The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-01-18
THURSDAY, JAN. IS. 1912.
ROOSEVELT AND THE VICE PRES
A0aGNCY RECALLED.

Every day brings to light some of
the admirable qualities of Theodore
Roosevelt that have given him such
~ firm and Widespread place in the
affections of the public. An incident
has recalled the famous fight in the
Philadelphia convention of 1900
which nominated him for vice presi-
dent 1t Will be recalled that when
he returned from Cuba where he had
led II band of as brave and daring
men as even We're assembled. New
York rose Ell maSse and demanded
him for governor. So little was left
of the Democratic party in that cam
paign thai not m of the readers OF
this article can recall who the DEM
ocratic candidate for governor WAS.
T. c. Platt had been boss of the
Republican party in New York for
years and while he allowed Roosevelt
10 be the candidate for governor, he
did SO much as Il pedestrian gets Oft
uf the track to allow an express train
to go by. Blu Platt was Il schemer,
if he was not popular and in order
TO politically kill the nan who had
paid no attention to his machine and
had been elected i'll spite of Plat.
the senator decided To put Roosevelt
in Il political coffin by having him
nominated for vice president. The coll
onel objected I othis scheme coming
from Plat, who informed him that it
he did not take the vice presidential
nomination. he could not be governor
for Il second term. Let Roosevelt tell
the story himself:
After the senator told me that l
could not be renominated as COVER
nor, | said. very we'll. W. will fight
l told him I should absolutely refuse
to accept the nomination rs vice pres
ident, and hat if the New York dele
cation tried to force it upon me ]
should get up and say that Senator
Tlatt had announced that should be
refused a denomination for governor
II would have to- be nominated for
vice president, and that | should then
and there that would not
take the nomination for the vice presi-
dcncy. and would he a candidate for
the nomination of governor.
The n evidently did not be
lieve that l would do this, but when
! got down stairs | announced my in
tcntion To Il dozen of the delegates,
stating what Senator Plat had said.
Immediately there was great commo-
ton, Il message was sent M to SEN
ator Platt, and Two minutes later
was summoned to his room, where
he explained that ! must have nlisun-
dcrstood him: that he had no fnten-
ton of saying that | should not be re-
nominated as governor; that no fur
ther effort womld he made by the New
YORK delegation To put me in nomina-
ton for the vice presidency. and that
no opposition would be made to my
nomination as governor"
II must have been amusing to sec
the boss of New York get out of the
way of Roosevelt. He had literally
been walked over by the governor and
here was insult added to injury. Yet
every man who reads this would have
swung his hat and yelled hit him
again. Teddy" had he been there.
It's that quality that commends Roos-
cvelt to the people. Right or r
and he sometimes has been r
he never refused TO meet an issue
openly.
The greatest trait of Roosevelt with
reference to his public service has
been brought to light by the Plat,
incident. After Plat had been forced
to beg for mercy, and had ceased to
attempt to force Roosevelt into the
nomination for vice president, a de-
mand on the party of a large number
OF delegates for his nomination
developed. AS We recall the history
of that convention. it was believed ex-
redient to nominate Mckinley's UNI
ming mate from New York in order
to secure the electoral vote Of tina,
state. Mark Hanna wanted Timothy
Woodruff, then lieutenant governor
But the majority of the delegates be-
lievcd that Roosevelt with his west
ern ideas and western enterprise,
with his military record, and with
men from his command in almost ev-
cry state. every one of them a whoop.
ing admirer OF the fearless colonel
backed by his brilliant campaign and
triumphant election in New York and
seasoned with the experience of two
years In the chief magistracy Of tina,
state, was the man to join with Presi-
dent Mckinley. Time has proven 4
thousand fold the wisdom of that de-
mand. Did he sulk or refuse to an
swer the call of his party? Here is
his w statement:
Accordingly, the effort ceased. and
the New York delegation put Wood
ruff In nomination. Later 1t developed
that the convention, as a whole. was
bound to have me. and Senator Hanna,
who. had violently opposed my nom
nation. made up his mind that the
feeling was so strong hat he could
no afordAto antagonize it. After con.
siderable hesitation l then concluded
to accept. In other words. while I did
not intend to permit myself to be
forced into the vice presidency. in or
der to beat me out Of the governor
ship. I did not feel at liberty to refuse
the nomination when it became evi-
dent that the earnest desire Of the
Republicans as a whole was to have
me take the position for the benefit OF
the party"
He refused to accept the nomina.
ton when that was a machine effort
to defeat him for governor. But when
the partytcall was made on it's merits.
he did not hesitate for a moment to
cast aside the allurements OF the New
York ecvernorship which were far
more desirous than tho vice presi-