TO E. C. BRADLEY
Washington, January, 1919
MY DEAR BRADLEY,— … I am terribly broken up over Roosevelt's death. He was a great and a good man, a man's man, always playing his game in the open. …
I loved old Roosevelt because he was a hearty, two-fisted fellow. … The only fault I ever had to find with him was that he took defeat too hard. He had a sort of "divine right" idea, but he was a bully fighter. I went to his funeral and have joined in mass meetings in his memory, which I suppose is all I can do. … Of course … he said a lot of things that were unjust and unjustifiable, but if a fellow doesn't make a damned fool of himself once in a while he wouldn't be human. The Republicans would have nominated him next time undoubtedly. They are without a leader now, and we are just as much up in the air as ever. … I am standing by the President for all I am worth. I talked to the Merchants' Association the other day and gave him a great send- off, but they didn't rise to their feet at all, which is the first time this has happened in two years. … Sincerely yours,