The rise of Theodore Roosevelt - Edmund Morris [253]
There is no record of Roosevelt’s first impression of Lincoln Steffens, but subsequent evidence indicates that he understood the young man shrewdly. Steffens was twenty-nine years old; thin, vain, arrogant, wolfishly ambitious, with the beady eye of a born investigative reporter. He had no false sentiment (unlike Riis, who refused to cover raids on homosexual brothels, on the grounds that “there are no such creatures in this world”).31 Roosevelt knew just how to handle Steffens. A mild scoop every now and again; indulgent nods when he ventured some criticism; a few flattering requests for advice—like “Now, then, what’ll we do?”—and the reporter would be his man. In return, Roosevelt could be sure of a constant supply of raw political information, and much useful gossip.32
Commissioner Parker was not pleased at having to wait outside Roosevelt’s office, and was heard to grumble, “Thinks he’s the whole Board.” For most of that first day, however, the four new colleagues acted harmoniously. They laughed and chatted together,33 and each seemed pleased with his agreed-on responsibilities. Parker was given the glamorous and important job of reorganizing the Detective Bureau. Roosevelt showed further confidence in his political integrity by naming him chairman of the Committee of Elections. Grant was made overseer of repairs and supplies, and chairman of the Disciplinary Committee. The military Andrews was asked to draw up a new set of rules designed to tighten efficiency and ensure accountability in the ranks, in addition to his duties as treasurer. Roosevelt, who enjoyed ex officio a seat on all committees, announced that he would concern himself with problems of overall administration, and would act as press spokesman for the entire Board.34
JUST HOW SUCCESSFUL he was in the latter capacity may be judged from the following collage of newspaper headlines and cartoon captions, representing his first ten days in office:
ROOSEVELT’S NEW GIRL SECRETARY
The Police Board President Causes Sensation on
Mulberry Street
REIGN OF TERROR AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS
Merit Wins Promotion Now—
Political Pulls Frowned Upon
RATTLED—THE DRY OLD POLICE BONES
Kick the Politicians, Lecture the Legislature
Snub the Roundsmen, Warn the Drunken Bluecoats
Abolish the Police Parades, & Stir up
Departmental Surgeons
ROOSEVELT AS JUDGE
The Reform Commissioner Tries Nearly
100 Policemen in One Day
“Pulls” Found Worthless Before the Inquisitor
With Big Teeth and Rasping Voice35
A subhead in the World summed up the new Commissioner’s policy in these words: Publicity, publicity, publicity.36 He seemed determined to expose to general scrutiny every aspect of his department’s work, from transcripts of Board meetings to dossiers on the moral fitness of officers for promotion. His habit of inviting reporters to spend the day in his big, bare office made it difficult for the representatives of political organizations to have private speech with him. Whenever the politicians began to whisper, he would deliberately answer “in a voice loud enough to be heard across the room.”37
The white glare of all this publicity inevitably focused much attention upon Roosevelt the man. A lead article in the World of 17 May shows with what clarity he stamped his image on the pages of the press. Although the article purported to describe a routine trial of police officers for infractions of discipline, it dwelt with fascinated relish upon the judge’s physical peculiarities, and survives as a documentary portrait of Theodore Roosevelt at thirty-six:
When he asks a question, Mr. Roosevelt shoots it at the poor trembling policeman as he would shoot a bullet