Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-06-10
MADE BY A PINCH
Simple Reminder in Convention
Put Roosevelt in the
White House.
RECALLED HIS PROMISE
Late Senator Piatt in His Memoirs
Tells of Interesting Incident
in, American History.

| SLdLSS ocAalOE IQOHdS
Plat. had not pinched Theodore Roose-
welt on the leg just at the critical mo-
ment in conference of the New York
delegation at the Republican national
convention in Philadelphia in 1900 Mr..
Roosevelt, then governor of New York.
would not have been president of the
United States, succeeding Mr.. McKin-
ley.
Instead of shelving Roosevelt I
must plead guilty to the charge of
kicking him upstairs 1 believe Roose-
Welt himself would convict me Of this. -
So wrote Senator Plat b his auto
biography, of which part is published
in the June number of McClure's Mag
azine. The senator, the Republican
boss of New York state, dealt with
two nominations of Theodore Roose-
velt-that for governor of New York
state and that for vice president in the
Republican national convention of 1900
in Philadelphia. Senator Platt sought
that in nominating Mr. Roosevelt for
vice president Plat sought to send him
to the political mortuary chamber in
which vice presidents have reposed-
What a Pinch Did.
Senator Plat wrote:
"a pinch may be said to have made
Roosevelt president, for had he ex-
ecuted the threat OF declining Cthe
nomination for vice presidenO and
had it been accepted he would never
have reached the White House."
Again:
81 may be pardoned IL 1 remind my
readers that but for my insistence upon
his nomination for the vice presidency
Roosevelt certainly would not have
succeeded Mckinley in 1901, and per-
haps he never would have been presi-
dent of the United States.'
AS 20 that pinch" Senator Plat
thus described what happened in Phil
adelphia before the convention: q
Excited at Plan.
Governor Roosevelt was in his
room, protesting to everybody that he
would, If nominated for vice president,
arise in the convention and unequivo-
cally decline. 1 heard about this and
asked my son Frank to go to him and
say that be would be nominated, that
he could not stop that, and 1 wanted
his promise that If he were made Nc
Kinley's associate he would run.
Roosevelt and my son soon came to
my rooms. The governor was in a
state OF rare excitement even for him.
"I shall go to the New York caucus
and tell the delegates that / shall, If
nominated for vice president. arise in
the convention and decline. 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 NOM
mated for vice president was my re-
tort.
~ cannot be renominated" queried
Roosevelt.
"'No; your successor is in this ROOM
said l, pointing to Chairman Odell.
Now. l want your promise that II
you are Endorsed by the New York
caucus you will not refuse and that If
you are nominated by the convention
you will rum added.
Roosevelt showed his teeth. paced
up and down the room and chafed as
a horse does under n tight rein and
rurbed bit.
Gave Word Not to Decline.
"'Wen. Senator Platt,' finally re-
turned Roosevelt reluctantly. I will |
pledge myself not to decline formally
the New York caucus Endorsement. |
But L shall certainly urge the caucus |
to name another
land remember that I shall pinch |
you if 1 see any signs of your getting |
up and declining put in my son.
"'All right; you may pinch me as |
hard as you like answered Roosevelt |
IS he and Frank hurried to the caucus
If the New York delegation then in |
progress on the main door of the Ho-
el Walton.
Senator Depew was presiding. and
1t length Mr.. Roosevelt arose and ad-
dressed him. He reiterated in most |
emphatic terms his statement that he
vas not a candidate for the vice presi-
lency and his associates from New
York must respect his wishes and
neither work among the delegates to
,ring about his nomination nor present |
MS name to the convention for that
,ffice.
Gust as DR.. Albert Shaw, Frederick
Y. Hollis, Nicholas Murray Butler and
,thers of Roosevelt's self constituted
trends clustered about him and whis-
,ered audibly, Say you'll decline II
governor my son 'pinched
Roosevelt in the leg and said, 'Remem-
Ter your contract with the senator,
GOVERNOR
Roosevelt kept faith. He ignored
he solicitations of Shaw and the 9TH
rs and sat down."