Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-04-27
ROOSEVELT
Continued From Page Four)

II think l did. l am not sure
On Aug. "a, 1899, Col. Roosevelt wrote
to Senator Plat:
II will send you copy of letter 1 sent
to Secretary Root. 1t is in line with ouI
conversation at dinner. / saw Stern and
told him 1 would appoint him. I hope
1 have succeeded in impressing him and
Priest with their great responsibility to
the state''
"Were these gentlemen" asked Mr.
Barnum. responsible for the enforce
ment of the franchise act:'
Il do not remember the Details" re-
piled the Colonel.
Letters From Plat
A letter from Senator Plat to Col.
Roosevelt who was then governor OF
New York containing the following.
was read:
Glen Shannon is a first class man
in every respect and l should think
would be as acceptable as anybody,
AS a Democrat appointee I think 1t
would be WELL moreover, to please
Grady"
Who was the Grady that this letter
refers to-" Senator Grady?" aske 1
Mr.. Barnum.
THE leader of the Democratic party
in the Senate, Senator Grady
"And at that time was Grady
boss?'
Il do not think that Grady was ever
more than a lieutenant boss. At that
time Mr.. Crokers lieutenant"
Mr.. Barnum read a letter dated
April /, 1899 from Senator Platt 20
Col. Roosevelt It was as follows:
81 am in receipt Of yours of March
81. with the enclosure of the bill in
troduced by Mr.. Grady. This was
brought to my attention while l was
in Albany, and without knowing a
great deal about it l am satisfied (And
so advised) that no such large amount
should be given Tammany hall to ex-
pend on the water front fund. l un-
derstand there are 100000 which are
provided for this work. To extend the
sum to $12,O00,00O would simply be
putting in an unnecessary club in the
hands of those people with which to
knock our brains out. l advise that nc
appropriation be made above present
IiSuTeS anu i SuSoS cAiA eAiAASAAN'
do you know whether or not that
bill was passed." asked Barnum.
II don't remember anything about
it,"
On May -. 1899 Col Roosevelt sent
to Senator Plat a letter about the
franchise tax bill which read in part
as follows:
Senator Ellsworth. Senator Hig-
gins, Mr. Altos and possibly Speaker
Nixon will be with you when you re-
.ceive this, which will be handed to you
by Senator Ellsworth. 49,.
II have gone over most carefully
with them the matters raised in your
letter to me and Mr.. Odell in his con-
versation with me yesterday. l en-
tirely agree with you that the assess
ment of the franchise tax should be a
state matter. My preference is the
comptroller office. This will put the
bill in the shape in which l under
stand from Mr.. Odell that it would be
satisfactory and substantially In the
shape suggested by Mr.. Odell to the
Speaker and Mr.. Aids.
Nov the only amendment to which
there will be a bitter opposition is
that to put the power in the hands
of the Senate as agent against the To-
calities. Tammany will undoubtedly
fight this tooth and nail and to my
mind the controlling reason for pass
ing is to be found in the motives
which would actuate Tammany in it's
attitude. l will call at once if you
wish, special session so that the
bill can be acted upon before the 80
days are up. | suggest however that
you carefully go over the matter to
be sure we could hold our men to
pass the bill in the form outlined.
Senator Ellsworth will explain to
you in detail We all feel that the
only two changes outlined above
should be attempted at this session.
"Of course it must be understood
and | must say in my message that l
will sign the present bill if the pro-
posed bill containing the changes out
lined above fails to pass.
''P. s. Ought we not to pass the rapid
transit bill?"
Reports Return
The letter in which Col. Roosevelt ere
ported his return to Senator Plat was
dated from Oyster Bay July l, 1899 1t
read as follows:
"Just a line to report my return.
had a great time in the West and was
received with wild enthusiasm. Toward
the last for fear the people being deluded
into the belief that l attached too much
seriousness to my reception l made up
my mind that l had better make little
statement saying, of course, l heartily
favored the denomination of President
Mckinley.
You would be pleased. by the way. II
you could hear Kohlsaat describe Presi-
dent McKinley's realization of how you
have treated him. Kohlsaat happened
to mention to me incidentally that the
President had said that you had been
more loyal, more considerate, more
straightforward and easier to get on
with than almost any other senator,
even among those who had professed to
be his warmest friends.
II wish the President would give Cen
eral Wood a free hand in Cuba and put
Frank Green back into the army to do
the Philippines business once for all. I
wrote substantially this to John Hay"
In another letter Col. Roosevelt wrote:
Let me again say, my dear senator,
uh 7 lypoxy Won arc aware of that in