His early life experiences influenced his later successes. Born October 27, 1858 (Morris 33), Theodore Roosevelt was the son of Theodore Roosevelt, Sr., a successful businessman and philanthropist, and Martha "Mittie" Bulloch Roosevelt, daughter of a wealthy Georgia plantation family. Theodore Roosevelt was the second of four children born into the prominent Dutch and English family ("Roosevelt, Theodore"). At an early age, Roosevelt earned the nickname “Teedie” (Morris 34) and suffered from asthma, coughs, colds, fever, and nausea (40). Physical fitness, an important trait for the Roosevelts, was encouraged to help him overcome his illnesses; furthermore, Roosevelt's father said he had to “do his body” (60). To meet his father's standards from then on, Roosevelt focused on physical fitness and learned to love strenuous activity (“Roosevelt, Theodore”). As part of his education, Roosevelt received private tuition and attended neither private nor public school; however, Arthur Hamilton Cutler, one of Roosevelt's guardians, helped him realize his goal of going to Harvard through onerous studies and hard work (Morris 74). While at Harvard Roosevelt became a member of the Porcellain Club, the highest social honor one could have at the university (Morris 101). In late January 1880, Roosevelt became engaged to Alice Hathway Lee (123), and in June of that year he graduated magna cum laude with his Bachelor of Science degree (128). After Harvard, Roosevelt continued to attend law school at Columbia University; however, he grew tired of the topic and tried to advance his political career ("Roosevelt, Theodore"). Politics appealed to Roosevelt and he felt it suited his fiery personality perfectly. At age twenty... middle of paper... Evelt's war secretary, and JP Morgan worked to achieve a compromise. Soon afterward the proposed agreement was presented to George F. Baer, ​​representative of the railroad operators, and approved. The plan called for a five-man independent commission. Union members, angered that a union representative was not included on the commission, requested that a union representative and a Catholic priest be on the commission ("Anthracite Coal"). With the price of coal rapidly rising, Roosevelt intervened and appointed E.E. Clark, the Grand Chief of Railroad Conductors, to the commission. Shortly thereafter the commission reached a compromise and ended the strike. The miners received concessions but did not gain union recognition. TR's intervention saved the nation and was the turning point for Roosevelt's increasingly popular administration (“Anthracite Coal”).