The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-06-16
In Convention of 1884, Young
Politician, Then Unknown,
Made Stirring Speech.
A REMARKABLE PREDICTION
TWENTY-FOUR YEARS AGO JOHN
SHERMAN DECLARED THAT
THEODORE ROOSEVELT WOULD
ONE DAY BECOME PRESIDENT.

Chicago, H., June 16.-Twenty-fouT
years ago there was another republi-
can convention in Chicago. One of
the delegates sitting with the New
York delegation at that gathering was
well equipped with incisors and mo-
lars that Roscoe Conkling had al
ready dubbed him that dentificial
youth" His name was Roosevelt He
was in that convention as an Edmunds
delegates, as an enthusiastic champion
and apostle of civil service reform.
That was his hobby in public life. one
which he rode in season and out of
season. Practical politics was base
thing which led to all manner of abus-
es. 1t enabled men to fix conventions
and rule committees and write plat
forms and name candidates. and de-
prive a democracy of its rights. 1t
created bosses, and bosses were odious
and dangerous and un-American.
Young Roosevelt did not attract
much attention in that convention. He
was not known. He could walk the
length of Michigan avenue without
having anyone turn to cast a look at
him. He made a speech on the seat
ing of the temporary chairman, a
speech kicking against the practical
politicians who ruled the national COM
mittee in the bad old way, not yet
quite obsolete. and few listened to
him. He did not make much of an
impression. The young man himself
like the glittering idea of civil service
reform, which was his guiding star,
seemed very much an outsider.
Sherman's Prophecy.
Only a few weeks before the assem-
ably the most remarkable prophecy
known to the history or American pub
lie life. was uttered by q man then
famous, now dead. a man wholly with
out imagination. the last man in the
world one would have suspected of
possessing the occult arts of the seer.
He was John Sherman. Sherman was
a candidate for the presidency. He
+ ed to win. Only a short time before
convention met, Charles kurtz,
Of his managers, and now here as
friend of Senator Foraner. was called
to Washington for a conference. Mr..
Sherman wished to have something
done toward winning the support of
the New York delegation. Various
members of that delegation were men
toned. among them Roosevelt.
When this name was spoken Mr..
Sherman rose from his chair, walked
nervously two or three times around
his library, and then stood over Mr..
Kurtz and exclaimed
Yes, | have met young Theodore
Roosevelt, and | want to tell you some
thing. Before he dies that young man
will be president of the United States"
Why Roosevelt Controls.
1t is the young man of - years. of
whom this remarkable prophecy was
uttered twentyfour years ago. who
now sits at the other end of the tele-
phone wire and controls this conven-
ton. 1t is his rule that makes some
of the faces SO long. Yesterday. in a
group of men who would be eminent
and influential in almost any other
gathering than this, there was discus
sion as to why he is aDle to exercise
this autocratic power. We need not
follow the ramifications and divergen-
cies of that discussion. But we may
summarize its conclusions in a few
words. The conclusion was that he is
able to rule
l. Because he won the hearts of the
people by doing things. or trying to do
things they wanted done
,. Because, civil service reformer as
he was, he took to practical politics
like duck to fresh water and beat the
politicians at their own game.