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CHAPTER IX

As Candidate for Governor
I
T was in the month of August, 1898, that the troops came back from Cuba in bad condition from improper food and supplies, and were encamped for restoration  in the  bracing  air  of  Montauk Point at the eastern end of Long Island. There the Rough  Riders remained until they  were  mustered   out  and   disbanded on September 15.
INFORMATION  FOR   THE  COLONEL
Boss platt to col. roosevelt : " It's a cinch, Teddy."
Prom the Herald  (New York)
The people of New York were about to enter upon a gubernatorial campaign. The Republicans were charged with having made dishonest use of money appropriated for the enlargement of the State canals. The so-called " Raines Law" had provided for turning the saloons of
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44

A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

PLATT AS  CYRANO  DE  BBRGERAC From the World  (New York)
New York into sham hotels to evade the Sunday closing law, and great abuse and scandal had resulted. There was just criti-

ROOSEVELT'S     CONDITION—AX     UNCONDITIONAL
BY THE  REPUBLICAN MACHINE From   Puck.     Copyright   1898.     By  permission.
cism of the management of the State insurance department, as well as that of public works. Mr. Platt was at the height of his sway as Republican boss, and his followers had in so far abused their privileges of office

BROADWAY

EDITING THE COLONEL
(No. 49 Broadway was Mr. Platt's business address, from which he was supposed to direct the campaign.) From the World  (New York)

SIGNOR  TEDDI'S  DARING  ATTEMPT •
(This double load can't be carried to Albany.)
From the Journal (New York)

As Candidate for Governor

45

could not forget the political crisis of 1884, and he was reluctant to take any position   that   could   put him outside the ranks of the Republican party.   He agreed under  certain circumstances   to   accept   an independent    nomination, but he proposed not to be a candidate until after he had had a fair chance to see  what  his  own   party was   going   to   do.     Mr. Platt  and  his   chief  lieutenants   were   thoroughly opposed to Roosevelt, but they  were  facing  certain defeat if they put any man known   to   be   identified with   themselves   at   the head of the ticket.     The alternative was bitter for them, but  they  accepted Roosevelt. He ran as a straight Re-

'BEWARE   OF   THE   GREEK   BEARING   GIFTS" (Boss Platt as leading the Trojan horse.) From the World  (New York)
and power that they were facing an almost inevitable defeat at the polls.
" NO time for slumber "
(The Colonel arouses his apathetic party.) From the Herald (New York)
It looked like an opportunity for the Democratic machine; and the Independents, together with many Republicans and Democrats of high personal standing, were thinking it necessary to nominate a third candidate against the machine tickets of the two parties. Mr. Roosevelt had every qualification by his previous experiences to lead such a movement; besides which his fresh popularity as colonel of the Rough Riders, and the hero of San Juan, was sure to add to his strength as a vote getter.
Colonel Roosevelt, however,

46

A Cartoon History of Roosevelt's Career

HYPNOTIZED  BY  PLATT AS   SVENGALI
" He wept with delight when Platt gave him a smile, And trembled with fear at his frown." From the Journal (New York)
BAGGED HIS  GAME From the Tribune (Minneapolis)

THE ROUGH RIDER'S LATEST CHARGE From the World  (New York)
publican and gave his cordial support to the other names on the Republican ticket. The cartoonists were much concerned through the campaign with his relations to Senator Platt as the acknowledged leader of the party in the State. Mr. Roosevelt's own point of view was clear on all such points. He would accept no man's dictation in anything that concerned his freedom of opinion or utterance, or his responsible actions as governor in case of his election. But in all things where custom and propriety allowed him to act as a member of his party he was prepared to consult cordially and fully with those who were the official heads and leaders of the party organization. He was willing to listen to suggestions from such leaders as to appointments to office, but would appoint no man to any position unless he was convinced of the man's honesty and faithfulness, and of his entire fitness to perform the duties of the place in question.
In his campaign Mr. Roosevelt was entirely frank as respects administrative scandals. He promised to unearth the canal frauds if any were to be found, and to deal

As Candidate for Governor

47

the champion   rough rider   of the  world .
as unsparingly with wrong-doers of the Republican party as if they were members of the opposing organization. Up to this time he had not had much experience as a public speaker, and the leaders were strongly opposed to his taking the stump in his own behalf. But the campaign began apathetically, and Mr. Roosevelt, with his unfailing instinct for the dramatic, took a few of his cowboys with him, allowed them to tell the public what they thought of their Colonel, and the Rough Riders drew the crowds, to whom the Colonel appealed with his
direct promises to intro-
From the Evening Post (Denver)	duce      reform      wherever
needed.    He was elected by a plurality of  about 17,000 in a year when a less striking candidate must have been defeated by a large Democratic plurality.

"AND  TEDDY   (ROOSEVELT)   COMES  MARCHING   HOME"
From Judge (New York)