Teddy Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt was the moving force in the construction of the Panama Canal. He fought
in the Spanish-American War as a lieutenant Colonel in 1898. In the picture he is wearing his military uniform which he wore
when he was part of the "Rough Riders."
In the 1904 Presidential Campaign Teddy Roosevelt was referred to in such words as the "Big
Stick" and the "Teddy Bear."
One of his campaign theme songs was "A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight" which was first made
famous by a St. Louis brothel. The song itself reminds me much of Panama, when I lived there.
In one of Teddy's speeches he said the following, it kind of says it all:
"It
is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have
done better. The credit belongs to the man who actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust, sweat and blood; who knows
great enthusiasm, great devotion and the triumph of achievement and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while doing
greatly... so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
---
Theodore Roosevelt
You
can bet your bottom dollar that Teddy Roosevelt was quite through in his inspection of the progress on the construction of
the Panama Canal on his vist. If Cocoli had been a town site then--- TR would have probably made it a point to drop
by the old clubhouse. Yes, Cocoli where the living was easy.