my memories of eighty years-第29节

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pecting　some　consideration。　　He　asked　me　to　come　and　see　him　at　Manhattan　Beach。　　As　usual；　he　entered　at　once　upon　the　question　in　hand　by　saying：　　〃I　am　very　much　troubled　about　the　governorship。　　Frank　Black　has　made　an　excellent　governor　and　did　the　right　thing　in　ordering　an　investigation　of　the　Canal　frauds；　but　the　result　of　the　investigation　has　been　that　in　discovering　frauds　the　Democrats　have　been　able　to　create　a　popular　impression　that　the　whole　State　administration　is　guilty。　The　political　situation　is　very　critical　in　any　way。　　Benjamin　Odell；　the　chairman　of　our　State　committee；　urges　the　nomination　of　Colonel　Roosevelt。　　As　you　know；　Roosevelt　is　no　friend　of　mine；　and　I　don't　think　very　well　of　the　suggestion。　　Now；　what　do　you　think？〃

I　instantly　replied：　　〃Mr。　Platt；　I　always　look　at　a　public　question　from　the　view　of　the　platform。　　I　have　been　addressing　audiences　ever　since　I　became　a　voter；　and　my　judgment　of　public　opinion　and　the　views　of　the　people　are　governed　by　how　they　take　or　will　take　and　act　upon　the　questions　presented。　　Now；　if　you　nominate　Governor　Black　and　I　am　addressing　a　large　audienceand　I　certainly　willthe　heckler　in　the　audience　will　arise　and　interrupt　me；　saying：　　'Chauncey；　we　agree　with　what　you　say　about　the　Grand　Old　Party　and　all　that；　but　how　about　the　Canal　steal？'　　I　have　to　explain　that　the　amount　stolen　was　only　a　million；　and　that　would　be　fatal。　　If　Colonel　Roosevelt　is　nominated；　I　can　say　to　the　heckler　with　indignation　and　enthusiasm：　　'I　am　mighty　glad　you　asked　that　question。　　We　have　nominated　for　governor　a　man　who　has　demonstrated　in　public　office　and　on　the　battlefield　that　he　is　a　fighter　for　the　right；　and　always　victorious。　　If　he　is　selected；　you　know　and　we　all　know　from　his　demonstrated　characteristics；　courage　and　ability；　that　every　thief　will　be　caught　and　punished；　and　every　dollar　that　can　be　found　restored　to　the　public　treasury。'　　Then　I　will　follow　the　colonel　leading　his　Rough　Riders　up　San　Juan　Hill　and　ask　the　band　to　play　the　'Star…Spangled　Banner。'〃

Platt　said　very　impulsively：　　〃Roosevelt　will　be　nominated。〃

When　the　State　convention　met　to　nominate　a　State　ticket；　I　was　selected　to　present　the　name　of　Colonel　Roosevelt　as　a　candidate　for　governor。　　I　have　done　that　a　great　many　times　in　conventions；　but　have　never　had　such　a　response。　　As　I　went　on　reciting　the　achievements　of　Roosevelt；　his　career；　his　accomplishments；　and　his　great　promise；　the　convention　went　wild　with　enthusiasm。　It　was　plain　that　no　mistake　had　been　made　in　selecting　him　as　the　candidate。

During　the　campaign　he　made　one　of　the　most　picturesque　canvasses　the　State　has　ever　experienced。　　He　was　accompanied　in　his　travels　by　a　large　staff　of　orators；　but　easily　dominated　the　situation　and　carried　the　audience　with　him。　　He　was　greatly　amused　at　a　meeting　where　one　of　his　Rough　Riders；　who　was　in　the　company；　insisted　upon　making　a　speech。　　The　Rough　Rider　said：　　〃My　friends　and　fellow　citizens；　my　colonel　was　a　great　soldier。　　He　will　make　a　great　governor。　　He　always　put　us　boys　in　battle　where　we　would　be　killed　if　there　was　a　chance；　and　that　is　what　he　will　do　with　you。〃

Roosevelt　as　governor　was；　as　always；　most　original。　　New　York　was　an　organization　State；　with　Mr。　Platt　as　leader；　and　with　county　leaders　of　unusual　ability　and　strength。　　Governors　had　been　accustomed　to　rely　upon　the　organization　both　for　advice　and　support。　　Roosevelt　could　not　bear　any　kind　of　control。　　He　sought　advice　in　every　direction　and　then　made　up　his　mind。　　This　brought　him　often　in　conflict　with　local　leaders　and　sometimes　with　the　general　organization。

On　one　occasion　the　State　chairman；　who　was　always　accustomed　to　be　in　Albany　during　the　closing　day　of　the　legislature；　to　prevent　in　the　haste　and　confusion；　characteristic　of　legislation　at　this　time；　the　passage　of　bad　or　unpopular　measures；　bade　the　governor　good…by　at　midnight；　as　the　legislature　was　to　adjourn　the　following　day　with　the　understanding　that　lawmaking　was　practically　over。

A　large　real…estate　delegation　arrived　the　next　morning；　with　the　usual　desire　to　relieve　real…estate　from　taxation　by　putting　it　somewhere　else。　　They　came　with　a　proposition　to　place　new　burdens　upon　public　utilities。　　It　was　too　late　to　formulate　and　introduce　a　measure　on　a　question　so　important；　but　there　was　a　bill　which　had　been　in　the　legislature　most　of　the　session　and　never　received　serious　consideration。　　The　governor　sent　an　emergency　message　to　the　legislature；　which　had　remaining　only　one　hour　of　life　to　pass　that　bill。

