theodore roosevelt-第24章

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fore　they　parted　Platt　understood　which　was　master。　The　Governor　appointed　Colonel　Partridge　to　the　position　and；　as　it　had　chiefly　to　do　with　the　canals　of　the　State；　it　was　most　important。　In　deed；　the　canal　scandals　under　Roosevelt's　predecessor；　Governor　Black；　had　so　roused　the　popular　conscience　that　it　threatened　to　break　down　the　supremacy　of　the　Republican　Party。

Jacob　Riis　describes　Roosevelt's　administration　as　introducing　the　Ten　Commandments　into　the　government　at　Albany；　and　we　need　hardly　be　told　that　the　young　Governor　applied　his　usual　methods　and　promoted　his　favorite　reforms。　Finding　the　Civil　Service　encrusted　with　abuses；　he　pushed　legislation　which　established　a　high　standard　of　reform。　The　starch　which　had　been　taken　out　of　the　Civil　Service　Law　under　Governor　Black　was　put　back；　stiffened。　He　insisted　on　enforcing　the　Factory　Law；　for　the　protection　of　operatives；　and　the　law　regulating　sweat…shops；　which　he　inspected　himself；　with　Riis　for　his　companion。

Perhaps　his　hottest　battle　was　over　the　law　to　tax　corporations　which　held　public　franchises。　This　touched　the　owners　of　street　railways　in　the　cities　and　towns；　and　many　other　corporations　which　enjoyed　a　monopoly　in　managing　quasi…public　utilities。　〃In　politics　there　is　no　politics；〃　said　that　elderly　early　mentor　of　Roosevelt　when　he　first　sat　in　the　Assembly。　Legislatures　existed　simply　to　do　the　bidding　of　Big　Business；　was　the　creed　of　the　men　who　controlled　Big　Business。　They　contributed　impartially　to　the　Republican　and　Democratic　campaign　funds。　They　had　Republican　Assemblymen　and　Democratic　Assemblymen　in　their　service；　and　their　lobbyists　worked　harmoniously　with　either　party。　Merely　to　suggest　that　the　special　privileges　of　the　corporations　might　be　open　to　discussion　was　sacrilege。　No　wonder；　therefore；　that　the　holders　of　public　franchises　marshaled　all　their　forces　against　the　Governor。

Boss　Platt　wrote　Roosevelt　a　letterone　of　the　sort　inspired　more　by　sorrow　than　by　angerto　the　effect　that　he　had　been　warned　that　the　Governor　was　a　little　loose　on　the　relations　of　capital　and　labor；　on　trusts　and　combinations；　and；　in　general；　on　the　right　of　a　man　to　run　his　business　as　he　chose；　always　respecting；　of　course；　the　Ten　Commandments　and　the　Penal　Code。　The　Senator　was　shocked　and　pained　to　perceive　that　this　warning　had　a　real　basis；　and　that　the　Governor's　〃altruism〃　in　behalf　of　the　people　had　led　him　to　urge　curtailing　the　rights　of　corporations。　Roosevelt；　instead　of　feeling　contrite　at　this　chiding；　redoubled　his　energy。　The　party　managers　buried　the　bill。　Roosevelt　then　sent　a　special　message；　as　the　New　York　Governors　are　empowered　to　do。　It　was　laid　on　the　Speaker's　desk；　but　no　notice　was　taken　of　it。　The　next　morning　he　sent　this　second　message　to　the　Speaker：

'I　learn　that　the　emergency　message　which　I　sent　last　evening　to　the　Assembly　on　behalf　of　the　Franchise　Tax　Bill　has　not　been　read。　I；　therefore；　send　hereby　another。　I　need　not　impress　upon　the　Assembly　the　need　of　passing　this　bill　at　once　。。。。　It　establishes　the　principle　that　hereafter　corporations　holding　franchises　from　the　public　shall　pay　their　just　share　of　the　public　burden。'*

*　Riis；　221。


The　Speaker；　the　Assembly；　and　the　Machine　now　gave　heed。　The　corporations　saw　that　it　would　be　suicidal　to　bring　down　on　themselves　the　avalanche　of　fury　which　was　accumulating。　The　bill　passed。　Roosevelt　had　set　a　precedent　for　controlling　corporate　truculence。

