The sun., 1918-07-19
ROOSEVELT SOUNDS
G. O.P. KEYNOTE


administration in this State should be
guided by the highest possible regard for
the public interest, and 1 am prepared to
continue my contest for the nomination
for Governor unless you should respond
periodically and SCIENTIFICALLY to the call
which will be made upon you.
MERTON L. LEWIS"
Il was said. and many believed. to-
night that Gov. whitman had hurried TO
Saratoga this morning and had been On
sectusion at the Grand Union Hotel all
day. At the hotel this was denied and
the Whitman managers declared there
was nothing in the story. Foster. the
Governors attendant, was seen on the
street, but he said his presence was due
to the fact that Mrs. Whitman was
staying at the Grand Union. AS a matter
of fact the Governor was In Albany all
the while.
Recalls Fight 20 Years Ago.
The report OF the Governors presence
In Saratoga recalled the history Of the
Republican convention OF twenty years
ago, just after the return OF Col. Roose-
welt from the Spanish War. At that
time Cow. Frank S. Black hurried to
Saratoga from Albany on special train
TO prevent the nomination of the Colonel
In his place There was a tremendous
struggle, but every one knows that the
Governor lost and the war hero won.
1t is pointed out by the Roosevelt ad-
vocates tonight that he is a war hero
to-day as much as he was then that his
services are needed now moi3 :nan then.
They do not think Gov. Whitman will
withdraw from the primaries, but assert
that the Colonel would beat him without
any difficulty.
OF course, all this is going on while
Attorney General Merton f. Lewis Is
fiat on his back. but it is said he has
been consulted and would be willing TO
retire in favor of the Colonel and accept
Q place on the ticket as Attorney-Gen-
eraL Theodore Douglas Robinson, his
manager. Is one of the most active In
the group that has been urging the Col
onel to run. He was in the original pill
grlmage to oyster Bay when the Colonel
refused to entertain the suggestion. This
was before Mr.. Lewis entered the race.
1t was also recalled tonight that w. w.
Cocks. the Whitman campaign manager.
declared soon after his appointment.
when asked about 1920. that he was for
the Colonel first, last and all the time.
Near stampede for Colonel.
The dramatic appearance of the Colo
mel at the convention to-day followed an
address by ]. Sloat Fassett in opening
the gathering as chairman WI
brought tears to the eyes of the dele
gates He has three sons in the war.
only one less til an the Colonel had be-
fore the death of Quentin. While he was
speaking handkerchiefs were brought on:
openly on. every side and the speaker
imself was so overcome with emotion
that at one time he could hardly go on,
The convention opened at 1880
o'clock, with the rumors flying thick and
fast as to the lengths tfat the anti
Whitman leaders would go to stave OF
any attempt to stampede the convention
for the Colonel Fol time they seri-
ously contemplated offering a resolution
that II was the sense Of the convention
q at the Colonel should be the standard
bearer OF the party this year.
While Mr. Fassett was speaking the
Colonel was being driven rapidly from
Albany in an automobile with Mr.
Cocks and Theodore Douglas Robinson
He reached the United States Hotel
about 1 o'clock. had some luncheon and
went up to a room that had been re-
served for i'm.
Takes Convention by storm.
With him were Mr.. and Mrs. Douglas
Robinson and the younger Mr.. and Mrs
Robinson. He denied himself to all
others, as 1t was well known Il at an at
tempt would be made to induce him to
go into the primary fight. 1t was re-
ported that William L. Ward of West
chester sent a messenger to ask II he
would receive a delegation and the re-
ply came back that lie could not do so.
At . 20 O'Clock. after the opening adj
dress and the appointment of the vari-
Gus committees. II was announced that
as the Colonel was resting there would
be a recess for half an hour. 1t was
hve minutes less than an hour when the
gavel of Mr.. Fassett brought the dele
gates to their seats again. At exactly
S:25 o'clock there was roar of voices
burst through the open doors and cries
CT Here he comes" were taken up all
over the hall. as the delegates climbed
on their seats
Down the main aisle. fanked on one
side by Mr.. Robinson. his nephew, and
,on the other by Mr.. Cocks. came the
man whose patriotism and Spartan cour-
age had led him to keep his engagement
TO speak to them In spite of the fact
that his youngest son was believed &c
be dead on German soil.
The Colonel did not mount the plat.
form with his usual swinging bound
and as he stood before the audience
they saw a different Roosevelt from
any they had ever seen before. Til,
absence of the familiar smile and thu
subdued manner made varter differ
ence than one would have imagined.
Teddy! Teddy! Teddy!
Dressed in dark gray, sack suit
with dark purple tie and an opal pin
the Colonel stood with his hat pressed
closely over his heart. The ban,
played The Star Spanglcd Banner
ard the audience went wild with en-
thusiasm.
But the Colonel did not respond will
his old time smile. Only once, afteI
the demonstration had lasted for a min
ute and a half, did he wave his hat will
single quick motion and then returned
1t to his breast. The Colonel sat dowi
then. He looked tired. But he got I,
his feet again when the delegates begal
10 give three cheers for TEDDY" "W,
want Teddy" came in loud voice from
the middle of the hall and in the CALLER,
some man began to shout: TEDDY
Teddy, Teddy" in a falsetto, which
under other circumstances would hav
caused laughter. But the audience wa
serious one; they were paying homag
to a man whose courage and stoicisn
they admired.
II was asserted afterward by some o
the Whitman people that in certain
sections of the hail the Governor
friends kept their seats and did not tax
part In the demonstration. But IL tina
were so. II went unnoticed by most 0
those present. At the end of thre