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ink anything stronger than wine； except as a medicine； that he took very little wine； and that they had never seen him drunk。 They also declared that he was not a curser or blasphemer。
After listening to this mass of evidence for a week； Newett begged to withdraw his charge and to apologize； and he confessed that he had nothing but hearsay on which to base his slanders。 Then Roosevelt addressed the court and asked it not to impose damages upon the defendant； as he had not prosecuted the libeler with the intention of getting satisfaction in money。 He wrote one of his sisters from Marquette； where the trial was held： 〃I deemed it best not to demand money damages； the man is a country editor； and while I thoroly* depise him； I do not care to seem to persecute him。〃 （May 31； 1913。）
* I copy 〃thoroly；〃 as he wrote it； as a reminder that Roosevelt practiced the spelling reform which he advocated。
Roosevelt had to undergo one other trial； this time as defendant。 The managers of the Republican Party…and the Interests behind them； not content with blocking his way to the nomination in 1912； wished utterly to destroy him as a political factor； for they still dreaded that； as a Progressive； he might have a triumphant resurrection and recapture the confidence of the American people。 To accomplish their purpose they wished to discredit him as a reform politician； and as a leader in civic and social welfare。
Roosevelt himself gave the occasion for their on slaught upon him。 In supporting Harvey D。 Hinman； the Progressive candidate for the Governor of New York in 1914； he declared that William Barnes； Jr。； who managed the Republican Machine politics in that State； had a bi…partisan alliance with the Democratic Machine in the interest of crooked politics and crooked business。 Mr。 Barnes； in whose ears the word 〃Boss〃 sounded obnoxious as applied to himself； brought suit for libel； and it came to trial at Syracuse on April 19； 1915。 Mr。 Barnes's counsel； Mr。 Ivins； peered into every item of Mr。 Roosevelt's political career with a microscope。 Mr。 Barnes had； of course； all the facts； all the traditions that his long experience at Albany could give him。 And as he dated back to Boss Platt's time； he must have heard； at first hand from the Senator； his relations with Roosevelt as Governor。 But the most searching examination by Mr。 Barnes brought him no evidence； and cross…examination； pursued for many days； brought him no more。 When it became Roosevelt's turn to reply； he showed how the Albany Evening Journal； Mr。 Barnes's organ； had profited by illegal political advertising。 He proved the existence of the bi…partisan alliance with the Democratic Machine； and showed its effects on legislation and elections。 After deliberating two days； the jury brought in a verdict in favor of Roosevelt。
The trial； which had lasted two months； and cost Roosevelt 52；000 （so expensive is it for an honest man to defend his honesty against hostile politicians！） decided two things： first； that Mr。 Barnes was a Boss； and had used crooked methods； and next； that Theodore Roosevelt； under the most intense scrutiny which his enemies could employ； was freed from any suspicion of dishonest political methods or acts。 As William M。 Ivins； attorney for Mr。 Barnes； left the New York Constitutional Convention to try the case at Syracuse； he said with un concealed and alluring self…satisfaction to Mr。 Root： 〃I am going to nail Roosevelt's hide to the barn door。〃 Mr。 Root replied： 〃Be sure it is Roosevelt's and not some other hide that is nailed there。〃
CHAPTER XXIV。 PROMETHEUS BOUND
The event which put Roosevelt's patriotism to the final test； and； as it proved； evoked all his great qualities in a last display； was the outbreak of the Atrocious World War in August； 1914。 By the most brutal assault in modern times； Germany； and her lackey ally； Austria； without notice； overran Belgium and Northeastern France； and devastated Serbia。 The other countries； especially the United States； were too startled at first to understand either the magnitude or the possible implications of this war。 On August 18th； President Wilson issued the first of his many variegated messages； in which he gave this warning： 〃We must be impartial in thought as well as in action； must put a curb upon our sentiments as well as upon every transaction that might be construed as a preference of one party to the struggle before another。〃 He added that his first thought was of America。 Any one who analyzed his message carefully must have wondered how it was possible； in the greatest moral issue which had ever been thrust before the world's judgment； to remain impartial 〃even in thought〃 between good and evil。 Perhaps it was right； though hardly necessary； to impress upon Americans that they must look after their own interests first。 Would it not have been more seemly； however； especially for President Wilson； who on the previous Fourth of July had uttered his sanctimonious tribute to the superiority in virtue of the United States to all other nations； to urge his countrymen to put some of this virtue into practice at that crisis？
But the masses did not reason。 They used his admonition to remain neutral 〃even in thought〃 to justify them in not having any great anxiety as to who was right and who wrong； and they interpreted his concern for 〃America first〃 as authorizing them to go about their affairs and profit as much as they could in the warlike conditions。 Some of us； indeed； took an opposite view。 We saw that the conflict； if fought to a finish； would decide whether Democracy or Despotism should rule the earth。 We felt that the United States； the vastest； strongest； and most populous Republic in the world； pledged to uphold Democracy； should throw itself at once on the side of the European nations which were struggling； against great odds； to save Democracy from the most atrocious of despots。 Inevitably； we were regarded as incorrigible idealists whose suggestions ran counter to etiquette and were； after all； crazy。
For several years； Roosevelt had been a contributing editor of the Outlook； and although his first instinct； when the Germans ravished Belgium； was to protest and then； if necessary； to follow up our protest by a show of force； he wrote in the Outlook an approval of our taking immediately a neutral attitude。 Still； he did not let this preclude stern action later。 〃 Neutrality；〃 he said； 〃may be of prime necessity to maintain peace 。 。 。 but we pay the penalty of this action on behalf of peace for ourselves； and possibly for others in the future； by forfeiting our right to do anything on behalf of peace for the Belgians at present。〃 Three years afterwards these sentences of his were unearthed by his enemies and flung against him； but his dominant purpose； from the start； was too well known for any one to accuse him of inconsistency。 He assumed； when President Wilson issued his impartial 〃even in thought〃 message； that the President must have some secret diplomatic information which would vindicate it。
As the months went on； however； it became clear to him that Mr。 Wilson was pursuing towards the European War the same policy of contradictions； of brief paroxysms of boldness