theodore roosevelt-第17章

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　millions　of　dollars　and　tens　of　thousands　of　lives；　what　would　the　count　have　mounted　to　had　she　been　pitted　against　a　really　formidable　foe？　Would　she　have　won　at　all　against　any　enemy　fully　prepared　and　of　nearly　equal　strength？　Many　of　us　dismissed　Roosevelt's　warnings　then　as　the　outpourings　of　a　jingo；　of　one　who　loved　war　for　war's　sake；　and　wished　to　graft　onto　the　peaceful　traditions　and　standards　of　our　Republic　the　militarism　of　Europe。　We　misjudged　him。



CHAPTER　VIII。　GOVERNOR　OF　NEW　YORKVICE…PRESIDENT

While　Roosevelt　was　at　Montauk　Point　waiting　with　his　regiment　to　be　mustered　out；　and　cheering　up　the　sick　soldiers；　he　had　direct　proof　that　every　war　breeds　a　President。　For　the　politicians　went　down　to　call　on　him　and；　although　they　did　not　propose　that　he　should　be　a　candidate　for　the　Presidencythat　was　not　a　Presidential　yearthey　looked　him　over　to　see　how　he　would　do　for　Governor　of　New　York。　Since　Cleveland　set　the　fashion　in　1882；　the　New　York　governorship　was　regarded　as　the　easiest　stepping　stone　to　the　Presidency。　Roosevelt's　popularity　was　so　great　that　if　the　matter　had　been　left　in　the　hands　of　the　people；　he　would　have　been　nominated　with　a　rush；　but　the　Empire　State　was　dominated　by　BossesSenator　David　B。　Hill；　the　Democratic　State　Boss；　Senator　Thomas　C。　Platt；　the　Republican　State　Boss；　and　Richard　Croker；　Boss　of　Tammany；who　had　intimate　relations　with　the　wicked　of　both　parties；　and　often　decided　an　election　by　throwing　their　votes　or　withholding　them。

Senator　Platt　enjoyed；　with　Senator　Quay　of　Pennsylvania；　the　evil　reputation　of　being　the　most　unscrupulous　Boss　in　the　United　States。　I　do　not　undertake　to　say　whether　the　palm　should　go　to　him　or　to　Quay；　but　no　one　disputes　that　Platt　held　New　York　State　in　his　hand；　or　that　Quay　held　Pennsylvania　in　his。　By　the　year　1898；　both　were　recognized　as　representing　a　type　of　Boss　that　was　becoming　extinct。

The　business…man　type；　of　which　Senator　Aldrich　was　a　perfect　exponent；　was　pushing　to　the　front。　Quay；　greedy　of　money；　had　never　made　a　pretense　of　showing　even　a　conventional　respect　for　the　Eighth　Commandment；　Platt；　on　the　other　hand；　seems　not　to　have　enriched　himself　by　his　political　deals；　but　to　have　taken　his　pay　in　the　gratification　he　enjoyed　from　wielding　autocratic　power。　Platt　also　betrayed　that　he　dated　from　the　last　generation　by　his　religiosity。　He　used　his　piety　as　an　elephant　uses　his　proboscis；　to　reach　about　and　secure　desired　objects；　large　or　small；　the　trunk　of　a　tree　or　a　bag　of　peanuts。　He　was　a　Sunday…School　teacher　and；　I　believe；　a　deacon　of　his　church。　Roosevelt　says　that　he　occasionally　interlarded　his　political　talk　with　theological　discussion；　but　that　his　very　dry　theology　was　wholly　divorced　from　moral　implications。　The　wonderful　chapter　on　〃The　New　York　Governorship；〃　in　Roosevelt's　〃Autobiography；〃　ought　to　be　read　by　every　American；　because　it　gives　the　most　remarkable　account　of　the　actual　working　of　the　political　Machine　in　a　great　American　State；　the　disguises　that　Machine　wore；　its　absolute　unscrupulousness；　its　wickedness；　its　purpose　to　destroy　the　ideals　of　democracy。　And　Roosevelt's　analysis　of　Platt　may　stand　alongside　of　Machiavelli's　portraits　of　the　Italian　Bosses　four　hundred　years　beforethey　were　not　called　Bosses　then。

Senator　Platt　did　not　wish　to　have　Roosevelt　hold　the　governorship；　or　any　other　office　in　which　the　independent　young　man　might　worry　the　wily　old　Senator。*　But　the　Republican　Party　in　New　York　State　happened　to　be　in　such　a　very　bad　condition　that　the　likelihood　that　it　would　carry　the　election　that　autumn　was　slight：　for　the　public　had　temporarily　tired　of　Machine　rule。　Platt's　managers　saw　that　they　must　pick　out　a　really　strong　candidate　and　they　understood　that　nobody　at　that　moment　could　rival　Roosevelt's　popularity。　So　they　impressed　on　Platt　that　he　must　accept　the　Rough　Rider　Chief；　and　Mr。　Lemuel　Quigg；　an　ex…Congressman；　a　journalist　formerly　on　the　New　York　Tribune；　a　stanch　Republican；　who　nevertheless　recognized　that　discretion　and　intelligence　might　sometimes　be　allowed　a　voice　in　Machine　dictation；　journeyed　to　Montauk　and　had　a　friendly；　frank　conversation　with　the　Colonel。

