Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-10
PLAT IS SORRY
ABOUT ROOSEVELT
Regrets Very Much That He
'sKicked Him Up Stairs"
DINED WITH LONG SPOON
Tells About Intimacy With the Presi-
dent in Bygone Days.
ALL ABOUT HIS FUTURE
Will Serve Out Term and Then Retire
to watch the World Go
Round"

NEW YORK. May 10.-"That is not true"
said Senator Thomas c. Platt yesterday. Il
have no idea whatever of being a candidate
to succeed myself. 1 shall serve out my
term.
Then 1 shall wait for the call to the
other side. I have lived my life and I have
done what seemed to me to be the right
thing to do. Butt realize that there is not
much left now for me to do. I would like
to settle down and see the world go round"
A New York World reporter found Mr..
Plat in the front room of a fiat at the
Elmendorf, 1913 West 18th street. to which
he has moved recently from the Hotel
Gotham. The fiat is hired in the name Of
Mr.. and Mrs Gustave Able
Had His Sons Approval.
IT got Mr. Able his job In the custom
house." said Mr.. Plat. "His wife Is a fine
woman. My legs need every day a mas
sage treatment. Mrs. Able attends to that
I have known her and her husband for
years. l grew tired Of living alone at the
Hotel Gotham. and it was at my suggestion
that they took this fiat to keep me in COM
fort. I am happy and contented here. My
sons heartily approved OF my coming here
to live"
Senator Plat Is feeble In body, but his
mind seems to be as alert and active as 1t
was when he was the boss of the republican
party in New York. The weather was so
bad that the senator had decided not to go
down to the United States Express Com
pany's offices. He was in a taikative and
reminiscent mood.
You will find." said Senator Plat. "a
good deal that is interesting in that book
down there" and he pointed to a fat scrap
book under a table near his chair. Exami-
nation Of the book showed that 1t was
collection of cartoons prior to 1885, with
Mr.. Participating in every one Of them.
Naturally most of the cartoons were hostile
to Plat. AS the reporter turned over the
leaves the senator said:
The cartoonists have been always my
good friends. Bush who made cartoons
for the World. was the one who under
stood me best He Is fine fellow. All
public men appreciate the work OF the
cartoonists. They get at the public feeling
accurately. I have all the cartoons In
which figured down to the present time
Look at this book, said the senator,
pointing to a green-bound volume. This
is collection of cartoons about Richard
Croker which the ex-boss Of Tammany
Hall caused to be compiled. The book,
ndnQSOmeiy DOuuU, udu Dctu SSIIt " 0nE.
Plat by his old political enemy.
A. Collection Of Rooseveltiana.
Now look at that other book" he said,
pointing to fat volume under the table
On its cover was the bold signature of
Theodore Roosevelt, reproduced in gold
letters. In the book were several hundred
photographs of the President. The col
lection gave complete personal history Of
COLLAGE
to date. mo-" said Mr.. Plat. II didn't
make that collection of photographs. A
man know came to me with the book and
said he wanted $3.50 I bought 1t. 1t Is q
unique collection"
Senator" asked the reporter. tell me
how you feel now toward Mr.. Roosevelt"
'Just as l. always did. was in posi-
ton to make him governor In 1898. Black
had aiienated large and important sec
ton of the republican voters. and 1t was
necessary to pick out man who could
win. Mr.. Roosevelt. coming back from
the war in Cuba. was the mar ! selected
politics. I never was a Roosevelt man.
as the saying goes.
AFTER he was elected, as you VIII re-
member Mr.. Roosevelt discovered the Ten
Commandments. He went around saying
that two and two make four He was hav-
ing great time telling about common
honesty.
''You remember that he used to come
down to New York to have breakfasts
with me at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Gov.
Roosevelt was politician. Some of his
supporters quoted the old saying that he
who sups with the devil-that's me-needs
a long spoon. Roosevelt had long spoon.
We g1 along well enough in those days"
"But, senator. you kicked him up stairs
into the vice presidency"
IT did that very thing. Roosevelt wanted
a renominatton for governor In 1900. The
republican, organization or machine In New
York didn't want him. I did what could
to stir up the western delegates at the
Philadelphia convention to make Roosevelt
take that nomination. He had to take 1t.
He knew 1t was largely my work, and for
a time he was vexed. He thought that
making him Vice President meant putting
him out of the race for the presidency.
But later. and before he became Presi-
dent, Mckinley, Mr.. Roosevelt saw things
in a new light. think Mr.. Roosevelt felt
that he was in line to be elected President
at the end of McKinley's. term. But I
didn't help make, him Vice President with
any such idea.
You mean senator. that when you
kicked Gov. Roosevelt up stairs you were
getting rid of him politically?"
II meant just that
"And you were sorry when he succeeded
to the presidency
Is Sorry About Roosevelt.
I've been sorry every time thought Of
It, / never wanted theodore Roosevelt to
be President. It was mistake. as see 1t
now. for me to make him Vice President
and give him his chance to be President"
About Odeli." asked the reporter. "You
had some cause to be angry with him7'
81 had. but all that is past and gone.
The water has all gone under the bridge.
Ben and are good friends now"