The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-01-18
Nomination for Vice President
and Says Platt's Story is
Pure Invention.

author of the Autobiography OF
Senator Platt," hive been given out
here. Colonel Roosevelt wrote the
author December 10 last as follaws:
Il have been interested in reading
the Autobiography of Senator Platt
which you sent. / have no question
that the senator meant to relate
things accurately, and have no
quarrel whatever with the statements
he makes about my conduct as gov
ernor. But among the erroneous as
sertidns are the following:
The statements as to the nomnl-
ton for the vice presidency are er-
roneous. For instance, after the SEN
ator told me that l would not be re-
nominated as governor, l said very
well, we will fight / told him
should absolutely refuse to accept the
nomination as vice president and that
If the New York delegation tried to
force 1T upon me, l, should get up and
say that Senator Plat had announced
that l should be refused renomina-
ton for governor and would have 10
be nominated for vice president and
that should then and there announce
that l would not take the nomination
for the vice presidency and would be
candidate for the nomination of
governor. The senator evidently dill
not believe that would do this, bdt
when l got down stairs, l announced
my intention to dozen of the dele
gates, stating what Senator Plat had
said. Immediately there was great
connection, message was sent UP to
Senator Plat and two minutes later
l was summoned to his room, where
he explained that | must have mis-
understood him, that he had no in
tention of saying that should not
be renominated for governor, that no
further effort would be made by the
New York delegation to put me in
nomination for the vice presidency
and that no opposition would be made
to my nomination as governor
Accordingly the effort ceased and
the New York delegation put Wood
run in nomination. Later it deyeI-
oped that tile convention, as a whole
was bound to have me, and Senator
Hanna who had violently opposed
my nomination, made up his mind
that the feeling was SO strong that he
could not afford to antagonize it.
After considerable hesitation | then
concluded to accept. In other words,
while / did not intend to permit my
self to be forced into the vice presi-
'dency, in order, to get me out of the
'goyernorshipSI did not feel at liberty
to refuse the nomination when It be-
came evident that the earnest desire
OF the Republicans as whole was to
have me take the position for the ben
eft Of the party.
Again, the statements about my
coming to Senator Plat for his in
dorsement as Secretary of the Navy
are absolutely without foundation. l
never went to Senator Plat to ask
his approval of the application. The
whole story about my calling upon
him on March II or on any other day
whether with John Jacob Astor OF
anybody else is pure invention. As
soon as | saw the book, wrote to
Astor, and have now received his
letter dated December IA. In it he
says that at the outbreak of the
Spanish war L introduced him to the
secretary of war and to several mem,
bers of Congress- among them may
or may not have been Senator Plat
but that ] never at that time or pre-
viously saw Senator Plat with hin
about my appointment as assistan
secretary of the navy.
1T is rather singular that Senator
Platt should have imagined such a,
interview and it shows how much hi
mind was failing when the reminis
cences were written. lie me repea
that the account as given by senatol
Plat of this interview, is absolutel!
and wholly without foundation, AM
that neither while was with Astor
nor with anyone else did ever havo
any such conversation with him o
make such a call upon him as /.
therein related.
by the way, the whole Statement
about contributions, is equally with
out foundation. ! never called upoi
Senator Platt with Governor odel
on any such errand nor had any sue
conversation with Senator Platt.
Il do not desire TO have this lette'