*　Platt　and　Quay　were　both　born　in　1833。


Quigg　spoke　for　nobody　but　himself；　he　merely　wished　to　sound　Roosevelt。　Roosevelt　made　no　pledges；　he　defined　his　general　attitude　and　wished　to　understand　what　the　Platt　Machine　proposed。　Quigg　said　that　Platt　admitted　that　the　present　Governor；　Black；　could　not　be　reelected；　but　that　he　had　doubts　as　to　Roosevelt's　docility。　Republican　leaders　and　local　chairmen　in　all　parts　of　the　State；　however；　enthusiastically　called　for　Roosevelt；　and　Quigg　did　not　wish　to　have　the　Republican　Party　split　into　two　factions。　He　believed　that　Platt　would　accede　if　he　could　be　convinced　that　Roosevelt　would　not　〃make　war　on　him。〃　Roosevelt；　without　promising　anything；　replied　that　he　had　no　intention　of　making　〃war　on　Mr。　Platt；　or　on　anybody　else；　if　war　could　be　avoided。〃　He　said：

'that　what　＇he＇　wanted　was　to　be　Governor　and　not　a　faction　leader；　that　＇he＇　certainly　would　confer　with　the　organization　men；　as　with　everybody　else　who　seemed　to　＇him＇　to　have　knowledge　of　and　interest　in　public　affairs；　and　that　as　to　Mr。　Platt　and　the　organization　leaders；　＇he＇　would　do　so　in　the　sincere　hope　that　there　might　always　result　harmony　of　opinion　and　purpose；　but　that　while　＇he＇　would　try　to　get　on　well　with　the　organization；　the　organization　must　with　equal　sincerity　strive　to　do　what　＇he＇　regarded　as　essential　for　the　public　good；　and　that　in　every　case；　after　full　consideration　of　what　everybody　had　to　say　who　might　possess　real　knowledge　of　the　matter；　＇he＇　should　have　to　act　finally　as　＇his＇　own　judgment　and　conscience　dictated；　and　administer　the　State　Government　as　＇he＇　thought　it　ought　to　be　administered。'　*

*　Autobiography；　295。


Having　assured　Roosevelt　that　his　statements　were　exactly　what　Quigg　expected；　Quigg　returned　to　New　York　City；　reported　his　conversation　to　Platt；　and；　in　due　season；　the　free　citizens　of　New　York　learned　that；　with　Platt's　consent；　the　Colonel　of　the　Rough　Riders　would　be　nominated　by　the　Republican　State　Convention　for　the　governorship　of　New　York。

During　the　campaign；　Roosevelt　stumped　the　State　at　a　pace　unknown　till　then。　It　was　his　first　real　campaign；　and　he　went　from　place　to　place　in　a　special　train　speaking　at　every　stop　from　his　car　platform　or；　in　the　larger　towns；　staying　long　enough　to　address　great　audiences　out　of　doors　or　in　the　local　theatre。　In　November；　he　was　elected　by　a　majority　of　18；000；　a　slender　margin　as　it　looks　now；　but　sufficient　for　its　purpose；　and　representing　a　really　notable　victory；　because　it　had　been　expected　that　the　Democrats　would　beat　any　other　Republican　candidate　but　him　by　overwhelming　odds。　So；　after　an　absence　of　fifteen　years；　he　returned　to　dwell　in　Albany。

Before　he　was　sworn　in　as　Governor；　he　had　already　measured　strength　with　Senator　Platt。　The　Senator　asked　him　with　amiable　condescension　whether　he　had　any　special　friends　he　would　like　to　have　appointed　on　the　committees。　Roosevelt　expressed　surprise；　supposing　that　the　Speaker　appointed　committees。　Then　Platt　told　him　that　the　Speaker　had　not　been　agreed　upon　yet；　but　that　of　course　he　would　name　the　list　given　to　him。　Roosevelt　understood　the　situation；　but　said　nothing。　A　week　later；　however；　at　another　conference；　Platt　handed　him　a　telegram；　in　which　the　sender　accepted　with　pleasure　his　appointment　as　Superintendent　of　Public　Works。　Roosevelt　liked　this　man　and　thought　him　honest；　but　he　did　not　think　him　the　best　person　for　that　particular　work；　and　he　did　not　intend　as　Governor　to　have　his　appointments　dictated　to　him；　because　he　would　naturally　be　held　responsible　for　his　appointees。　When　he　told　Platt　that　that　man　would　not　do；　the　Senator　flew　into　a　passion；　he　had　never　met　such　insubordination　before　in　any　public　official；　and　he　decided　to　fight　the　issue　from　the　start。　Roosevelt　did　not　allow　himself　to　lose　his　temper；　he　was　perfectly　polite　while　Platt　let　loose　his　fury；　and　before　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