ertain conditions can be put a stop to is of much weight ing from such a man； and the conclusion throws a light upon his character which would astonish many even in this country。
Office of Theodore Roosevelt；
The Outlook； 287 Fourth Avenue；
New York： June 28； 1912。
Dear Mr。 Haggard； — I have but a moment in which to answer your wele letter； as I am driven almost to death。 There are but a limited number of my own countrymen； among those of the highest education； who understand as you do just what I am striving for。 I suppose that as we grow older we naturally lose the natural feeling of young men to take an interest in politics just for the sake of strife — the same kind of interest one takes in big game hunting or football； the kind of interest quite patible with doing excellent work but which cannot inspire the highest kind of work。 As we get older； if we think seriously at all； and if we escape falling into a permanent Palmerstonian jauntiness of attitude； we cannot avoid being deeply and indeed painfully impressed with the tremendous problems of our social and industrial life。 To me politics and applied ethics ought to be interchangeable terms； and my interest in the former arises chiefly from my interest in the latter。 If the whole game is one of mere sound and fury； without any sincerity back of it； any real purpose of achievement； then it is all of as little importance as a contest between the blues and the greens in the Byzantine circus。 I am； I hope and believe； a practical man； and I abhor mere sentimentality； but I abhor at least as much the kind of so…called practical man who uses the word “practical” to indicate mere materialistic baseness； and who fails to see that while we of course must have a material and economic foundation for every successful civilisation； yet that fabric cannot be lasting unless a warp of lofty disinterestedness and power of munity feeling is shot through the woof of individualistic materialism。 Have you ever read “No。 5 John Street”？ I happened to be reading it the other day。 Now I know I cannot ever achieve more than the very smallest part of what I would like to do； but at least I wish to take part in a movement for using the government so far as may be to put a stop to the dreadful conditions at both ends of the social scale which are described in “No。 5 John Street。” In the same way； I wish to get the government interested in conservation； and in restoring the people to the land。 I do not know whether we will be able to succeed in the great movement for social and industrial reform； which includes all such movements as the two I have mentioned； but I do know that the alternative is a general smash…up of our civilisation； and succeed or fail； I hold it to be the duty of every decent man to fight to avoid such a smash。
I hope you e to Canada and then I shall see you here and have a chance of talking over some of these matters； which are of such vital importance； and which the average man treats as of no importance whatever。
As for my personal fortunes； they are of no consequence whatever； except in so far as they are for the moment connected with this movement。 The great bulk of my wealthy and educated friends regard me as a dangerous crank because I am trying to find a remedy for evils which if left unremedied will in the end do away not only with wealth and education； but with pretty much all of our civilisation。 The majority of people veer one way or the other according to whether at the moment I seem to succeed or fail； and are quite incapable of believing that I am concerned with anything but my own success or failure。 But all this is of little permanent consequence。 It is a fight that must be made； and is worth making； and the event lies on the knees of the gods。
Faithfully yours；
Theodore Roosevelt。
To this letter I answered：
Ditchingham House； Norfolk：
July 14； 1912。
My dear Mr。 Roosevelt； — I thank you for your letter。 。 。 。 I too hold that the civilised world wallows in a slough worse； perhaps； than the primeval mud of the savage； that is is possible （if not probable） that it may be dragged from that slough； cleansed and clothed in white garments。 That it is the bounden duty of all men as they shall answer for it at the last to do their honest best to bring this about； regardless of any wreaths of success； of any dust of failure； regardless of everything save that glory which； in all probability； will never crown their individual strivings； or； if it es； be at all identified with their half…forgotten names。
This； I imagine； is a conviction that es home to certain of us with added force when some of the cables that bind us here are slipped and our being begins to thrill beneath the pull of that tide which flows over the edge of the World。 At least it has e home to me； grieving in my own impotence； and I am sure that it has e home to you。 Our Faith then is the same。 How can that Faith be — not fulfilled — but put in the way of fulfilment by others who e after？
Let us suppose that you succeed and reach great power； now or later。 I daresay you will not： as you say； it is on the knees of the gods； or rather of God — and heaven knows； I shall think no differently of you if you succeed or fail； but let us suppose it。 What could you do — or strive to do？
You are confronted with a hideous problem。 The other day； in a hairdresser’s shop； I took up one of our illustrated papers。 In it was a reproduced photograph of a number of your New York women （members of the upper 400 I think they were named） feeding their lap…dogs； adorned with jewelled collars； off plates of gold。 Elsewhere I have read and seen pictures of New York poor starving in the snows of winter。
