one interesting and illuminating experience with the "black horse
cavalry." He was Chairman of the Committee on Cities. The
representatives of one of the great railways brought to him a
bill to permit the extension of its terminal facilities in one of
the big cities of the State, and asked him to take charge of it.
Roosevelt looked into the proposed bill and found that it was a
measure that ought to be passed quite as much in the public
interest as is the interest of the railroad. He agreed to stand
sponsor for the bill, provided he were assured that no money
would be used to push it. The assurance was given. When the bill
came before his committee for consideration, Roosevelt found that
he could not get it reported out either favorably or unfavorably.
So he decided to force matters. In accordance with his life-long
practice, he went into the decisive committee meeting perfectly
sure what he was going to do, and otherwise fully prepared.

There was a broken chair in the room, and when he took his seat a
leg of that chair was unobtrusively ready to his hand. He moved
that the bill be reported favorably.

The gang, without debate, voted "No." He moved that it be
reported unfavorably. Again the gang voted "No." Then he put
the bill in his pocket and announced that he proposed to report
it anyhow. There was almost a riot. He was warned that his
conduct would be exposed on the floor of the Assembly. He
replied that in that case he would explain publicly in the
Assembly the reasons which made him believe that the rest of
the committee were trying, from motives of blackmail, to prevent
any report of the bill. The bill was reported without further
protest, and the threatened riot did not come off, partly, said