theodore roosevelt-第25章

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Here　are　three　of　his　letters　to　Platt；　written　at　a　time　when　the　young　journalist　and　the　reformers　of　his　stripe　shed　tears　at　the　thought　that　Theodore　Roosevelt　was　the　obsequious　servant　of　Boss　Platt。

The　first　letter　refers　to　Roosevelt's　nomination　to　the　Vice　Presidency；　a　possibility　which　the　public　was　already　discussing。　The　last　two　letters；　written　after　he　had　been　nominated　by　the　Republicans；　relate　to　the　person　whom　he　wished　to　see　succeed　himself　as　Governor　of　New　York。

ROOSEVELT　TO　PLATT

February　1；　1900

First；　and　least　important。　If　you　happened　to　have　seen　the　Evening　Post　recently；　you　ought　to　be　amused；　for　it　is　moralizing　with　lofty　indignation　over　the　cringing　servility　I　have　displayed　in　the　matter　of　the　insurance　superintendent。　I　fear　it　will　soon　take　the　view　that　it　cannot　possibly　support　you　as　long　as　you　associate　with　me！

Now　as　to　serious　matters。　I　have；　of　course；　done　a　great　deal　of　thinking　about　the　Vice…Presidency　since　the　talk　I　had　with　you　followed　by　the　letter　from　Lodge　and　the　visit　from　Payne；　of　Wisconsin。　I　have　been　reserving　the　matter　to　talk　over　with　you；　but　in　view　of　the　publication　in　the　Sun　this　morning；　I　would　like　to　begin　the　conversation；　as　it　were；　by　just　a　line　or　two　now。　I　need　not　speak　of　the　confidence　I　have　in　the　judgment　of　you　and　Lodge；　yet　I　can't　help　feeling　more　and　more　that　the　Vice　Presidency　is　not　an　office　in　which　I　could　do　anything　and　not　an　office　in　which　a　man　who　is　still　vigorous　and　not　past　middle　life　has　much　chance　of　doing　anything。　As　you　know；　I　am　of　an　active　nature。　In　spite　of　all　the　work　and　all　the　worry；　and　very　largely　because　of　your　own　constant　courtesy　and　consideration；　my　dear　Senator；I　have　thoroughly　enjoyed　being　Governor。　I　have　kept　every　promise；　express　or　implied；　I　made　on　the　stump；　and　I　feel　that　the　Republican　Party　is　stronger　before　the　State　because　of　my　incumbency。　Certainly　everything　is　being　managed　now　on　a　perfectly　straight　basis　and　every　office　is　as　clean　as　a　whistle。

Now；　I　should　like　to　be　Governor　for　another　term；　especially　if　we　are　able　to　take　hold　of　the　canals　in　serious　shape。　But　as　Vice　President；　I　don't　see　there　is　anything　I　can　do。　I　would　simply　be　a　presiding　officer；　and　that　I　should　find　a　bore。　As　you　know；　I　am　a　man　of　moderate　means　（although　I　am　a　little　better　off　than　the　Sun's　article　would　indicate）　and　I　should　have　to　live　very　simply　in　Washington　and　could　not　entertain　in　any　way　as　Mr。　Hobart　and　Mr。　Morton　entertained。　My　children　are　all　growing　up　and　I　find　the　burden　of　their　education　constantly　heavier；　so　that　I　am　by　no　means　sure　that　I　ought　to　go　into　public　life　at　all；　provided　some　remunerative　work　offered　itself。　The　only　reason　I　would　like　to　go　on　is　that　as　I　have　not　been　a　money　maker　I　feel　rather　in　honor　bound　to　leave　my　children　the　equivalent　in　a　way　of　a　substantial　sum　of　actual　achievement　in　politics　or　letters。　Now；　as　Governor；　I　can　achieve　something；　but　as　Vice…President　I　should　achieve　nothing。　The　more　I　look　at　it；　the　less　I　feel　as　if　the　Vice…Presidency　offered　anything　to　me　that　would　warrant　my　taking　it。

Of　course；　I　shall　not　say　anything　until　I　hear　from　you；　and　possibly　not　until　I　see　you；　but　I　did　want　you　to　know　just　how　I　felt。

