Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-08
Woodrow Wilson
AS Know Him
BY JOSEPH p. TUMULTY
I CHAPTER XIV
Wilson and the Old Guard

Sullivan. of Illinois, and Tom Tag
CART, of Indiana, were turned to
the Princetonian by his notable
speech at the Jackson Day dinner
and now gave sympathetic ear to
the New Jersey governors claims
for the nomination. An incident
which happened at the conclusion
Of the banquet, as the governor
was on his way to make his train
for New Jersey, illustrates the char
acter of the victory he had won
over difficulties which at the time
seemed insurmountable. The old
Illinois leader, Roger Sullivan, greet
ed the candidate in the most friend
ly way as he left the banquet hall,
Saying to him as he grasped his
hand: "That was a great speech,
governor" and then, drawing closer
to him, said, II cannot say to you
now just what the Illinois delega-
ton will do, but you may rely upon
it, I will be there when you need
me-" This remark did not seem
Of Importance at the time, but when
we discussed the incident the next
day at the capitol at Trenton, we
both felt that at a critical moment
Of the convention Roger Sullivan
could be relied upon to support US
and to throw the vote of Illinois
our way. Sullivan kept his promise
in real, generous fashion. When it
seemed as if the Baltimore conven-
ton was at the point of deadlock,
and after the Illinois delegation had
voted many times for Champ Clark,
Sullivan threw the full support of
Illinois to the New Jersey governor,
and thus the tide was quickly turn
ed in favor of Mr.. Wilson's candi-
dacy for the presidency.
I had often wondered what in
fluence beyond this Jackson Day
banquet speech had induced this
grizzly old political warrior to sup
port Woodrow Wilson. Afterward I
learned the real cause of it from
men who kept in close touch with
the Illinois delegation during the
trying days of the Baltimore con-
vention.
Getting Sullivan's Support
Every one who knew Roger Sui.
Ivan knew the great influence
which both his fine wife and de-
voted son welded over him. His
son, Boetius, a Harvard graduate,
had early become Wilson devotee
and supporter, and the correspon-
dence between father. mother and
son, contained a spirited discussion
of the availability Of the New Jersey
man for the Democratic nomination.
The interest of Mrs. Sullivan and
her son continued throughout the
days Of the convention, which they
both attended, and at the most criti-
cal moment in the proceedings of
the convention when point was
arrived at when. the Illinois vote
was decisive, the Illinois leader left
a conference where he was being
strongly urged by Mr.. Wilson's
friends to support the New Jersey
governor, to have final confer
ence with Mrs. Sullivan and their
son before he would finally agree
to throw his support to Wilson.
Every one at Baltimore knows the
result of this conference and how
the inner councils of the Sullivan
family dominated. Illinois swung to
Wilson and he was soon nominal
ed. It was said, after the New Jer-
seymans nomination and election,
that he showed base ingratitude to
Roger Sullivan, the man who more
than any other single individual
in the convention had brought about
his nomination. Mr.. Sullivan's de-
voted friends in Illinois were par
ticularly bitter at the apparent cold
ness of Mr.. Wilson toward their
friend and idol The president, as
matter of fact, was never un-
mindful Of his obligation to Sulli-
van for the personally loyal way
he had stood by him at Baltimore,
and in every way while he was
president he let those associated
with him know that Sullivan and
his friends, wherever it was posi-
BILE, should be preferred in the mat
ter of the distribution of patronage
in Illinois.
Sullivan True Blue
The thing, however, which irri-
tated Sullivan's friends and made
many of them irreconcilable foes
of Woodrow Wilson was his appar-
ent unwillingness to say a good
word for Sullivan when he an
nounced his candidacy for the
United States senatorship Of Illi-
nois. This presented an opportunity
for President Wilson to pay the old
debt and "even up" things with
Roger. Realizing the delicacy of
the situation and how deeply the
progressive element in the Demo.
cratic party throughout the coun-
try might misunderstood and even
resent his putting his "okeh" on
the candidacy of the Illinois leader
for the senatorship, nevertheless
upon considering the matter he de-
cided to do so and prepared a gen
erous and whole-hearted letter of
| Endorsement Of Sullivan. He felt
| that as a good sportsman and as
| a decent man he was bound In
| honor to do this for the man whose
| influence and support, thrown to
| him at the right moment OF the
| convention, had brought about his
nomination for the presidency, But
| there were other and deeper reasons
urging him on to endorse his old
| friend. He knew how eagerly and
| earnestly Sullivan had fought for
| him at Baltimore and how in do
| ing so he had won the enmity OF
| the eastern wing of the Democrat
ic party. The old bosses in the
party, like Smith and Murphy, had
often twitted Sullivan on his sup
port Of Wilson and threatened re.
prisa1s. Sullivan, however, stood
| like adamant against these influ.
| ences and showed an allegiance to
the New Jerseyman which earned
| the admiration and affection OF
every Wilsonite in the country. The
president felt confident that should
Roger Sullivan be elected to the
senate he could count upon him to
stand by and loyalty support him
and the administration. At this very
time the president was beginning
to realize in the keenest way the
necessity for real, loyal backing in
| the senate.
Friends in the Senate
| Many OF the men whom ne had
personally supported for the sen
i .sLa..s L.. inl L.