The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-07
Former Cabinet Officer NOmi-
mated for Governor of N. Y.
''Suspender Jack" Stampedes
Bull Moose Convention.
THE VOTE IS UNANIMOUS
Names of All Other Candidates
Are Withdrawn.
Action Is Dramatic and Who'll
Iy Unexpected.

| New York, Sept. Oscar s. Straus,
former secretary of commerce and Ia
Dor in the cabinet of President Roose-
welt. was unanimously acclaimed the
nominee for governor of the Progress
sive party by a stampeded convention.
Mr.. Strauss nomination came about
under circumstances that were not only
unexpected but dramatic. The former
cabinet member, acting as the conven-
tons chairman, was about to enter
| tain a motion from former Lieutenant
Governor Timothy L. Woodruff to ex-
pedite the roll call on the names of
State Chairman William H. Hotchkiss
and Comptroller William A. Prender-
CAST, of New York, when a delegate
from New York county leaped to his
chair and demanded to be heard.
It's 'Suspender Jack McGee," cried
voice from the gallery. Chairman
Straus looked puzzled. MCGEE, who got
his name in the Indian country by rid
ing a brocho into camp with suspend
ers used as reins, moved resolutely
toward the platform.
They say I'm crazy, but 1 know
what 1 am doing" he cried. as he
swung up the platform steps.
Chairman Straus looked with sur
prise upon the man, who, with flaming
bandana swathed around his neck and
coat blazing with badges, tossed his
rough rider hat on the floor and de
manded the right to make nomina-
ton.
who do you wish to nominated"
asked Chairman Straus.
"Suspender jack paused a moment.
then cried:
dominates StrauS.
Il nominate the illustrious and honor
able Oscar S. Strauss.
The delegates seemed stunned; then
few of them cheered. Mr.. Straus
gave an amused laugh at "Suspender
Jack" bowling before him. MCGEE kept
on with his speech and the first few
cheers from half dozen or more del
egates gradually grew into pan
demOnium that swept the convention
| hall from end to end. Standards were
wrenched from their supports and del
egates, yelling and cheering for Chair
man Stratus, paraded the aisles, turn
ing the convention into a bedlam.
Chairman StrauS at first shook his
head deprecatingly at the growing ova-
ton. He turned to friends and remark
ed:
"This must not be, I cannot accept"
Chairman Hotchkiss left his seat
among the delegates and rushed to the
platform. Placing his hands on Mr..
Straus' shoulders, he said:
You must accept, you must accept;
all the delegates are for you
Scores of delegates pressed toward
the platform to urge Mr.. Stratus TIC
make the decision. Then Mr.. Hotch-
kiss burst from the group that sur
rounded Mr.. Straus and held up before
the crush of excited delegates a sheet
of yellow paper on which was written,
He accepts" Quickly the word was
passed back through the hall and an
other demonstration followed.
Chairman HOtchkisS was allowed to
act as chairman in place of Mr.. Stratus
The nomination of Mr.. Hotchkiss for
governor was withdrawn by John "A
Kingsbury, and Timothy Woodruff
CAST.
Chosen Unanimously
When the convention had recovered
and Mr.. Stratus had been chosen I'M
animously, he was called on for a
speech and rendered an ovation as
he formally accepted the nomination.
Mr.. Straus said in part:
In the depth of my heart I feel
unworthy and undeserVing of the hon
or you have conferred upon me. Again
and again l was asked whether I
would accept the nomination, and ms
answer was to the various gentlemen
who came to me that if 1 was nomin-
ated 1 would decline. But the man
ner in which you have rendered me
the call, the unaninity with which
you have placed it upon me, makes
me feel that there is truth in the old
adage, 'Vox popuH vOx DEL
THE cause we are in is a cause of
inspiration. 1 must accept.
The most important and useful
part of my life, perhaps, 1 passed by
| the side and in cooperation with the
cause. He honored me by placing me
| at the head of the department which
may justly be called the department
| of humanity but which is called the
| The department we purpose to en-
phasize is that the spirit of our gov
eminent places the humanitieS above
material consideration
| ''Suspender jack MCGEE came back
/ to his hotel a hero.
| McGee's speech that placed Oscar
! S. Straus at the head of the Progress
| sive ticket, was in part as follows:
'I have just come down from Yer
mont. I ask you people at this con-
vention to make no mistake. We want
to put a man up for governor that
no man will be afraid to cast his vote
for against whom there can be no
| charge levied of misconduct of any
kind, one who can sweep the state
| from Montauk Point to Lake Erie; i
| man whose name is known through
out the civilized world; a man, the
mention of whose name brings a tear
/ of sympathy to the eye of almost ev-
cry man and woman in the civilized
| land; a man whose name will be car
/ RED numbering throughout the state
| to victory. There is no chance of de-
| feat with this man at the head of
| your ticket I nominate the illus
| trous and honorable Oscar S. Strauss
At o'clock when Chairman Hotch-
| kiss called the convention to order
| for the night session, nominations of
other candidates were taken up.
The ticket as finally selected was:
Governor, Oscar S. Straus, New
York; lieutenant governor, former
State Senator Frederick NJ. Daven-
port, Oneida; associate judge of court
of appeals, Carlos c. Allen, Buffalo,
and George K. Kirchway, Colum bia
1Ir1ixrarsifv. SECRETARY of state Homer