The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-11-04

make some speeches for me in New York
State this fall
L For what?'' asked General Wheeler.
in his Enthusiastically courteous tone.
Governor"
'What?'
Governor. / am going to be nomi-
mated by the Republicans for Governor OF
New York." said Colonel Roosevelt.
How do you know? And. besides, am
a Democrat" General Wheeler responded
mo matter how 1 know, I'll be nom
mated. and know you are Democrat
But ali that aside. 1 want you to make
some speeches for me-"
General Wheeler answered with some
polite phrase and forgot the incident.
The convention took place early in
July. 1898. about sixty days before the
State Republican Convention of New
York assembled and before anybody ever
heard of Colonel Roosevelt as candt-
date for Governor. How General Wheel
err, Colonel Roosevelt, and the troops
landed at Montauk Point; how within a
few. hours afterward Colonel Roosevelt
hurried to New York in his uniform and
had an interview with Senator Platt; how
within day or two his candidature for
Governor was announced, and how ne
was nominated without opposition ana
elected two months later-these are mat
tiers of familiar history.
RECOMMENDED BY ALL.
Speaking of President Roosevelt, from
an authoritative source. absolutely ana
unquestionably trustworthy, the exact
truth has been conveyed to me concerns
ing the Presidents appointment of for
mer Governor Thomas G. Jones OF Ala
hama. to the United States Judgeship,
made vacant by the death of Judge Bruce,
in September, 1901.
If Judge Bruce had lived. he would
have retired from the bench last Febru-
airy. In view of his impending retirement
there had been presented to the Presi-
dent the names of four Republicans and
several Democrats, to succeed him. the
names of whom it would serve no good
purpose now to repeat. The appointment
was in more than one sense important to
the administration, and therefore the
President made inquiries of all available
sources as to the fitness of the several
gentlemen named. Amongst those he
questioned was Prof. Booker Washington.
and Professor Washington spoke in high
terms of Governor Jones, as did every
body else whom the President ques-
toned.
This was before Judge Bruce's lament
ed death, and entirely in view of his ap-
preaching retirement. and while the Pres
ident was of necessity considering whom
to appoint as the business of very
busy court had to proceed with as little
interruption as possible. Prominent
amongst Governor Jones's endorsers were
Grover Cleveland, Gen. Stewart l..
Woodford of New York. and other East
ern men of eminence, Gen. John B. Cor
don and other distinguished Southerners,
and quite a number of distinguished Fed
eral soldiers in the North.
Judge Bruce's sudden death precipi-
tated the announcement of the Presidents
decision, which had been already practi-
cally agreed upon. Judge Joness repu-
tation and character had most to do with
securing the appointment With the
number of powerful men who were glad
to endorse him, it is easy to see how
preposterous is the cain that any one
man secured the appointment of this
eminent Albanian. Is 1t not also easy
to see behind all this latter-day gossip
about an executive act that in itself has
nothing to do with current affairs?
And what is true of the influences which
secured the appointment of Judge
Jones are similarly true and applicable
to the recent appointment of United
States District Attorney Thomas r. Roul-
hac. The President knew from many
honored sources that no man more capa-
BILE or better fitted for the attorneyship
than Judge Roulhac could be named.
Truth is truth Let us have peace, as
a President of the United States once
pleaded.