Evening journal., 1913-02-12
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Senator Platt'S Choice Of
a Vice Presidential
Candidate
BY Holland.

It was the opinion Of the late
Thomas c. Platt, who was United
States Senator from New York for Il
years, and who was sometimes called
the "lasy Boss" of New York State
Republicans, that our political his
tory from 1900 would have been very
different had it not been for the death
OF Vice President Garrett A. Hobart
of New Jersey. which took placcN in
the last year Of President Mckinley's
administration.
7 met Senator platt few days
after the death of Vice President Ho-
bart and asked him what he thought.
from the point of view of Republican
national politics, the effect OF the
death Of the Vice President would be.
81 have had such warm personal as
sociations with Mr.. Hobart, since
have been in the Senate, and have
learned so highly to value his judg-
ment, his political abilities and espe-
cialy his wonderful fund of plain
common sense that l am more accu-
pied with my sorrow and sense of per-
sOnal loss just now than | am with
any consideration of what the death
v
party" replied the Senator.
IL think I am safe In saying. how
ever, that his death is an irreparabie
loss to the Republican party. ! can
see many complications that may
arise which we Republicans would
not be compelled to face had Mr. Ho-
bart lived
"In the first place, there is not the
eli oh hot
would. We're he living. be renominat-
od-not any more doubt than there Is
about the denomination of President
Mckinley himself I am certain that
Mckinley would strongly advocate the
bart, and would feel deeply grieyed
IL there were a suggestion of the
nomination OF any one else.
'In the next place, 7 don't believe
that there is a single Republican OF
importance IN the United States who
would not be as enthusiastic for the
denomination of Hobart for Vice
President as the entire party should
be for the denomination of President
Mckinley.
"The old ticket, Mckinley and Ho-
/ bart, renominated would certainly be
I
at the Presidential election of 1896.
"There is another consideration. II
anything should happen to Mckinley
during his second term, not only poll
/ ticians, but the great body of busl-
ness men Of the United States, would
J feel that with Hobart in the White
! House there would be a perfectly safe
! and strong administration, not differ
/ f.tr In, qa mi & fro
/ ton that Mckinley is now giving us.
( "HObart's death, however, is going
] to raise a serious problem. We prob
ably shall have to look for a Presi-
Dental candidate in some one of the
States west of the Mississippi river.
I don't now think of any one in the
east who would be regarded as spec
tally available for the Vice Presiden-
tial nomination. Personally | should
be inclined to look as far away as the
Pacific coast"
Some months later. Senator Plat
deemed it good politics for the Rspub-
lican party to nominate Theodore
Roosevelt for Vice President Yet
after that nomination was made the
Senator confessed to his intimate
friends that in view OF Governor
Roosevelt's reluctance to being shifted
from the governorship Of New York
10 the serene atmosphere of the Fed.
eral Senate, that nomination could
not have been made, at least by polii-
ical manipulation. had it not been fci
the overwhelming and imperative de
mand of great hOdy Of delegate:
from the west that Roosevelt be nomi.
mated.
Had Hobart lived, then. for the first
time i'm our history. a business mat
would have become President assum
p ing that the assassination Of Presi
2 dent Mckinley would have occurred
/ no matter who the Vice President was
t (Copyrieht. 1913, by z. J. Edwards
All rights reserved.)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell O
I Daniel Lamont's Prediction in a,
Albany Oyster Cellar
vrrrrra ~ ID r1TTgn nnNnEUT