theodore roosevelt-第53节

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Roosevelt　had　not　intended　to　appear　at　the　Convention；　but　when　he　discovered　that　the　long　distance　telephone　from　Chicago　to　Oyster　Bay；　by　which　his　managers　conferred　with　him；　was　being　tapped；　he　changed　his　mind。　He　perceived；　also；　that　there　was　a　lack　of　vigorous　leadership　among　those　managers　which　demanded　his　presence。　By　going；　he　would　call　down　much　adverse　criticism；　even　from　some　of　those　persons　whose　support　he　needed。　On　the　other　hand；　he　would　immensely　strengthen　his　cause　in　Chicago；　where　the　mere　sight　of　him　would　stimulate　enthusiasm。

So　he　and　Mrs。　Roosevelt　took　the　five…thirty　afternoon　train　to　Chicago；　on　Friday；　June　14th；　leaving　as　privately　as　possible；　and　accompanied　by　seven　or　eight　of　their　children　and　cousins。　Late　on　Saturday；　the　train；　having　narrowly　escaped　being　wrecked　by　an　accident；　reached　Chicago。　At　the　station　there　was　an　enormous　crowd。　Roosevelt's　young　kinsmen　kept　very　close　to　him　and　wedged　their　way　to　an　automobile。　With　the　greatest　difficulty　his　car　slowly　proceeded　to　the　Congress　Hotel。　Never　was　there　such　a　furor　of　welcome。　Everybody　wore　a　Roosevelt　button。　Everybody　cheered　for　〃Teddy。〃　Here　and　there　they　passed　State　delegations　bearing　banners　and　mottoes。　Rough　Riders；　who　had　come　in　their　well…worn　uniforms；　added　to　the　Rooseveltian　exultation。　Whoever　judged　by　this　demonstration　must　think　it　impossible　that　the　Colonel　could　be　defeated。

After　he　and　his　party　had　been　shown　to　the　suites　reserved　for　them；　he　went　out　on　the　balcony　of　a　second…floor　room　and　spoke　a　few　words　to　the　immense　multitude　waiting　below。　He　said；　in　substance；　that　he　was　glad　to　find　from　their　cheers　that　Chicago　did　not　believe　in　the　thieves　who　stole　delegates。　Some　who　saw　him　say　that　his　face　was　red　with　anger；　others　aver　that　he　was　no　more　vehement　than　usual；　and　simply　strained　himself　to　the　utmost　to　make　his　voice　carry　throughout　his　audience。　Still；　if　he　said　what　they　report；　he　was　not　politic。


Then　followed　days　and　nights　of　incessant　strain。

The　Colonel　and　Mrs。　Roosevelt　had　their　personal　apartment　in　the　northeast　corner　of　the　hotel；　at　some　distance　from　the　Florentine　Room；　which　served　as　the　official　headquarters　for　the　Progressives。　He　had；　besides；　a　private　office　with　a　reception…room；　and　Tyree；　one　of　the　devoted　detectives　who　had　served　under　him　in　old　times；　carefully　guarded　the　entrance。　There　was　hardly　a　moment　when　one　or　two　persons　were　not　closeted　with　him。　Occasionally；　he　would　come　out　into　the　reception　room　and　speak　to　the　throng　waiting　there。　No　matter　what　the　news；　no　matter　how　early　or　late　the　hour；　he　was　always　cheerful；　and　the　mere　sight　of　him　brought　joy　and　confidence　to　his　followers。

