The Washington herald., 1919-01-07

its solution. Among the laws en-
acted affecting the laboring classes
were an S-hour law, a law provid-
ing for the licensing of employment
agencies. and stringent factory
laws, which, by the establishment
of a licensing system. practically
wiped out the worst abuses of the
"sweatshops."
No piece of legislation was more
earnestly pressed by Gov. Roose-
welt than the corporation franchise
tax law. 1t was his first step in
the development OF a policy which
he afterward advocated in a wider
field-namely. the requirement that
corporate wealth be required to pay
its just proportion of running the
government.
Talked of for Vice President.
as the time drew near for the Re-
publican National Convention in 1900,
il was apparent that there was a
strong movement on foot to nomiratc
Governor Roosevelt for vice presi-
dent on the same ticket with
President Mckinley. Those who were
engaged in promoting his candidacy
were, however, not all actuated by
this true of the advocates OF his
nomination in his own State. For
two years he had been a thorn in
the side of Senator platt and the ma
chine politicians. and it was their
desire to eliminate him from State
politics, and shelve him in the office
of vice president, where he would be
out of their way for four years at
least. AS Senator Platt said, on 60
ing to Washington for the maugura
ton, I'm going down to see Roose-
Welt put on the veil"
Roosevelt saw the uselessnes5 Of
protest. gave his consent in the end.
and was nominated.
In September he began one OF the
most remarkable speaking tours in
the history OF American campaign
ing. travelling in all over 10000 miles,
and concluding with a thorough can
vass of New York State in the week
preceding election day. An incident
of his trip that redounded rather to
his advantage was the attack made
on him at Victor. Col. on the eve
OF election in New York City, Chief
of Police pevery issued orders to the
force instructing them to ignore the
State election deputies. Governor
Roosevelt sent a peremptory letter to
Mayor Van Wyck warning him that
the order must be revoked. 1t was,
but out of it grew the dispute which
eliminated in December in the re-
mOvaI of Asa Bird Gardiner, the
district attorney.
President on McKinIey's Death.
Roosevelt's term as Vice President
was destined to be of short duration.
He took office on March 4. 1901. and
presided over the Senate at the sue
ceeding session. His relations with
President Mckinley and his Cabinet
were close and cordial. Unlike many
former Vice Presidents, he was in full
agreement with the administration
policy. September found him with his
family camping in the Adiroudacks,
and it was there that he received the
news of the shooting of President Nc
Kinley. He hurried at once to Buff
falo, but at the end of three days,
being assured by the attending ply
sicians that the President would prob
ably recover, he returned to the noun
tains. When the fatal complications
set in, he was again sent for. but
President Mckinley died before he
TeaCheO MS De0SlQe.
The Vice President took the oath of
office as president at Buffalo on the
afternoon of September Il. in the
presence of the Cabinet. He then
addressed the late Presidents advisors
saying: in this hour of deep and
terrible national bereavement. 1 wish
it to be known that it shall be my in
tention and endeavor to continue alb
Azn.- H.
ident Mckinley for the peace and
prosperity and honor of our beloved
country" He then asked the members
insisting that he could not consider
the withdrawal of any one of them.
Changes Soon Begin.
President Roosevelt's relations with
the Cabinet which he had inherited
from Mckinley were unique. He was
the first Vice President in history who
had succeeded President with whose
policy he was in full accord.
1t was not long, however. before il
became evident that some changes in
the Cabinet would soon come. Secre-
tary Gage was the first to drop out,
after the unusually long term of five
years at the head OF the Treasury De-
partment.
Secretary Gage was succeeded by
Gov Leslie NJ. Shaw, of Iowa. Two
other changes took place within the
year. Charles Emory Smith being sue
ceeded as Postmaster General by
Henry c. Paine, of Wisconsin, and
Secretary Long, of the Navy Depart
nlent. giving way to William H.
Moody, of his own State, Massachu-
setts. Secretary Root. who had been
closely associated with the President
for several years. remained in charge
of the War Department until the re-
forms in the military establishment
were completed. He and Attorney Gen.
eral Knox furnished the very qualities
that the President lacked-cooI and
calculating consideration of technica,
problems.
Early in his administration the
President let, 1T be known that he
would appoint gond Democrats to Of
fee rather than bad Republicans in
the South. He said he did not believe
IN the South's nonparticipation in the
work of the Federal government
whenever a Republican administration
happened to be installed at Washing
ton. As for the negro, he declared
that he must take his chances with
the rest, and that no favor would be
shown a bad negro, just because he
was a negro, or because he was a Re-
publican.
Battle Gage to South.
As regards the South, such a policy
was revolutionary; it flung the gage
of battle squarely in the face OF those
in the South who were Republicans
for revenue only" He began by maxi
ing appointments which electrified the