The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-06-21
The Exact Truth
Hbout Roosevelt

HUUul hOOSCVVu
I'm view oi the numerous stories which have
been afoat during the past two days to the effect
that Senator Hanna has become dsgusted with
Roosevelt and vice versa, the following extracts
from the letter Of William H. Curtis in Tuesdays
Chicago Record are interesting because they pre-.
sent the exact truth in the premises
90 FAR AS the crowd is concerned
Governor Roosevelt is the only
man in Philadelphia. 1t doesn't
seem to care for anybody else. lie is
almost the only topic of conversation.
His room is the early destination OF
every delegate. He meets them all
with a CLEAN of his teeth and grasp
of the hand that makes them think
he has been anxiously expecting their
arrival. In return, everybody tells him
that he is the foreordained candidate
for vce-presdent and that nothing
can prevent his nomination. Every
time he appears in the corridor some
body proposes three cheers Cor
Teddy" Nobody else is cheered, not
even President Mckinley, whose name
is seldom mentioned. You can imagine
how difficult it is for a human being
like Roosevelt-full of blood and vigor
anu ltl NOuS tlltTSN' plpuu VI MS past
ambitious of his future-to keep his
feet on the ground under such condi-
tions. Back of the hurrah are a few
| cool-headed friends who are trying to
keep him out of the convention be-
| cause they feel that it would not be
to his advantage to be ice-president.
He is now in the line of promotion. He
was to be governor again, then senator,
! then pSHant tbpN. fnpr a form a u
vice-president will be fatal to his fu-
ture advancement. He thinks so, too.
Saturday night when I asked him
the direct question whether he would
accept the vice presidency he answered
with emphasis and a gesture with his
clenched fist: "Under no circum-
stances. It is impossible. 1t is too
much to ask of me to sacrifice my en-
tire career" Today when I repeated
the question he answered: what do
you think l ought to do?" Then he re-
lated a little of what people had told
him: that he was the only man who
could carry Colorado and all the
mountain states and so on. He said Mr..
Burton of Kansas had assured him
that his name would be worth from
that state: others had said the same
about Nebraska. Representative Over
street had declared that he could poll
more votes in Indiana than anybody
except Senator Fairbanks, and he was
hearing similar words from every man
who called at his rooms. my near
est and oldest friends" he said, with
one or two exceptions, tell me I must
not yield. Everybody else tells me that
I'll have to. It's a tremendous honor,
but terrible sacrifice"
o
| Gov. Roosevelt's statement asking
his friends not to vote for him, was
submitted to Mr.. Hanna before it was
furnished to the newspapers, and was
the result of a conference in which
Mr.. Roosevelt was represented by two
personal friends and members of his
kitchen cabinet at Albany-Frank S
Witherbae and State Senator Lispen-
ard Stewart, of New York. The other
gentlemen present were Cornelius N
Bliss, Henry G. Payne. Senator Allison
Senator Lodge and Senator Burrows
and one or two more. These gentle.
men discussed the situation with Mr.
Hanna until a late hour without de.
| ClulnS u SuplbIl any particular Cdh
didate. Dolliver and Long were thu
only men under discussion.
II accept Governor Roosevelt:
square and manly statement in gooC
faith" said Mr. Hanna, "and the con
vention should select some other can
. didate for vice-president. l have NJ
personal choice. am not for any par
ticular person. I am for the stronges
man, whoever he may be. Some thinl
that Mr.. Dolliver would be more ac
ceptablc to the people; others arGu
, that Secretary Long, being a membe
| of the administration, would be th
: stronger candidate. That remains TO
, the convention to decide. There is
perfect understanding between Cover
: nor Roosevelt and myself. / appre
: ciate his situation. He wants TO b
[ left out this time, and has asked hi
+ friends to nominate some one else 70
= | reasons which they understand.
: think he ought not to be pressed an!
further.
mo, l have not communicated wit
the president. l have not exchange
a word with him by letter or telegraph
or telephone since | left Washington
and | don't want him to communicat
with me. He has given me no inStruC
tions; he has not expressed prefer
G ence for anybody, and | do not think h
c will express one. Every one of tn
= eigibles mentioned would be accept
E able to him-Roosevelt, Long, DOlliver
n Scott or any of them"
Roosevelt and Hanna have been il
consultation twice today and seem {
understand each other. Five weeks o
six weeks ago, when Roosevelt wa
a in Washington, he discussed the sub
4 | inct freely with the nreSident, an