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Riis, Jacob A., 1849-1914

"The Making of an American"

"
He referred to my old-country habit of raising the hat in salutation
instead of merely nodding or touching the brim. No doubt he expressed
a feeling that was quite general at the time. But after Mulberry
Street had taken notice of Roosevelt's friendship for me there was
a change, and then it went to the other extreme. It never quite got
over the fact that he did not "ring me in" on President McKinley
and the Government, or at least make me his private secretary and
deputy boss of the Empire State while he was Governor. The Mulberry
Street idea of friendship includes the loaves and fishes first and
last, and "pull" is the Joss it worships. In fact I had several
times to explain that Mr. Roosevelt had not "gone back on me" to
save his political reputation. When at a public meeting he once
spoke of me as his friend, a dozen policemen brought me copies of
the paper containing "the notice," with a frankly expressed wish
to be remembered when I came into my own, About that time, being
in the neighborhood, I strayed into the Bend one day to enjoy the
sunlight there and the children sporting in it.


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