While　Roosevelt　was　accomplishing　these　very　real　triumphs　for　justice　and　popular　welfare；　the　professional　critics　went　on　finding　fault　with　him。　Although　the　passage　of　one　bill　after　another　gave　tangible　proof　that；　far　from　being　Platt's　〃man；〃　or　the　slave　of　the　Machine；　he　followed　his　own　ideals；　did　not　satisfy　these　critics。　They　suspected　that　there　was　some　wickedness　behind　it；　and　they　professed　to　be　greatly　disturbed　that　Roosevelt　frequently　breakfasted　or　dined　with　Platt。　What　could　this　mean　except　that　he　took　his　instructions　from　the　Boss？　How　could　he；　who　made　a　pretense　of　righteousness；　consent　to　visit　the　Sunday　School　political　teacher；　much　less　to　sit　at　the　table　with　him？　The　doubts　and　anxieties　of　these　self…appointed　defenders　of　public　morals；　and　of　the　Republic　even；　found　a　spokesman　in　a　young　journalist　who　had　then　come　recently　from　college。　This　person；　whom　we　will　call　X。；　met　Mr。　Roosevelt　at　a　public　reception　and　with　the　brusqueness；　to　put　it　mildly；　of　a　hereditary　reformer；　he　demanded　to　know　why　the　Governor　breakfasted　and　dined　with　Boss　Platt。　Mr。　Roosevelt　replied；　with　that　courtesy　of　his　which　was　never　more　complete　than　when　it　conveyed　his　sarcasm；　that　a　person　in　public　office；　like　himself；　was　obliged　to　meet　officially　all　kinds　of　men　and　women；　and　he　added：　〃Why；　Mr。　X。；　I　have　even　dined　with　your　father。〃　X。　did　not　pursue　his　investigation；　and　the　bystanders；　who　had　vague　recollections　of　the　father's　misfortunes　in　Wall　Street；　thought　that　the　son　was　a　little　indiscreet　even　for　a　hereditary　reformer。　The　truth　about　Roosevelt's　going　to　Platt　and　breakfasting　with　him　was　very　simple。　The　Senator　spent　the　week　till　Friday　afternoon　in　Washington；　then　he　came　to　New　York　for　Saturday　and　Sunday。　Being　somewhat　infirm；　although　he　was　not；　as　we　now　reckon；　an　old　man；　he　did　not　care　to　extend　his　trip　to　Albany；　and　so　the　young　and　vigorous　Governor　ran　down　from　Albany　and；　at　breakfast　with　Platt；　discussed　New　York　State　affairs。　What　I　have　already　quoted　indicates；　I　think；　that　no　body　knew　better　than　the　Boss　himself　that　Roosevelt　was　not　his　〃man。〃

One　other　example　is　too　good　to　omit。　The　Superintendent　of　Insurance　was　really　one　of　Platt's　men；　and　a　person　most　grateful　to　the　insurance　companies。　Governor　Roosevelt；　regarding　him　as　unfit；　not　only　declined　to　reappoint　him；　but　actually　appointed　in　his　stead　a　superintendent　whom　Platt　and　the　insurance　companies　could　not　manage；　and　so　hated。　Platt　remonstrated。　Finding　his　arguments　futile；　he　broke　out　in　threats　that　if　his　man　was　not　reappointed；　he　would　fight。　He　would　forbid　the　Assembly　to　confirm　Roosevelt's　candidate。　Roosevelt　replied　that　as　soon　as　the　Assembly　adjourned；　he　should　appoint　his　candidate　temporarily。　Platt　declared　that　when　it　reconvened；　the　Assembly　would　throw　him　out。　This　did　not；　however；　frighten　Roosevelt；　who　remarked　that；　although　he　foresaw　he　should　have　an　uncomfortable　time　himself；　he　would　〃guarantee　to　make　his　opponents　more　uncomfortable　still。〃

Later　that　day　Platt　sent　one　of　his　henchmen　to　deliver　an　ultimatum　to　the　Governor。　He　repeated　Platt's　threats；　but　was　unable　to　make　an　impression。　Roosevelt　got　up　to　go。　〃You　know　it　means　your　ruin？〃　said　the　henchman　solemnly。　〃Well；　we　will　see　about　that；〃　Roosevelt　replied；　and　had　nearly　reached　the　door　when　the　henchman；　anxious　to　give　the　prospective　victim　a　last　chance；　warned　him　that　the　Senator　would　open　the　fight　on　the　next　day；　and　keep　it　up　to　the　bitter　end。　〃Yes；〃　replied　the　Governor；　〃good…night。〃　And　he　was　just　going　out；　when　the　henchman　rushed　after　him；　calling；　〃Hold　on！　We　accept。　Send　in　your　nomination。　The　Senator　is　very　sorry；　but　will　make　no　further　opposition。〃*　Roosevelt　adds　that　the　bluff　was　carried　through　to　the　limit；　but　that　after　it　failed；　Platt　did　not　renew　his　attempt　to　interfere　with　him。

*　Autobiography；　317。


Nevertheless；　Roosevelt　made　no　war　on　Platt　or　anybody　else；　merely　for　the　fun　of　it。　〃We　must　use　the　tools　we　have；〃　said　Lincoln　to　John　Hay；　and　Lincoln　also　had　many　tools　which　he　did　not　choose；　but　which　he　had　to　work　with。　Roosevelt　differed　from　the　doctrinaire　reformer；　who　would　sit　still　and　do　nothing　unless　he　had　perfectly　clean　tools　and　pure　conditions　to　work　with。　To　do　nothing　until　the　millennium　came　would　mean；　of　course；　that　the　Machine　would　pursue　its　methods　undisturbed。　Roosevelt；　on　the　contrary；　knew　that　by　cooperating　with　the　Machine；　as　far　as　his　conscience　permitted；　he　could　reach　results　much　better　than　it　aimed　at。

Here　are　three　of　his　letters　to　Platt；　written　at　a　time　when　the　young　journalist　and　the　reformers　of　his