There in brief is your problem and the problem of every civilised country of the Earth。 The glutted； foul； menacing cities； the gorgeous few； the countless miserables！ And beyond the empty Land which could feed them all and give them health and happiness from the cradle to the grave。
The problem then is： the Poor in the Cities； and the answer to it should be； the Poor on the Land； where they would cease to be poor。
What are the bitter fruits of this City Life？ A confusion more plete than that which fell on the builders of the Tower of Babel； a failure more utter； a mere shattered mass of half…dried bricks which will be washed to shapelessness by the rains of heaven and crumbled to powder by its everlasting sun。
An ultimate dearth of Life： the woman who will not bear children on the one hand； the woman who may not bear children on the other。 A destruction： with a vision （for those who can see） of the East once more flowing in over the West and possessing it — and lo！ the toil and intellect of ages gone。
Such may be the will — the design of God。 I do not know。 Yet I think it more probable that it is the cracked coin in which He will repay the wickedness； or the mad folly of man。
Cannot this torrent be stayed or turned？ Here I see no hope of it： Yonder you may have a chance。 Our existence as a race （I speak of all the white Nations） seems to me to depend upon the answer。 If this letter were published in the Press today； I am aware it would be mocked at。 But if it could be read one short five…hundred years hence； I wonder if the readers of that age would call me fool or prophet？
Good luck to you！ In triumph or disaster God’s blessing and peace on you who are striving for the truth and right。
Thus prays your friend；
H。 Rider Haggard。
Here ends my Roosevelt correspondence up to the present time。 If he survives me — which； being so strong； is more than probable — I do not think that he will be vexed with me for including what he wrote to me in my autobiography； seeing that it is in a sense all public matter and reveals his true character in the most favourable of lights。
How wrong； in my opinion； are those who so bitterly abuse Mr。 Roosevelt！ I think him a noble…hearted and upright man who is striving for the good of humanity。
Chapter 21 REPORT ON LABOUR COLONIES
Letter to Alfred Lyttelton — Interview with him — Opportunities of Conservative Government — How used — Nature of H。 R。 H。‘s scheme — Approved by Earl Grey； Governor…General of Canada — Cold reception by Government — Alfred Lyttelton a believer in it — Referred to a Departmental mittee — The bottom knocked out of it — Letters from Earl Grey — Letter from Bramwell Booth。
On my homeward way across the Atlantic I wrote the following private letter to Mr。 Lyttelton：
R。M。S。 Majestic： April 23； 1905。
Dear Mr。 Lyttelton； — I hope within a few days to let you have my Report； or rather Reports — for I have written a general Report and separate Remarks upon each of the Salvation Army Colonies。
I am glad to be able to tell you that on the whole； although mistakes have been made； I formed a favourable opinion of these colonies。
I am also thankful to be able to add that the results of my negotiations with the Canadian Government are； in my opinion； very satisfactory。 They have given me 240；000 acres of land outright （to be selected wherever one likes） and a promise of as much more as is wanted。 This is really very handsome。 Up to the present； however； I have not been able to get their promise that they would join in guaranteeing a loan for Emigration purposes。 Still Mr。 Fielding was very well disposed towards so doing and promised me that he would consult his colleagues and municate with me further。 I owe it to Lord Grey and Mr。 Sifton that things went so smoothly in Canada。 I cannot be grateful enough to them； as will be seen from my Report。 I was fortunate enough to be able to convince everybody I met there； from Sir Wilfrid Laurier down； that the scheme I have evolved is sound and workable — to the benefit of Canada also； so they all set to and helped me after reading my reports on the Colonies。 （I had roughly drafted these Reports during my train journeys。 — H。 R。 H。） Also I think that Sir Wilfrid was approached in a fortunate hour — just when he wished to do something for the Protestants。
At any rate when I took some opportunity to point out to him that the Salvation Army put no religious pressure on its settlers and that there were Roman Catholic families at Fort Romie； after thinking a moment； he answered formally：
“I think that no Public Body could be better fitted to carry out Land Settlements in Canada than is the Salvation Army。”
It seemed to me that this was holding out the hand of wele。
The Report covers many documents that have to be checked and prepared for press； but I am pushing on with them as fast as possible； and if I am wanted a wire to Ditchingham will always find me。
I had a most interesting interview with President Roosevelt； of which I will bring or send the private notes。
Our journey was very long and arduous； and towards the end of it my daughter developed influenza in the train which； as I did not know what it was； frightened me。 Also we had a great escape of being drowned in the Colorado River。 However； I am glad to say we got through safely。 Hoping that my Report and scheme may be thought satisfactory。
Believe me；
Very truly yours；
H。 Rider Haggard。
Some weeks after my return I had a brief interview with Mr。 Lyttelton at the House of mons — it may have extended to half an hour； though I think it was less。