly。　He　was；　and　indeed　still　is；30　a　short；　stout　man　with　a　fair；　fresh　plexion　and　rows　of　very　even　teeth；　which　he　shows　in　their　entirety　every　time　he　smiles。　In　manner　he　is　frank　and　earnest；　nor　does　he　mince　his　words　and　opinions。
29　Written　in　1912。　—　Ed。
First　he　waved　his　hand　towards　the　gentlemen　in　the　ante…room　and；　pointing　to　the　door；　beyond　which　the　crowds　through　which　we　had　passed　were　gathered；　said　that　there　I　beheld　the　aftermath　of　a　presidential　election　in　a　democratic　country。　Then　he　asked　me　my　views　upon　the　South　African　situation；　adding　that　he　was　himself　of　Dutch　descent。
I　gave　them；　and　he　expressed　his　hope　that　the　Boers　in　South　Africa；　with　whom　he　had　great　sympathy；　would　settle　down；　learn　English；　and　bee　a　dominant　factor　in　that　country　under　the　British　flag　and　rule。　He　added　that　he　had　expressed　these　views　strongly　to　those　of　their　leaders　who　had　visited　him　in　America；　which　shows　that　he；　at　least；　was　not　working　against　us　in　the　South　African　War。
Our　talk　next　turned　upon　matters　connected　with　the　land　and　with　the　absolute　necessity　of　keeping　the　population　on　the　soil　and　not　allowing　it　to　flock　into　the　cities。　I　found　that　his　views　and　mine　upon　this　point　were　identical；　as　he　recognised　the　inevitable　deterioration　of　the　race　which　must　ensue　if　the　land…dwellers　were　to　bee　city…dwellers。　He　spoke　also　on　the　subject　of　the　limitation　of　families；　and　instanced　the　case　of　the　French　Canadians　who；　in　some　districts；　were　crowding　out　the　British…born　folk　in　the　Dominion。　These　Frenchmen；　he　informed　me；　settle　upon　the　land　and　have　large　families；　whereas　the　English　Canadians　draw　to　the　cities。　Also　he　instanced　the　case　of　Australasia。　He　impressed　me　as　a　thoroughly　sound　and　reliable　man　—　one　whose　heart　was　in　the　right　place；　and　who　would　do　the　best　he　could　for　his　nation　during　the　time　it　was　in　his　care；　and　for　humanity　at　large。
A　few　days　later　my　daughter　and　I　were　entertained　at　luncheon　at　the　White　House；　to　which　we　went　straight　from　another　luncheon；　where　we　were　also　entertained　by　citizens　of　note　in　Washington。
It　was　a　most　amusing　meal。　Especially　do　I　recollect　Mr。　Roosevelt’s　ic　sketch　of　the　anticipated　details　of　a　forthing　meeting　between　himself　and　the　Swiss　Minister；　who　was　attending　at　the　White　House　to　present　his　credentials。
“He；”　he　said；　“will　stand　in　a　fine　uniform　and　read　a　lot　of　rot　to　me　in　French；　while　I　shall　stand　opposite　to　him　and　read　a　lot　of　rot　in　English。　And　that’s　what　they　call　the　high　ceremonies　of　diplomacy！”
“It　is　an　odd　thing；　Mr。　Haggard；”　he　said；　as　he　entered　the　private　drawing…room　after　luncheon；　“that　you　and　I；　brought　up　in　different　countries　and　following　such　different　pursuits；　should　have　identical　ideas　and　aims。　I　have　been　reading　your　book；　‘Rural　England；’　and　I　tell　you　that　what　you　think；　I　think；　and　what　you　want　to　do；　I　want　to　do。　We　are　one　man　in　the　matter”；　or　words　to　that　effect。
I　could　only　answer　that　I　was　extremely　glad　to　hear　it。
