living in a peaceful country,
and the great mass of our people are orderly, law-abiding citizens. I
can trust them, and take care of myself." And to this he held, despite
the protestations of his closest friends. Of course he is scarcely ever
without some guard or secret service detective close at hand, but no
outward display of such protection is permitted. And let it be added to
the credit of our people that, though a few cranks and crazy persons
have caused him a little annoyance, he has never, up to the present
time, been molested in any way.

CHAPTER XXVI

CONTINUING THE WORK BEGUN BY PRESIDENT MCKINLEY--THE PANAMA CANAL
AGITATION--VISIT OF PRINCE HENRY OF PRUSSIA--THE PRESIDENT AT THE
CHARLESTON EXPOSITION

President Roosevelt had said he would continue the policy inaugurated by
President McKinley, and one of the important steps in this direction was
to appoint many to office who had been expecting appointment at the
hands of the martyred President. This gained him many friends, and soon
some who had kept themselves at a distance flocked around, to aid him in
every possible manner.

Late in September the last of the McKinley effects were taken from the
White House, and some days later the newly made President moved in, with
his family, who had come down from the Adirondacks some time previous.
In Washington the family were joined by Mr. Roosevelt's two
brothers-in-law, Commander Wm. Sheffield Cowles and Mr. Douglas
Robinson, and their wives, and the relatives remained together for some
days.

It was at first feared by some politicians that President Roosevelt
would be what is termed a "sectional President,"--that is, that he would
favor one section of our country to the exclusion of the others, but he
soon proved that he was altogether too noble for such baseness.

"I am going to be President of the whole United States," he said. "I
don't care for sections or sectional lines. I was born in the North, but
my mother was from the South, and I have spent much of my time in the
West, so I think I can fairly represent the whole country."

President Roosevelt sympathized deeply with the condition of the negroes
in the South, and for the purpose of learning the true state of affairs
sent for Mr. Booker T. Washington, one of the foremost colored men of
this country and founder of the Tuskegee Industrial School for Colored
People. They had a long conference at the White House, which Mr.
Washington enjoyed v