The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-10-28
FATE's TRICK ON DoLLlVER.
The Iowa Senator Sidestepped Chance
to be President.

Minneapolis, Mimi, Oct. Ex-senator
Jonathan p. Dolliver of Iowa, whose
death has recently occurred, might
have been president of the United
States. This is a little bit of political
history that is not generally known
and was related confidentially by the
senator himself Had he so willed
re would have been nominated for
vice president with William Mckinley
in the place of Theodore Roosevelt.
Such nomination would have ele-
waited Dolliver to the presidency and
would have changed the political his
tory of the last ten years. Senator
Delivers wife, who was a niece of
II. X. Pearson, the Chicago multi-mil
lionaire, was possibly responsible for
his refusal to accept this nomination.
The story of this singular incident
in republican politics is best told in
the language of Senator Dolliver:
Some months before the Conven-
ton that nominated Mckinley the
second time, Mark llama, who was
managing Mr.. McKinley's campaign,
met me in Chicago and told me some
of the difficulties he was experiencing
in securing running mate for Nc
kinley. L wish he said to me, that
you would accept the nomination
Il told Mr.. Hanna that | expected
and hoped to be elected United States
senator from Iowa, that l regarded
the vice presidency as shelving place
and that | was not a candidate for a
political sarcophagus. Then he asked
me if | would permit the use of my
name, promising that at the proper
time it would be withdrawn. He
told me there were several undesir-
| able candidates in the field. He ex-
planned that the use of my name would
| keep down this list of undesirable
candidates and | agreed with him that
the mention of my name in connection
with so distinguished an Office could
do me no harm and might be of value
to me.
when l went down to Philadelphia
shortly before the convention | dis
covered that my candidacy had as
sumed serious proportions. My col
leagues in the house had taken hold
of the matter and my nomination was
assured unless Mr.. Hanna kept his
promise. ! went to him and told him
that it was time for him to redeem
his pledge.
His reply was, 'Dolliver, we are up
against it. There is no man in the
field who will make a suitable candi-
date / said to him, Why not name
ROOSEVELT He told me he under
stood there was movement on among
the Plat republicans of New York to
nominate Roosevelt in order to shelve
him and get him out of New York, but
he said he understood that Mr.. Roose-
welt would not accept the nomination.
He did not express any objection to
Roosevelt.
After some conversation he author
! lied me to call on Mr.. Roosevelt, put
the situation up to him, and to assure
him he could have the vice presiden-
tial nomination if he wanted it.
called on Mr.. Roosevelt at his hotel.
| when | told him the situation ne
demurred on the ground that he un-
derstood that neither Mckinley nor
Hanna desired him. | assured him
that he was mistaken. Then he said
to me, biting his words as he uttered
them, 1t seems singular that the men
who can make me governor of New
York want me to be vice president
and those who can make me vice pres
ident want me to be governor of New
York
After an extensive conversation
told him that if he desired to be vice
president the thing for him to do, and
all that was necessary for him to do
was to go and see Mark Hanna, and
he finally consented tn do so. We