The Washington herald., 1913-12-07
McKINLEYS SDEATH-ROOSEVELTS SUCCESSION

the progressive and indeed the fairly
radical progressive party of the nation.
When my successor was chosen, however,
the leaders of the House and Senate, or
most OF them, felt that II was safe to
come to a break with me, and the last
or short session OF Congress, held be-
tween the election of my successor and
his inauguration four months later, saw
a series of contests between the matori-
ties in the Two Houses of Congress and
the President-myself-qui as bitter as
II they and l had belonged to opposite
political parties However, l held my
own. I was not able to push through
the legislation desired during these four
months, but was able to prevent them
doing anything l did not desire or undo
ing anything that had already succeed
ed in getting done.
Faithful Public Servants.
There were, of course, many Senators
and members of the lower House with
whom up to the very last l continued to
work in hearty accord, and with a grow
ing understanding. have not the
space to enumerate, as I void like to,
these men. For many years Senator
Lodge had been my close personal and
political friend. with whom I discussed
all public questions that arose, usually
Close relations were of course unchanged
by my entry into the White House. He
was of all our public men the man who
had made the closest and wisest study
Of our foreign relations, and more
clearly than almost any other man he
understood the vital fact that the efi-
cheney OF our navy conditioned our ma
tional efficiency in foreign affairs. Any
thing relating to our international rela-
tions, from Panama and the navy to the
Alaskan boundary question, the AL
geciras negotiations, or the peace Of
Portsmouth, I was certain to discuss
with Senator Lodge and also with GER
tain members Of Congress, such as Sena-
tor Turner. OF Washington. and Repre-
sentative Hit. OF Illinois.
Anything relating to labor legislation
and to measures for controlling big
business or efficiently regulating the
giant railway systems I was certain to
discuss with Senator Dolllver. or Repre-
sentative Hepburn, or Representative
Cooper. With men like Senator Bever-
idge, Representative afterwards Sena-
tori Dixon, and Representative Murdock.
I was apt to discuss pretty nearly every
thing relating TO either our internal or
our external affairs. There were many,
Senator Clark of Arkansas, was as
fearless and high-minded a representa-
tive Of the people OF the United -tates
as l ever dealt with. He was one of
tho men who combined loyalty TO his
own State with an equally keen loyalty |
to the people of all the United States |
He was politically opposed to me; but
when the interests of the country were
at stake. he was incapable of consider |
pecially his attitude in international |
matters-including certain treaties which |
most Of his party colleagues, with mar
row lack Of patriotism. and complete sub |
ordination of national to factional in
terests, opposed.
I have never anywhere met finer more |
faithful. more disinterested, and more |
loyal public servants than Senator o. |
H Platt, a Republican from Connecti-
cut, and Senator Cockrell, a Democrat.
from Missouri They were already old |
men when came TO the Presidency; and
doubtless there were points on which I
seemed to them to be extreme and radi-
cal: but eventually they found that our
motives and beliefs were the same, and
they did all in their power to help any
movement that was for the interest of
our people as a whole. I had met them
when was Civil Service Commissioner
and Assistant Secretary OF the Navy.
All ever had TO do with either was
to convince him that given measure
I championed was right, and he then