The　young　kinsmen　went　everywhere　and　brought　back　reports　of　what　they　had　seen　or　heard。　One　of　them　kept　a　diary　of　the　events　as　they　whirled　past；　hour　by　hour；　and　in　this　one　can　note　many　of　the　fleeting　but　vivid　touches；　which　recall　to　the　reader　now　the　reality　of　those　feverish　days。　He　attended　a　big　Taft　rally　at　the　Taft　headquarters。　Bell…boys　ran　up　and　down　the　hotel　corridors　announcing　it。　〃After　each　announcement；〃　writes　the　young　cousin；　〃a　group　of　Roosevelt　men　would　cry　out；　'All　postmasters　attend！'〃　Two　Taftites　spoke　briefly　and　〃were　greeted　by　a　couple　of　hand　claps　apiece；　and　then　the　star　performer　of　the　evening　was　announced　in　the　most　glowing　terms　as　a　model　of　political　propriety；　and　the　foremost　and　most　upright　citizen　of　the　United　StatesWilliam　Barnes；　Jr。；　of　Albany。〃　Mr。　Barnes　was　supposed；　at　that　time；　to　lead　the　New　York　Republican　Machine。　〃We　have　got　to　save　the　country；〃　he　said；　〃　save　the　constitution；　save　our　liberty。　We　are　in　danger　of　monarchy。　The　country　must　be　saved！！〃　The　Roosevelt　cousin　thought　that　he　spoke　〃without　fervor　to　a　listless；　sedate；　and　very　polite　audience。　It　was　made　all　the　more　preposterous　by　the　fact　that　a　very　ancient　colored　gentleman　stood　back　of　Barnes；　and　whenever　Barnes　paused；　would　point　to　the　crowd　and　feebly　begin　clapping　his　hands。　They　would　then　slowly　and　very　politely　take　up　the　applause；　in　every　case　waiting　for　his　signal。　It　was　almost　pathetic。〃　At　one　time　the　Roosevelt　scouts　alleged　that　〃Timothy　Woodruff　is　wavering；　with　four　other　delegates；　and　will　soon　fall　to　us；〃　and　told　〃of　delegates　flopping　over；　here　and　there。〃　A　still　more　extraordinary　piece　of　news　came　from　Hooker　to　the　effect　that　he　had　in　some　way　intercepted　a　telegram　〃from　Murray　Crane　to　his　nephew　saying　that　Crane　and　Barnes　would　'fight　or　ruin'　and　that　it　was　now　'use　any　means　and　sacrifice　the　Republican　Party。'　Had　it　not　been　for　the　way　he　told　us；　I　couldn't　have　believed　such　a　thing　possible。〃

Rumors　like　these　were　not　verified　at　the　time；　and　they　are　assuredly　unverifiable　now。　I　repeat　them　merely　to　show　how　suspense　and　excitement　were　constantly　fed　before　the　Convention　met。　Remembering　how　long　ex…Senator　Crane　and　Mr。　Barnes　had　had　their　hands　on　the　throttle　of　the　Republican　Machine；　we　are　not　surprised　at　the　young　Rooseveltian's　statement：　〃The　Taft　forces　control　anything　that　has　to　do　with　machinery；　but　all　the　feeling　is　for　Roosevelt；　and　the　Congress　Hotel；　at　any　rate；　favors　the　'Big　Noise；'　as　you　will　sometimes　hear　him　called　in　the　lobbies　or　in　the　streets。〃　Apparently；　stump　speeches　were　made　at　any　moment；　and　without　provocation；　in　any　hall；　room；　or　lobby　of　the　hotel；　by　any　one　who　felt　the　spirit　move　him；　and；　lest　silence　should　settle　down　and　soothe　the　jaded　nerves；　a　band　would　strike　up　unexpectedly。　The　marching　to　and　fro　of　unrestrained　gangs；　shouting；　〃We…want…Teddy！〃　completed　the　pandemonium。

