Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-05
POLITICAL HISTORY REvAMPED
movements ON the FiREerboard of
Fate inst Before the CAM
psiEn of 1904.

That Theodore Roosevelt nevar .xo.o,.A
20 he elected to the presidency OF the
ohlted states because Of the powerful on
position of Hanna and that crowd" as
ne himself expressed IL, is the story told
oy Lindsay Denison in his article on seven
FEARS OF Roosevelt" In the March mum her
Of the Circle Maeazsne.
'Io rather be elected 20 that office than
nave anything tangible of which know
ne quotes Roosevelt as saying in 1908. 'Bu,
| never shall be elected TO Il. They DOM
want me. Hanna and that crowd. THEY'VE
done me. They've finished me. I'm sorry
| wanted TO be elected president OF the
United states just once
The remarkable interview which has ms,
come to light took place In Des Molneg. Ia.
IN 1909 where a great demonstration had
been accorded President Roosevelt. Mr.
Dehison' then a reporter for the New York
sun. In describing the scene, SAYS:
~ must be remembered that we we're all
crazy that day--erowd crazy. When 7
reached the president the train had started
The train chuck-a-lucked over the frogs
for mile after mile, but the number Of peo-
pie who had piled out OF the city TO get a
last look at the nations chief seemed even
greater than the mobs which had sureed
around him all day, And every man. woman
ana child seemed TO have a flag and a
husky voice TO cheer with IS the flag
waved.
Worth while. isn't IT," I said al Isxt
TO the president OF the United states?'
Right there, once for all. for keeps. I got
what In the newspaper business We call
"a straight flush" on Theodore Roosevelt
president OF the United States.
And not ali the contempt OF the organized
rich or the sad rawlings OF the organized
POOR. or disgust for the mushV adoret lion
of the automatically hypnotlzed hlosraph-
ers, or even the shock of finding myself
the holder OF a visitors card OF the
Ananias club has ever destroyed the i'm
age that was then developed or the Ameri.
can Inspiration which ! got from It's con
slderation.
Yes, II is worth while" he said. But
that Is not the real thing. hack OF all
this He swept his arm. to include that
crowd II know what this means. II does
not mean We are for Theodore Roosevelt
II would not even mean we are for George
Washington or Thomas jefferson or Abra-
ham Lincoln or Grover Cleveland or VIII
liam Mckinley It means. simply, we are
for the flag"
The writer knows Coh. he knows. II any
body does) that "the president of the
United States Is never to be quoted" But
surely, II one is ever to be forgiven, this
is the open season.
President Of the United States" said
Theodore Roosevelt. retlectively. ira
rather be elected TO that office than have
anything tangible of which know. But
I shall never be elected to II. They don't
want me-"
who Mr.. PRESIDENT murmured. for
I didn't realize what was at large on the
face of the waters.
Hanna" he said, abruptly. Hanna and
that crowd. They've done me. They've
finished me. I'm sorry. I wanted to be
elected president of the United States just
once.
But they've cut me Off" he continued.
II have no maehine, no faction, no money.
And all this" sweeping his arm out to-
ward Des Moines receeing with it's crowds
and enthusiasm, has no personal siKni-
~ficance."
The article then quoted Colonel Roose-
Welt 10 the effect that the enthusiasm
boiled down was for the slag-not for any
individual and then, returning 20 the
chance OF his CRoosevelt's) ever being
elected 10 the presidency the president
said:
You see, I can't hope to be nominated
without even the support of my own state.
And n you have read the New York news
papers YOU have seen the appearance on
the horizon OF a cloud. no bigger than a
mans hand-s quarrel between odell and
Plat. Neither Of them knows, but Hanna
Is the man who started them fighting.
Sooner or later ! will become the bone OF
the quarrel and a subject for elimination.
Then Indiana will be discovered to be for
Hanna. reluctant though he may be 10
listen to such a call Other states will be
In doubt, but with New York ana Indiana
against me wouldn't ! be foolish to look
forward to being elected president OF the
United stAtesT"
Mr.. Oenison adds; incidentally. let II
be remembered that after the New York
cloud had grown 10 a tornado, and after