Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-10
Woodrow Wilson
As | Know Him
BY JOSEPH p. TUMULTY
CHAPTER XIV
Continued
Text of Letter

CHAPTER XIV
(ContinueN
Text of Letter
In the light of these circum
stances, the president decided final
ly to throw his hat into the rims
in favor of the boss OF Illinois fol
the United States senatorship. The
letter, dictated and signed by tn,
president, is as follows:
The White House,
Washington, Oct. II, 1914.
My Dear Mr.. Rainey: 1 have
read with the greatest interest
the account you were kind
enough to send me Of the H.
linois Democratic state conven-
ton. 1t is full of fine promise
for the party; for it shows all
the elements Of the party heart
lily drawing together for a sue
cessful campaign; and with this
union success is sure to come.
You call my attention to the
fact that some Democrats are
urging voters to cast their bal
lots for the Progressive can
United States rather than for
the nominee Of the Democrat
ic primaries. You ask me if I
approve of this. do not.
have held myself very strictly
to the principle that as a party
man I am bound by the free
choice of the people at the polls.
1 have always stood by the re-
suit Of the primaries; I shall
always do so; and I think it
the duty of every Democrat
to do so who cares for the sue
cess and sincerity of his party.
Mr.. Sullivan has been selected
in a fair primary, and there
fore he is entitled to the sup
port of his party. Sincerely
yours.
WOODROW WILSON.
Hon. Henry T. Rainey, House
of Representatives.
This letter and the contents of
it will be matter Of news to Sui.
livan's friends throughout the coun'
try. Many, doubtless, will inquire
why it was not published at the
time. The reason it failed to reach
way be attributed to Woodrow VIII
son. He never recalled it, and the
original is in my files. This may be
news to the friends OF
the dead leader, Roger Sullivan
but it is only fair to Mr.. Wilson
to say that he never hesitated in
rushing to the defense of his old
friend in the most generous way. He
wrote this letter with the full rea-
lization of just how much it might
personally injure him with the pro.
gressive thought of the country.
The letter, after being written and
signed by the president, was held
in reserve by me until Sullivan s
friends in Chicago, those in close
touch with his affairs there, felt
free to advise it's publication. was
directed by them to release it
but the order for it's release was
by one of the advis.
ers close to Sullivan, who tele-
phoned me that it was thought in
to have the president
come into the campaign in Sulli-
vans behalf; the reason being that
the publication of Wilson's letter
might arouse the passionate an.
tagonism Of Theodore Roosevelt,
who was about to begin a tour of
Illinois in behalf Of Sullivan's op.
ponent. I was advised later that
the individual with whom I dealt
in this matter and upon whose di
rection the letter was withheld from
publication, had no authority to act
for Sullivan in the matter, and that
Sullivan and his friends were deep.
ly disappointed and put out at Mr..
Wilson's apparent unWillingness to
take up the cudgel for his old
clear to Sullivan's friends just
was, but whether I succeeded I dc
not know. The president, secluded
in the White House, away from
the basis Of Sullivans disappoint
ment, for he felt that he had "gone
through" for his friend and had
not forgotten for a moment Sulli
vans advocacy of him at Balti.
more. When the news Of Sull1van's
death was brought to him at 6
time when he, also, was seriously
ill, tears came to his eyes. and turn.
ing to Mrs. Wilson, who stood beside
his bed, he said: Roger Sullivan was
a wonderful and devoted friend at
Baltimore" and then, turning to me
he said: ''Tumulty, 1 sincerely hope
that you will personally go to Chi
cago and attend the funeral an6
tell Mrs. Sullivan how deeply
grieve over the death of my ole
friend"
CHAPTER XIV
Mr.. Bryan Issues a Challenge
The contests for the delegates
to the national convention were or
in full swing throughout the vari
Gus states. In the early contests
particularly in the far western
states, like Utah, South Dakota
North Dakota and Montata, the
Wilson candidacy, according to pri
mary returns, began to take on thu
appearance Of a real robust boom
AS the critical days of the conven
ton approached, evidences Of a re
cession of the favorable tide to Will
son began to manifest themselves
particularly in the states of Mas
sachusetts and Illinois, both O
which swung to Clark, with New
OK III the OIllnS, Quietly IaVOrln&
Champ Clark. 1t was clear to thu
campaign managers Of Wilson tina
from a psychological standpoint
the pivotal states were New Jerse!
and Ohio; New Jersey, because ex
Senator Smith had again challenged
the leadership of Wilson and hac
notified his friends throughout tn,
country that New Jersey could b,
relied upon to repudiate it's COVER
nor in an overwhelming fashion
Smith had made deals and combina
tons with all the disgruntled ele
ments Of the state and with power
full financial backing from the SO
called interests in New Jersey AM