The Washington times., 1912-10-03
Richard Harding Davis Tells Dramatic Story
EN- Of "Suspender Jack MCGEE and the Embossed

~
man, he warned him he could speak for
Just FIVE minutes and no more.
Mr.. Straus could not know that in
his long and honorable career those
next five minutes for him would be the
FIVE minutes he would always best re.
member.
suspender Jack threw his sombrero
on the platform and began to make
history.
At first the delegates could not dis J
tinguish what he said because every
one Of them was bowling "votei"
Above the tumult those few who chose
TO listen could hear disjointed sent
ences.
One was, II am going to nominate .
man of national fame" And, 'T cannot
say enough In praise of Mr.. Hotchlsiss
or Mr.. Prendergsst." And then, But the
man l will name will draw you all to-
gether, and sweep New York from Lake
Erie to Montauk Point!"
Still they would not listen. Still, tho
tall, lanky figure with the eyes Of
fanatic and the gestures of . stump
orator implored them to hear him.
81 have no political prestige" he beg.
ged, "but remember, gentlemen, remem-
Der, that the cackle Of the geese saved
Roms!" ,....
II was q fine line. II was splendid
appeal. It caught the fancy Of H.
delegates. For the first time tho TO
porters raised their eyes and regarded
the speaker with curious interest. There
was sudden, puzzled silence. And in
that silence "suspender Jack" threw
at the convention the name of the ex-
ambassador, the ex-member of the
Cabinet, Oscar 8. Straus.
Remarkable Stampede.
What followed does not now need 10
be told. II was one Of the most re-
markable stampedcs ever witnessed in
a convention. In fash every delegate
saw that "Suspender jack" the un-
bossed, the "uninstructed," the stone
which the builders would have rejected,
had himself supplied the cornerstone.
With one blow he had broken .he dead
lock. He had led them out Of the
shadow of the valley. He had given
them . candidate who could not be
beaten. That Mr.. Straus shook his
head violently, that in protest hs
: waved his arms in dissent, did not
avail. He had been able to say "no"
to the arguments of the party leaders.
to the laundering appeal of 1000 un-
bossed delegates, he could not say no.
. Below him men tore the county
standards from their sockets and brand
ished them In his face; the women dele.
gates stood on chairs and cheered him;
the band burst into a militant hymn.
! Leaping to the platform, Hotchkiss,
r through megaphone, withdrew his
/. own name. Instantly, Woodruff with
9 drew the name of Prendergast and
8 moved that the nomination of Straus
}, be made by acclamstion.
And with the tears running down his
cheeks, Mr.. straus nodded his head. It
Q is safe to prophecy that the five min.
= utes he so grudgingly gave to Suspen-
IS der Jack, will in turn give to New York
/, the ablest governor it has known sinee
y Grover Cleveland and Theodore Roose.
f welt.
What Hotchkiss Said.
What Mr.. Hotchkiss said after the
e nomination was, "Out of the mouths Of
t babes and sucklings."
# What Bainbridge Colby, who relin.
}. quished the nomination in favor oi
d Prendergast, said was, at Is lucky fol
It the Progressive party that this after.
l. noon God happened to have his entire
J. attention fixed upon the city of syra
,e cuse."
y What Mr.. Prendergast said, when BY
is five minutes Suspender Jack nosed hin
ID out of the governors chair, is not \or
ID record. But as Mr.. Prendergast is t.
ID be the next mayor of New York city
er he can afford to be magnanimous, ant
ID to forgive.
n. In this story of Suspender Jack thos
:" people who prefer to be bossed will SCI
no moral. To those who prefer II
wrap themselves in the winding shee
" of the Republican party, it will carr!
no message. 1t is not for them.