Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-06-03
MAKING A PRESIDENT.
Senator PIatt's Own Story of Himself
and Roosevelt.


Senator PIatt's Own Story of Himself
and Roosevelt.
If Frank H. Platt, son of the late
Platt, had not pinched Theodore Roose.
welt on the leg just at the critical mo-
ment in a 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
must plead guilty to the charge OF
kicking him upstairs believe Roose-
welt himself would convict me of this
So wrote Senator Platt in 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-
welt that for governor Of New York
state and that for vice president in the
Republican national convention Of 1906
in Philadelphia. Senator Platt sought
to answer the critics who had asserted
that in nominating Mr.. Roosevelt fol
vice president Plat sought to send him
to the political mortuary chamber ir
which vice presidents have reposed.
Senator Platt' wrote:
"A pinch may be said to have made
Roosevelt president, for had he ex-
ecuted the threat Of declining (the
nomination for vice president) and ha6
it been accepted he would never have
reached the White House."
Again:
Il may be pardoned if remind my
readers that but for my irsistence upor
his nomination for the vice presidency
Roosevelt certainly would not nave
succeeded Mckinley in 1901, and per-
haps he never would have been presi-
dent of the United States"
AS to that pinch" Senator Plat
thus described what happened in Phil
adelphia before the convention:
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. I heard about this anG
asked my son Frank to go 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 Nc
Kinley's associate he would run
Roosevelt and my son soon came tc
state Of rare excitement even for him
shall go to the New York caucus
and tell the delegates that l shall, II
nominated for vice president, arise ir
the convention and decline. l car
serve you, Senator Platt, far better as
governor than as vice president said
Roosevelt pugnaciously.
"'But you cannot be renominated fol
governor, and you are going to be
nominated for vice president was my
retort.
"T cannot be renominated?' queried
Roosevelt.
mo; your successor is in this room,
said I, pointing to Chairman Odell
Now, / want your promise that If yor
are indorsed by the New York caucus
you will not refuse and that if you are
nominated by the convention you will
rum I added.
Roosevelt showed his teeth, paced
up and down the room and chafed as
a horse does under a tight rein anC
curbed bit.
well, Senator Platt,' finally re.
turned Roosevelt reluctantly, I vii
pledge myself not to decline formally
| the New York caucus Endorsement
| But 1 shall certainly urge the caucus
to name another
And remember that / shall pincf
you if see any signs of your getting
up and declining put in my son.
"'All right; you may pinch me az
hard as you like answered Roosevelt
| as he and Frank hurried to the caucu!
Of the New York delegation then II
progress on the main floor Of the Ho'
! tel Walton.
| Senator Depew was presiding, ant
at length Mr.. Roosevelt arose and ad
| dressed him. He reiterated in mos
emphatic terms his statement that III
| was not candidate for the vice presi
| dency and his associates from New
| York must respect his wishes ant
neither work among the delegates t
bring about his nomination nor presen
his name to the convention for tina
office.
Just as DR.. Albert Shaw, Frederick
| w. Hollis, Nicholas Murray Butler ant
others of ROosevelt's self constituted
friends clustered about him and whis
pered audibly, Say you'll decline 1
nominated, governor my son pinchet
Roosevelt in the leg and said, Remem
ber your contract with the senator
| governor
Roosevelt kept faith. He ignored
the solicitations of Shaw and the 9th
ers and sat down."