I　may　add　that　I　was　not　wrong　in　supposing　that　the　President　would　try　to　put　these　ideas　into　action；　as　indeed　is　shown　by　his　famous　Conservation　Act；　the　passing　of　which　he　subsequently　brought　about；　also　by　many　other　of　his　administrative　deeds。　Further；　should　he　ever　return　to　power　again；　I　am　convinced　that　he　will　push　on　along　these　lines。
In　proof　of　what　I　say　—　since；　before　proceeding　with　the　account　of　my　American　mission；　I　think　that　for　convenience’s　sake　it　will　be　well　here　to　finish　the　story　of　my　relations　with　President　Roosevelt　—　I　will　quote　the　substance　of　a　note　I　made　of　an　interview　which　I　had　with　him　in　London　more　than　five　years　later。　Also　I　will　quote　several　letters　which　have　subsequently　passed　between　us。
June　2；　1910。
I　saw　Mr。　Roosevelt　and　his　family　this　afternoon　at　10　Chesterfield　Street。　He　was　extremely　pressed；　and　informed　me　that　he　had　not　even　found　time　to　put　on　a　black　coat　since　ing　up　from　staying　with　Selous。　I　told　him　the　result　of　my　American　mission。　He　said　that　it　was　most　disheartening；　but　always　the　case　where　officials　could　have　their　way。　I　congratulated　him　upon　his　Natural　Resources　Conservation　Policy。　He　answered　that　he　was　making　a　big　fight　upon　that　point。
The　Bishop　of　Massachusetts；　who　was　present；　said　to　Mr。　Roosevelt　that　I　approved　of　his　famous　Guildhall　speech。
“Ah！”　he　said；　“I　knew　I　should　have　Haggard’s　support。”
（On　this　point　Kermit　Roosevelt；　his　son；　told　me　that　both　Balfour　and　Grey　were　pleased　with　the　speech。）
I　informed　Mr。　Roosevelt　of　the　investigations　that　I　had　just　arranged　to　carry　out　for　the　Salvation　Army。　He　said　that　this　was　“a　grand　work”　which　I　proposed　to　do；　and　he　only　wished　that　he　could　have　found　time　to　e　round　with　me；　adding　with　much　earnestness：
“Why　not　make　use　of　all　this　charitable　energy；　now　often　misdirected；　for　national　ends？”
“What　I　have　called　‘the　waste　forces　of　Benevolence；’”　I　said。　“It　is　odd；　Mr。　Roosevelt；　that　we　should　both　have　e　to　that　conclusion。”
“Yes；　that’s　the　term；”　he　answered。　“You　see；　the　reason　is　that　we　are　both　sensible　men　who　understand。”
In　saying　good…bye　to　me；　Mr。　Roosevelt　said；　“It’s　a　barren　thing　to　say；　but　I　want　to　tell　you　how　deeply　I　admire　all　your　social　work；　and；　if　you　care　to　know　it；　I　should　like　to　add　that　I　have　found　it　a　strength　and　a　support　to　myself　in　my　own　struggles。　。　。　。　It’s　almost　an　insult　to　ask　you　here　rushed　as　I　am；　but　I　did　want　to　have　a　word　with　you；　and　had　no　other　chance。”
I　also　spoke　to　him　about　Horace　Plunkett’s　work。　He　answered　that　he　thought　most　highly　of　him　and　that　he；　Plunkett；　was　ing　over　to　America　to　see　him。
Subsequently　I　read　in　the　American　Outlook　a　most　interesting　signed　article　by　Mr。　Roosevelt　a　propos　of　my　social　work；　and　especially　of　the　book　called　“Regeneration”　that　I　had　written　on　the　Salvation　Army。
As　to　this　review　Mr。　Roosevelt　wrote　to　me　regretting　that　he　could　not　have　made　the　article　ten　times　as　long。
To　this　I　answered　on　August　8；　1911：