Monday　came。　The　young　scouts　were　as　busy　as　ever　in　following　the　trails　which　led　to　Taft　activities。　The　news　they　had　to　tell　was　always　very　cheering。　They　found　little　enthusiasm　among　the　President's　supporters。　They　heard；　from　the　most　trustworthy　sources；　that　this　or　that　Taft　leader　or　delegation　was　coming　over。　And；　in　truth；　the　Taft　body　probably　did　not　let　off　a　tenth　of　the　noise　which　their　opponents　indulged　in。　The　shallows　murmur；　but　the　deeps　are　dumb；　does　not　exactly　apply　to　the　two　opposing　hosts。　The　Taft　men　resorted　very　little　to　shouting；　because　they　knew　that　if　they　were　to　win　at　all　it　must　be　by　other　means。　The　Rooseveltians；　on　the　other　hand；　really　felt　a　compelling　surge　of　enthusiasm　which　they　must　uncork。

Meanwhile　Colonel　Roosevelt　and　his　lieutenants　knew　that　the　enemy　was　perfecting　his　plan　to　defeat　them。　On　Monday　evening　his　zealots　packed　the　Auditorium　and　he　poured　himself　out　to　them　in　one　of　his　torrential　speeches　calculated　to　rouse　the　passions　rather　than　the　minds　of　his　hearers。　But　it　fitly　symbolized　the　situation。　He；　the　daunt　less　leader；　stood　there；　the　soul　of　sincerity　and　courage；　impressing　upon　them　all　that　they　were　engaged　in　a　most　solemn　cause　and　defying　the　opposition　as　if　it　were　a　legion　of　evil　spirits。　His　closing　words〃　We　stand　at　Armageddon　and　we　battle　for　the　Lord〃summed　it　all　up　so　completely　that　the　audience　burst　into　a　roar　of　approval；　and　never　doubted　that　he　spoke　the　truth。

Tuesday　at　noon；　a　crowd　of　fifteen　thousand　persons；　delegates　and　visitors；　packed　the　vast　Convention　Hall　of　the　Coliseum。　Mr。　Victor　Rosewater；　of　Nebraska；　presided　at　the　opening。　As　it　was　known　that　the　Republican　National　Committee　intended　to　place　on　the　temporary　roll　of　delegates　seventy…two　names　of　persons　whose　seats　were　contested；　Governor　Hadley；　of　Missouri；　made　a　motion　that　only　those　delegates；　whose　right　was　not　contested；　should　sit　and　vote　during　the　preliminary　proceedings。　Had　he　been　successful；　the　Regulars　would　have　lost　the　battle　from　the　beginning。　But　he　was　ruled　out　of　order　on　the　ground　that　the　only　business　before　the　Convention　was　the　election　of　a　Temporary　Chairman。　This　took　place；　and　Senator　Root；　from　New　York；　was　elected　by　558　votes；　McGovern；　the　Roosevelt　candidate；　received　501　votes；　there　were　14　scattering；　and　5　persons　did　not　vote。　Senator　Root；　therefore；　won　his　election　by　38　votes　over　the　combined　opposition；　but　his　plurality　was　secured　by　the　votes　of　the　72　whose　seats　were　contested。

During　the　three　following　days　the　Roosevelt　men　fought　desperately　to　secure　what　they　believed　to　be　justice。　They　challenged　every　delegate；　they　demanded　a　roll…call　on　the　slightest　excuse；　they　deluged　the　Regulars　with　alternate　showers　of　sarcasm　and　anger。　But　it　availed　them　nothing。　They　soon　perceived　that　victory　lay　with　the　Republican　National　Committee；　which　had　the　organization　of　the　Convention　and　the　framing　of　the　rules　of　procedure。　The　Taft　people；　the　Regulars；　controlled　the　National　Committee；　and　they　knew　that　the　rules　would　do　the　rest；　especially　since；　the　Chairman　of　the　Convention；　Senator　Root；　was　the　interpreter　of　the　rules。

At　no　other　National　Convention　in　American　history　did　a　Chairman　keep　his　head　and　his　temper　so　admirably　as　did　Mr。　Root　on　this　occasion。　His　intellect；　burning　with　a　cold；　white　light；illumined　every　point；　but　betrayed　no　heat　of　pass