Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1925-06-19
PEOPLE I'VE MET, I"
Theodore Roosevelt

FIRST time ! met Col, Roosevelt
was during the hot campaign of
1912. After the Chicago Kepub.
lean convention which named
W. II. Taft as its nominee for
President, and by that act caused
Mr. Roosevelt to lead in the for
nation of the Progressive party |
with himself as its standard bear.
er, many leaders from both the|
old parties flockcd to the banncr|
of the new organization. George
w. Perkins of New York, Mcdill|
Mccormick OF Illinois, Joseph
Dixon of Montana and Miles Pom.
dexter of this state. What wasl
true in other parts Of the country,
was true in Idaho. Senator Borah
and Paul Clagstone came from the
republican fold and Hugh Neil
roy and the writer came from the
democratic fold. The writer was
nominated for Congressman-at-
Large in that state and was also
chosen as National Committeeman
of the Progressive party.
Col. Roosevelt had been in this
state Washington on a speaking
tour and was enroute for the east,
thru Oregon, when his itinerary
called for two speeches in Idaho.
As National Committeeman it fell
to me to meet him in his special car
Mt the Oregon line and accompany
him through the state which was
done. In the three hours running
time from Huntington, Oregon, to
Boise, he made no less than nine
rear platform talks ranging IN
length from a minute to five min
!utes. There were crowds every
where. In Boise, a city of 10000
| ii was estimated there were up
wards Of 10000 people gathered
to hear him, or to at least get a
glimpse of this man who was look
led upon as a crusader. The Pin
lney theatre was packed at 6
O'Clock although the meeting was
announced for 8 p. m. The writer
waived his right to introduce the
Colonel and urged Senator Borah
Ito perform that duty. 1t was fl
nally agreed that | should intro
duce Senator Borah, and in turn
he would present Col. Roosevelt.
1t was one Of the high spots in my
lmemory. AT the mention Of Borah
and Roosevelt the audience went
wild. The address of Mr.. Roose-
welt was master piece Of home
" facts, forcibly presented. His
train pulled 'out of Boise at mid
night and the other address he de-
|livered at Pocatello was replica
of the Boise address, both in num-
bers, enthusiasm, and hard hitting.
When he left the state, practically
all the papers conceded the state
would go progressive.
What couldn't be done by the
old guard through logic and the
party whip, was done by resorting
to dastardly act. The old guard
filed petition to have the four
Roosevelt electors and the candi-
date for Congress bumped off
the Ballot" The Supreme court
was made up of two old guarders
and one Independent. By two
to one vote the Court ruled these
names should not appear on the
ballot. Undaunted at this ruling,
which was without precedent in
America, the progressives sent
out the word: "use your pen
ellis There were only a few days
before the election for work. But
the few faithful leaders circulated
printed slips in every precinct, and
while the state was normally re-
publican, enough people took the
time to write in these five names,
to come within 1000 votes of.
carrying the state by men whose
names were not even on the ballot.
A number of counties went Pro
gressive, and the one in which the
writer lived went solid for the
progressive ticket. The final re-
turns gave the state to Woodow
Wilson by small plurality. The
republican ticket was third.
The succeeding fall one of these
standpat judges was retired to pri-
vate life and at the succeeding
election the other one was defeat
ed Idaho has been progressive
since that time and Senator Borah
with the lesser lights in the battle
of 1912, have remained in the sad
die. Col. Roosevelt has passed