ROOSEVELT　TO　PLATT

Oyster　Bay；　August　13；　1900

I　noticed　in　Saturday's　paper　that　you　had　spoken　of　my　suggesting　Judge　Andrews。　I　did　not　intend　to　make　the　suggestion　public；　and　I　wrote　you　with　entire　freedom；　hoping　that　perhaps　I　could　suggest　some　man　who　would　commend　himself　to　your　judgment　as　being　acceptable　generally　to　the　Republican　Party。　I　am　an　organization　Republican　of　a　very　strong　type；　as　I　understand　the　word　〃organization；〃　but　in　trying　to　suggest　a　candidate　for　Governor；　I　am　not　seeking　either　to　put　up　an　organization　or　a　non…organization　man；　but　simply　a　first…class　Republican；　who　will　commend　himself　to　all　Republicans；　and；　for　the　matter　of　that；　to　all　citizens　who　wish　good　government。　Judge　Andrews　needs　no　endorsement　from　any　man　living　as　to　his　Republicanism。　From　the　time　he　was　Mayor　of　Syracuse　through　his　long　and　distinguished　service　on　the　bench　he　has　been　recognized　as　a　Republican　and　a　citizen　of　the　highest　type。　I　write　this　because　your　interview　seems　to　convey　the　impression；　which　I　am　sure　you　did　not　mean　to　convey；　that　in　some　way　my　suggestions　are　antagonistic　to　the　organization。　I　do　not　understand　quite　what　you　mean　by　the　suggestion　of　my　friends；　for　I　do　not　know　who　the　men　are　to　whom　you　thus　refer；　nor　why　they　are　singled　out　for　reference　as　making　any　suggestions　about　the　Governorship。

In　your　last　interview；　I　understood　that　you　wished　me　to　be　back　in　the　State　at　the　time　of　the　convention。　As　I　wish　to　be　able　to　give　the　nominee　hearty　and　effective　support；　this　necessarily　means　that　I　do　have　a　great　interest　in　whom　is　nominated。

ROOSEVELT　TO　PLATT

Oyster　Bay；　August　20；　1900

I　have　your　letter　of　the　16th。　I　wish　to　see　a　straight　Republican　nomination　for　the　governorship。　The　men　whom　I　have　mentioned；　such　as　ex…Judge　Andrews　and　Secretary　Root；　are　as　good　Republicans　as　can　be　found　in　the　State；　and　I　confess　I　haven't　the　slightest　idea　what　you　mean　when　you　say；　〃if　we　are　to　lower　the　standard　and　nominate　such　men　as　you　suggest；　we　might　as　well　die　first　as　last。〃　To　nominate　such。　a　man　as　either　of　these　is　to　raise　the　standard；　to　speak　of　it　as　lowering　the　standard　is　an　utter　misuse　of　words。

You　say　that　we　must　nominate　some　Republican　who　〃will　carry　out　the　wishes　of　the　organization；〃　and　add　that　〃I　have　not　yet　made　up　my　mind　who　that　man　is。〃　Of　one　thing　I　am　certain；　that；　to　have　it　publicly　known　that　the　candidate；　whoever　he　may　be；　〃will　carry　out　the　wishes　of　the　organization；〃　would　insure　his　defeat；　for　such　a　statement　implies　that　he　would　merely　register　the　decrees　of　a　small　body　of　men　inside　the　Republican　Party；　instead　of　trying　to　work　for　the　success　of　the　party　as　a　whole　and　of　good　citizenship　generally。　It　is　not　the　business　of　a　Governor　to　〃carry　out　the　wishes　of　the　organization〃　unless　these　wishes　coincide　with　the　good　of　the　Party　and　of　the　State。　If　they　do；　then　he　ought　to　have　them　put　into　effect；　if　they　do　not；　then　as　a　matter　of　course　he　ought　to　disregard　them。　To　pursue　any　other　course　would　be　to　show　servility；　and　a　servile　man　is　always　an　undesirablenot　to　say　a　contemptiblepublic　servant。　A　Governor　should；　of　course；　try　in　good　faith　to　work　with　the　organization；　but　under　no　circumstances　should　he　be　servile　to　it；　or　〃carry　out　its　wishes〃　unless　his　own　best　judgment　is　that　they　ought　to　be　carried　out。　I　am　a　good　organization　man　myself；　as　I　understand　the　word　〃organization；〃　but　it　is　in　the　highest　degree　foolish　to　make　a　fetish　of　the　word　〃organization〃　and　to　treat　any　man　or　any　small　group　of　men　as　embodying　the　organization。　The　organization　should　strive　to　give　effective；　intelligent；　and　honest　leadership　to　and　representation　of　the　Republican　Party；　just　as　the　Republican　Party　strives　to　give　wise　and　upright　government　to　the　State。　When　what　I　have　said　ceases　to　be　true　of　either　organization　or　party；　it　means　that　the　organization　or　party　is　not　performing　its　duty；　and　is　losing　the　reason　for　its　existence。*

*　Washburn；　34…38。


Roosevelt's　independence　as　Governor　of　New　York；　and　the　very　important　reforms　which；　in　spite　of　the　Machine；　he　had　driven　through；　greatly　increased　his　personal　popularity　throughout　the　country。　To　citizens；　East　and　West；　who　knew　nothing　about　the　condition　of　the　factories；　canals；　and　insurance　institutions　in　New　York　State；　the　name　〃Roosevelt〃　stood　for　a　man　as　honest　as　he　was　energetic；　and　as　fearless　as　he　was　true。　Platt　and　the　Machine　naturally　wished　to　get　rid　of　this　marplot；　who　could　not　be　manipulated；　who　held　strange　and　subversive　ideas　as　to　the　extent　to　which　the　Ten　Commandments　and　the　Penal　Code　should　be　allowed　to　encroach　on　politics　and　Big　Business；　and　who　was　hopelessly　〃altruistic〃　in　caring　for　the　poor　and　down