Next　day　the　tremendous　interest　in　public　utilities　was　panic…stricken　because　the　bill　was　so　crude　that　it　amounted　to　confiscation。　　The　governor；　when　applied　to；　said：　　〃Yes；　I　know　that　the　bill　is　very　crude　and　unfit　to　become　a　law；　but　legislation　on　this　subject　is　absolutely　necessary。　　I　will　do　this：　　I　have　thirty　days　before　I　must　make　up　my　mind　to　sign　the　bill；　or　let　it　become　a　law　without　my　signature。　　Within　that　thirty　days　I　will　call　the　legislature　together　again。　　Then　you　can　prepare　and　submit　to　me　a　proper　bill；　and　if　we　can　agree　upon　it；　I　will　present　it　to　the　legislature。　　If　the　legislature　passes　that　measure　I　will　sign　it；　but　if　it　does　not；　I　will　let　the　present　measure；　bad　as　it　is；　become　a　law。〃

The　result　of　the　threat　was　that　a　very　good　and　timely　act　was　presented　in　regard　to　the　taxation　of　public　utilities；　a　measure　which　largely　increased　municipal　and　State　revenues。　　I　know　of　no　governor　in　my　time　who　would　have　had　the　originality　and　the　audacity　to　accomplish　what　he　desired　by　such　drastic　operation。

Roosevelt's　administration　was　high…minded　and　patriotic。　　But　by　his　exercise　of　independent　judgment　and　frequently　by　doing　things　without　consulting　the　leaders；　State　or　local；　he　became　exceedingly　unpopular　with　the　organization。　　It　was　evident　that　it　would　be　very　difficult　to　renominate　him。　　It　was　also　evident　that　on　account　of　his　popularity　with　the　people；　if　he　failed　in　the　renomination；　the　party　would　be　beaten。　　So　it　was　unanimously　decided　to　put　him　on　the　national　ticket　as　vice…president。

The　governor　resisted　this　with　all　his　passionate　energy。　　He　liked　the　governorship。　　He　thought　there　were　many　things　which　he　could　do　in　another　term；　and　he　believed　and　so　stated　that　the　vice…presidency　was　a　tomb。　　He　thought　that　nobody　could　be　resurrected　when　once　buried　in　that　sarcophagus。

The　national　Republican　convention　of　1900　was　a　ratification　meeting。　　President　McKinley's　administration　had　been　exceedingly　popular。　　The　convention　met　practically　to　indorse　McKinley's　public　acts　and　renominate　him　for　another　term。　　The　only　doubtful　question　was　the　vice…presidency。　　There　was　a　general　accord　of　sentiment　in　favor　of　Governor　Roosevelt；　which　was　only　blocked　by　his　persistent　refusal。

Roosevelt　and　I　were　both　delegates　at　large；　and　that　position　gave　him　greater　opportunity　to　emphasize　his　disinclination。　A　very　intimate　friend　of　his　called　upon　me　and　begged　that　I　would　use　all　my　influence　to　prevent　the　colonel's　nomination。　This　friend　said　to　me：　　〃The　governor's　situation；　officially　and　personally；　makes　it　impossible　for　him　to　go　to　Washington。　　On　the　official　side　are　his　unfinished　legislation　and　the　new　legislation　greatly　needed　by　the　State；　which　will　add　enormously　to　his　reputation　and　pave　the　way　for　his　future。　　He　has　very　little　means。　　As　governor　his　salary　is　ample。　　The　Executive　Mansion　is　free；　with　many　contributory　advantages；　and　the　schools　of　Albany　admirable　for　the　education　of　his　six　children。　　While　in　Washington　the　salary　of　vice…president　is　wholly　inadequate　to　support　the　dignity　of　the　position；　and　it　is　the　end　of　a　young　man　of　a　most　promising　career。〃

I　knew　what　the　friend　did　not　know；　and　it　was　that　Mr。　Roosevelt　could　not　be　governor　again。　　I　was　so　warmly　attached　to　him　and　so　anxious　for　his　future　that　I　felt　it　was　my　duty　to　force　his　nomination　if　possible。

Governor　Odell　was　chairman　of　the　delegation　for　all　convention　purposes；　but　in　the　distribution　of　honors　I　was　made　the　presiding　officer　at　its　meetings。　　The　delegation　met　to　consider　the　vice…presidency。　　Several　very　eloquent　speeches　were　made　in　favor　of　Mr。　Roosevelt；　but　in　an　emphatic　address　he　declined　the　nomination。　　He　then　received　a　unanimous　vote；　but　again　declined。　　A　delegate　then　arose　and　suggested　that　he　reconsider　his　determination；　and　several　others　joined　most　earnestly　in　this　request。　　Roosevelt　was　deeply　affected；　but；　nevertheless；　firmly　declined。

I　knew　there　was　a　member　of　the　delegation　who　had　canvassed　it　to　secure　the　honor　in　case　Roosevelt　became　impossible；　and　that　the　next　motion　would　be　the　nomination　of　this　aspirant。　　So　I　abruptly　declared　the　meeting　adjourned。　　I　did　this　in　the　hope　that　during　the　night；　with　the　pressure　brought　to　bear　upon　him；　the　colonel　would　change　his　mind。　　In　the　morning　Mr。　Roosevelt　surrendered　his　convictions　and　agreed　to　accept　the　nomination。

In　every　convention　there　is　a　large　number　of　men　prominent　in　their　several　delegations　who　wish　to　secure　general　atten