Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-11
PENNYPACKER
ON ROOSEVELT
Former Governor Gives His I'M
pressions, Not Altogether Favor
able, of the Erstwhile Bull
Moose Leader
PESSyPACKER AUTOBIoGRAPUy-NO. 0:
Copyright, 1918, bv Public Ledger CompdnpJ

TT HAS been my fortune to be brought
into relations with the President in va
rious ways and to have had at different
times personal intercourse with him. con.
temporaneous estimate OF one who has
filled 50 conspicuous role, by any oo-
server, may possess some value My
youngest brother. James I. Pcnnypacker'
went to Harvard University. Roosevelt
was in the same class and in some of the
same societies. and when my brother be.
came an editor of the Harvard Advocate,
Albert Bushnell Hart and he urged Roose-
welt for the staff, and succeeded in having
him elected They had their photographs
taken together Consequently, / began
to hear of Roosevelt in his days at college.
He has frequently spoken to me OF M
brother as my Pennypacker." What l
heard of him was that he was not re-
garded among his associates as in any way
remarkable save for carncstness of pur-
pose and promptncss Of movement. though
the fact that my BROTHER, through most
OF the bizarre fortunes of the President.
has been steadfast t.! his loyalty speaks
well for the impression he madr. In the
Hayes campaign the students Joined
parade through Boston. They were never
on very good terms with the townspcOplc
and from the roof Of one o. the business
buildings potatoes and refuse, it may bo
some stones. were thrown at them. Roosc-
welt, excited and angry, suggested at once
that they burn down the building.
An Early Correspondence
\ few years later, after Mr.. Roosevelt
began to appear in New York politics, oc-
Cured the contest between Mr.. Blaine and
MIR. Cleveland for the Presidency. At that
time | was secretary Of the Philadelphia
Civil Service Reform Association. The In
dependents in Pennsylvania favored Mr.
Blaine and when George William Curtis
attempted to throw the weight OF the Civil
Service Reform Association on the side or
Cleveland, | answered him in a letter cir
culatcd over the country. Roosevelt was
also in favor of Blaine, and we had some
correspondence which is still among my
letters
We touched again later in more i'm
portant way. though he probably never
knew of the fact.
In the Philadelphia national convention
OF 1900 there was a struggle for the mas
terry between Mr.. Hanna supported by
the national administration upon the one
hand, and Mr.. Quay and Mr., Platt on tho
other Hanna had selected candidate
for the vice presidency. 1t is fact well
| known in Pennsylvania public life that
Mr. Quay not only had fuudness for mo,
but lie had confidence in my judgment
told him at that time that the man for the
| nd hlN nN1n
felt since that | was factor in this fate
| full turn in the fortunes OF the President.
| At all events, Quay and Plat had him
nominated and baked Hanna. When Me-
Klney died and Roosevelt became the
| President my feeling toward him was one
Of enthusiastic and hopeful approval, due,
| no doubt largely to a sense OF some per
eonal association. and to the fact that I
was pleased TO see q man of Dutch descent
| reach a station so exalted. ! gave express
sion to this feeling to Mr.. Quay, The only
| comment OF that wise observer OF men
was:
81 hope lie will he discreet"
In the fall Of 1903 the provost Of the Uni
versity Of Pennsylvania came to me TO
| ask me TO secure the presence OF Mr..
| Roosevelt at the Academy OF Music on the
| following 22d OF February to deliyer the
| annual address before that institution OF
| learning. At the time l was very much
occupied with the affairs OF the Common.
| wealth but the welfare of the University
ever appealed to mo and / promised to
make the effort, Mr.. Quay upon whom
| Mr.. Roosevelt then much depended, ar
ranged FOR an interview. on tho day ap.
~,
| Quay took me in his carriage to the White
House. / presented the matter to the Presi
dent and he, in reply, said with laugh;
Mr. Quay has given directions that
am not to make any address upon any
| subject until after the election next fall
and here he is supporting you in an effort
| to get me to go to Philadelphia"
Mr.. Quay assented to the truth OF the
charge. Then the President in more
serious mood gave me reasons why in
anticipation of the political campaign lie
did not feel he could accept, but in effect
promised me that the following year, IL
desired he would make the address.
thanked him and told him that would be
eminenty satisfactory, and the succeeding
February 22 he kept the engagement.
A Tidal Wave of Words
| lie invited us to return to lunch with
him. At the White House for luncheon
were Mrs. Roosevelt and another lady or
two, two or three Senators and as many
newspaper editors from New York. The
President came in from a horseback ride in
his riding suit. He began TO talk when he
entered the outer door, He talked all the
time on the way to the table and he talked
all the time throughout the luncheon.
Hardly an observation was made by any
one else at the table and, in fact. 1t would
only have been possible by the exercise of a
sort of brutal force. The subject which he
discussed was Italian literature, with which
he did not appear to me to be very familiar