I　thank　you　most　heartily。　I　cannot　tell　you　how　greatly　I　appreciate　the　good　opinion　of　a　man　like　yourself；　and　what　is　so　very　rare；　the　public　expression　of　that　opinion。　As　a　private　individual　I　find　my　task　very　hard：　to　drive　into　the　intelligence　of　a　blind　and　careless　generation　certain　elementary　facts　which　it　cannot　or　will　not　understand　is　always　difficult；　especially　if　the　wielder　of　the　hammer　is　not　rich。　If　I　could　afford　it　I　would　devote　the　rest　of　my　life　to　this　kind　of　educational　work　in　my　own　land　and　others。　But　I　fear　I　can’t；　and　in　this　country　no　kind　of　help　is　forthing　to　make　such　efforts　possible。
Of　Mr。　Roosevelt’s　long　answer　I　quote　the　beginning　and　the　end；　omitting　all　the　central　part　of　the　letter；　which　deals　with　various　social　problems。　I　will　call　special　attention　to　the　last　lines　of　this　letter；　which　I　think　show　a　high　and　fine　spirit。
The　Outlook；　287　Fourth　Avenue；
New　York：　August　22；　1911。
Dear　Mr。　Haggard；　—　I　have　been　reading　“Rural　Denmark”　with　genuine　interest；　and　I　congratulate　you　upon　the　work。　I　was　especially　interested　in　the　rather　melancholy　chapter　at　the　end
—　“What　might　be　and　what　is。”　I　agree　with　every　word　you　say　about　the　land　。　。　。　。
I　do　not　wonder　that　you　feel　discouraged　and　blue　at　times。　As　you　say；　it　seems　a　hard　and　thankless　task　to　have　to　try　to　hammer　into　your　generation　what　is　vital　for　them　to　learn　and　what　they　refuse　to　learn。　I　half　smiled　when　I　read　what　you　wrote；　because　I　so　often　have　the　same　feeling　myself。　As　President　I　tried；　and　I　now　continue　to　try；　to　teach　lessons　that　I　feel　ought　to　be　learned　by　my　fellow…countrymen；　and　I　often　wonder　how　much　I　am　acplishing　by　it。　There　are　so　many　important　lessons　that　ought　to　be　learned；　and　the　art　of　preaching　so　that　it　will　at　least　do　no　harm　is　such　a　very　difficult　art　to　acquire　and　to　practise！　I　often　bee　quite　horrified　at　the　multitude　of　profoundly　dull　and　uninteresting　little　books　and　pamphlets　and　articles　and　tracts；　all　with　a　worthy　purpose；　which　are　sent　to　me　by　other　men　interested　in　trying　to　teach　something　which　they　believe　ought　to　be　taught；　I　wonder　whether　I　seem　the　kind　of　dull　pointless　bore　to　the　people　I　am　trying　to　help　as　so　many　of　these　worthy　people　seem　to　me！　I　think　your　business　and　mine　is　to　go　ahead；　never　to　stop　trying　to　help　along　the　lines　we　have　marked　out；　and　yet　to　keep　our　sense　of　humor　and　sense　of　proportion　and　equability　of　nature。　We　must　not　preach　all　the　time；　or　we　will　stop　doing　any　good；　for　we　must　always　remember　not　to　fall　into　the　snare　of　preaching　for　the　sake　of　relieving　our　own　souls　instead　of　for　the　purpose　of　acplishing　something　as　regards　somebody　else’s　soul。　We　must　not　permit　ourselves　to　bee　soured　by　our　experiences；　for　being　gloomy　does　not　in　the　least　help　a　man　to　reach　others；　and　merely　makes　him　less　attractive　to　himself　and　to　all　around　him。　Life　is　a　campaign；　and　at　best　we　are　merely　under…officers　or　subalterns　in　it。　We　are　bound　to　do　our　duty　as　efficiently　and　as　fearlessly　as　we　know　how；　but　it　is　a　good　thing　to　remember　that　we　must　not　be　too　much　cast　down　even　if　things　look　wrong；　because　melancholy　only　tends　to　make　us　less　and　not　more　efficient；　and　buoyancy　and　good…humor　and　the　ability　to　enjoy　life　all　help　instead　of　hindering　a　refo