The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-04
The Position OF
Col. Roosevelt.
From the Washington Star.

From the Washington Star
TT VERY one who knows Roosevelt
IL wonders what there will be left
for Platt after the fight in New
ID York has been won. 1t is not at
all certain that in adopting Roosevelt
as the machine candidate for governor
of New York Platt will be able to use
him for machine purposes. Platt would
probably not have had Roosevelt NOM
mated if he could we'll have helped
himself The Rough Rider is very in
dependent, and has some decided no.
tions of reform which ne has the cour-
age to put into practical application.
The designation of "Platt's man" will
not fit on him. Roosevelt is much at
home when he gets in the saddle, and
he probably will not let Platt lead the
horse.
Some people are specializing as to
whether the nomination of Roosevelt
does not mark the decline of the power
of Platt. In some respects Platt is
a much more clever leader than Mr..
Quay, who is making a fight to retain
his power in Pennsylvania. Flatt is
clever enough sometimes to accept
what he cannot prevent, and in doing
that he wiled it so. Roosevelt was
nominated as Platt's candidate. but it
is safe enough to say that he will not
be Platt's governor if he is elected.
He is an extraordinary character.
His career as police commissioner of
New York made Platts back teeth
clatter. He is the sort of man who has
always given a shock to Platt's nerv-
l. III, 1,
him is like putting file into sausage
grinder. There is a sort of humor in
his pervcrseness when he is put in a
place where he is expected to serve
some selfish interest, the sort of humor
that is suggested by the thought of a
hungry man trying to eat hardtack
without any teeth, is what was wit
messed daily here when he was civil
service commissioner and members of
his own party were trying to get past
him some ingenious scheme for the
evasion of the law that limited their
patronage. Even the president him
self was once suspected of being a VIC |
tim of this quaint humor. He gave
Harrison many uneasy moments while |
trihing with the delicate sensibilities |
who wanted little things done for the |
good of the party" not that the presi- |
dent was lacking in sympathy with |
civil service reform. but on account of |
the peculiar delight Roosevelt used to |
take in rubbing the reform in Just on |
the tenderest spots of the party cuti- |
Gle.
1t seems strange for such a man to |
be selected as Platt's candidate for |
1t is not less paradoxical |
to see men who during the past two
sessions of this congress were restrain
ed with very great difficulty from
enacting anti-civil service reform laws
and who never lost ar opportunity to
denounce the civil service law now
throwing up their hats for the man
who. above all others, is the champion
of the civil service reform principle
and has done more than any other man
to irritate, embarrass and anger the
men who "would like a little patron
age for the party's sake" 1t is being
asked, what chance is there with such
a man for those workers In New York
who would make profit out of politics;
what bond of sympathy can there be !
him and Platt? 1t would not
be at all consistent with his disposition
or Roosevelt TO do anything that Platt
may want him to after he becomes
governor OF New York, and he can be
depended on to be strictly independent.
In the approach OF the war with
spain Roosevelt scented the battle long
before the president or any member of
MS cabinet could be brought to believe
hat war was inevitable. The first Of
Hcial war preparations were made by
him far in advance of the administra-
ions expectation of war. Three
months or more before the war Roose-
'elt, who had earnestly been working
% that end for long while, succeeded
n having shipped to Dewey a large
amount Of ammunition and supplies.
These shipments were in excess of the
reeds in time Of peace, and the assist
mt secretary had q great deal of trou-
Die about having them sent. He was
allowed to have his way. and it was
argely to get rid of his opportunities
md TO avoid the difficulty Of combat