Summary

Theodore Roosevelt appointed George Cortelyou head of the newly-created Department of Commerce and Labor, then embarked on a railroad odyssey across the country both to meet everyday people and kick off his campaign for president. He traveled in a specially-outfitted train with private dining room, expert chefs, observation deck, rear platform, servants' quarters and accommodations for stenographers, Secret Service men, reporters and photographers. The president displayed patience, humor and warmth toward all during the trip. He genuinely loved speaking to live audiences. He won wild applause when he told a crowd in South Dakota that no legislation could ever "make a fool wise or a weakling strong, or a coward brave."

Roosevelt's conservationist tendencies became vibrantly visible when he visited Yellowstone, Yosemite and the great redwood forests of California. He proclaimed his reverence for the creations of nature and asserted...