The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-07-04
THE GREATNESS OF ROOT.

Referring back to the Chicago con
vention, it is no more than just to put
on record the plain fact, which is gen
orally recognized by the press of the
country, that Senator Root was the
great figure in that convention, quite
as much SO as Bryan was in the Balti-
more convention, but in a wholly diff
ferent way. Senator Root was both
temporary and permanent chairman Of
the Chicago convention. AS such he
presided with dignity, skill and alb
solute fairness that won commentator
from everybody. Even where he de-
cided against any delegate on a ques-
tion raised, that delegate could see at
once that the chair was right. and that
he himself was wrong. A special in
stance of the force and effectiveness
with which Senator Root presided, is
which We find in Harper's Weekly. 1t
is said there that Senator Root never
showed to greater advantage than as
chairman Of this convention. He was
scrupuously fair, keenly sensitive of
his personal honor no less than Of his
official responsibility; and the account
proceeds:
One thing he established at the begin
ming; and that was no fooling, no bull
doing. Promptly on Tuesday arose
Finn. the Holy Terror of Pittsburg.
edict Of the chair, All, but SO calm. SO
quiet that the professional blackguard,
carefully selected for his part, scented
triumph and continued to below. At
that stage of the proceedings Elhu
Root, Senator OF the United States from
the State Of New York, and for the time
being empowered with the authority OF
chairman of the Republican National Con-
vention, walked TO the edge OF the plat
form, gavel in hand. and. looking straight
INTO mt. the eyes or the rough houser OF
OF this convention tells member to
take his scat, he will either do so, or
be, put out of the hall. AS chairman of
this convention. I now tell you, sir, to
put upon the words. They were spoken
evenly, but with a definite distinctness
that would make even brave man hesi-
tate AS to the redoubtable Finn. one
enough, and with a sickly grin he dropped
into his chair And that was the end
of registering by your Uncle Bill-or for
that matter by anybody else, none rel
point OF fact from start to finish this
convention was composed of two equal
parts-Elihu Root, and 1o77 others.
Senator Root as chairman not only
put down disorder, and headed off all
schemes for disruption in the conven-
tion itself. but he, presided with such
absolute fairness that it is quite inn
possible to find any fault with his de-
cisions. In the Indiana case. delegates
Col. Roosevelt needed so badly, and
upon which he put forth his bitterest
fulminations Of fraud and theft, the
National Committee, including the
Roosevelt members of it, found unani-
mously against Roosevelt s claims; the
credentials committee did the same. and
Senator Root. in making his ruling on
this case. and on all cases, placed him
self in such position as absolutely to
convince every one, unless it might be
Roosevelt himself. that the Roosevelt
delegates had no right whatever to the
seats which they claimed.
1t is a great thing for any man to
make such a record for himself as Sen.
ator Root made in presiding over the
Chicago convention; and as Senator
Root did make this splendid record, he
is entitled to praise and recognition