In 1902 Mr. Roosevelt had become president "by accident." If it
had not been for the tragedy of President McKinley's death he would
not have come into power, and the thought grieved him somewhat. So
when he was again elected president he was quite pleased. For now
he felt that he held his great office because the people wanted
him, and not because they could not help having him.
Few Presidents have grown so much in popularity after coming into
office as Mr. Roosevelt. People felt he was a jolly good fellow,
and throughout the length and breadth of the land he was known as
"Teddy."
"Who is the head of the Government?" a little girl was asked.
"Mr. Roosevelt," was the reply.
"Yes, but what is his official title?"
"Teddy," answered the little one.
During this presidency Oklahoma was admitted to the Union as the
forty-sixth state. Oklahoma is an Indian word meaning Redman. It
was part of the Louisiana Purchase, and had been set aside as an
Indian reservation. All the land, however, was not occupied and
as some of it was exceedingly fertile the white people began to
agitate to have it opened to them. So at length the Indians gave up
their claim to part of this territory in return for a sum of money.
This was in 1889 and President Harrison proclaimed that at twelve
o'clock noon on the 22nd of April the land would be opened for
settlement.
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