Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-05-25
A PINCH MADE TEDDY
ROOSEVELT PRESIDENT
Tom Plat Tells Story of
His Nomination.


"A pinch may be said to have made
Roosevelt president, for had he ex-
ecuted the threat OF declining the nom
nation for vice-president and had it
bee naccepted he would never have
reached the whitehouse."
Again:
Il may be pardoned if I remind my
readers that, but for my insistence
upon his nomination for the vice-pres-
idency, Roosevelt certainly would not
have succeeded Mckinley in 1901, and
perhaps he would never have been
president of the United States"
AS to that pinch, Senator Plat
thus described what happened at Phil
adelpha:
Anger Great mt Plan.
Meantime Gov. Roosevelt was in his
ROOM protesting to everybody that
if he We're nominated for vice-presi-
dent he would rise in the convention
and unequivocably decline I heard
about this and asked my son, Frank,
to 90 to him and say that he would
be nominated, that he could not stop
that; and l wanted his promise that
if he were made McKinley's running
associate he would run
Roosevelt and my son came to
my rooms. The governor was in
state of rare excitement, even for
him.
81 shall go to the New York eau
Gus and tell the delegates that l shall
if nominated for vice-pres; dent, arise
in the convention and decline. l can
serve you, Senator Plat, far better as
governor than as vice-president,' said
Roosevelt, pugnaciously.
But you cannot be renominated
for governor, and you are going to be
nominated for vice-president,' was
my retort.
81 cannot be nominated?' quer.ed
Roosevelt.
No; your successor is in this
ROOM, said I, pointing to Chairman
Odell. Now, 1 want your promise
that if you are endorsed by the New
York caucus that you will not re-
fuse, and that if you are nominated
by the convention you viii run, I
added.
Roosevelt showed his teeth ann
paced up and down the room as .
horse does under a tight rein and
curbed bit.
Gave Word Not to Decline.
Well, Senator Plat finally re-
turned Roosevelt reluctantly. 4 Will
pledge myself not to decline formally
the New York caucus endorsement.
But I shall certainly urge the eau
Gus to name another.
And remember that l shall pinch
YOU if l see any signs of your get
ting up and declining put in my son.
All right; you may pinch me as
har d as you like put in Roosevelt,
as he and Frank hurried to the cad-
Gus of the New York delegation, then
in progress OH the main floor of the
Hotel Walton.
The session was a long and heated
one. Some of the delegates used very
plain English to Gov. Roosevelt Ore
of the most fOrceful speeches was
made by Edward Lauterbach Raising
in his seat and advancing TO the
front row of delegates where Mr..
Roosevelt was seated, Mr.. Lauterbach
emphasizing his remarke by gestures
almost in Roosevelt's face, said to
h m:
Your very presence at this cou-
yention as delegate-at-large is an al
lurement to the convention to nomi-
maze YOU You are here, moving
among the delegates, associating with
your old friends from out west, and
for that matter from all parts of the
country, with the glamour of the Span
ish war resting upon you, you tempt
the delegates to support you and to
make you the candidate, regardless. of
what you may say as to your wishes
in the NATTER
no! MOI" But Then the Pinch.
While he was speaking, as many
will remember, the elevator in the
Walton hotel suddenly fell with a
loud crash. This interrupted the
speech and caused confusion for a
lew minutes. As soon as order was
restored Mr.. Lauterbach relieved the
tension by the jocose remark:
4 brought down the house, any
way
Senator Depew was presiding, and
at length Mr.. Roosevelt arose and
addressed him. He reiterated in mo st
emphatic terms his statement that he
was not a candidate for the vice-ores-