opportunity came. For his own reasons Croker insisted that the Democrats should reject an excellent judge of their own party who was a candidate for re-election. Roosevelt promptly attacked this action and Croker came to the front as a campaign speaker. Thus the public came to feel that the contest was personal, that the two principals represented not only two different political parties but different political standards of right and wrong.

"Roosevelt," said Senator Platt, "made a dramatic campaign. He fairly pranced about the state. He called a spade ‘a spade;' a crook ‘a crook.' During the final week of the canvass he made the issue Richard Croker, the Tammany boss, who had been so excoriated by the Lexow and Mazet committees. The The Rough Rider. romped home on election day with over 17,000 plurality." Out of a total of 1,350,000 votes cast this was not a wide margin, but the Republicans were well satisfied with their

success.

In permitting his name to be brought before the State Convention, and in accepting the nomination and support which ensued, Roosevelt followed a political principle which guided him all his life. He realized that little could be accomplished toward political or social improvement without organized effort, and that in an organization it was necessary to sink minor differences and to agree upon a common program which all might unite to further. He was a Republican by inheritance and by association, and having cast in his lot with that party he felt it his duty to stay within the party fold and to maintain the party organization, except when distinct questions of right and wrong made this impossible. Before his election as Governor he had promised that he would consult Senator Platt and the other recognized party

Photo by C. M. Gilbert. COLONEL ROOSEVELT AND FAMILY WHILE HE WAS GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK STATE

Roosevelt. In his arms is Archie, then the youngest. At the extreme right In the background are Theodore Roosevelt and Alice Roosevelt, now Mrs. Nicholas Longworth. At the left is Governor

leaders on all matters of appointments and legislation, but he had served notice that his final conclusions would be his own and not theirs. "He religiously fulfilled this pledge," said Platt, "although he frequently did just what he pleased."

Shortly after the election, and before the Colonel took office, Platt sent for him to talk over what was to be done at Albany. Platt was old and rather feeble, and it was Roosevelt's custom, in spite of severe criticism, to go to Platt when he wanted a conference instead of standing upon his dignity and insisting that Platt should come to him. Upon this occasion he found the Senator with two or three of his lieutenants, discussing the constitution of the committees in the coming Legislature. The Senator asked the Colonel whether he had any member of the Assembly whom he wished to have put on any committee. The Colonel said no and expressed some surprise at the question because the Legislature had not yet met to choose the Speaker by whom all committees would be appointed.

"Oh," answered the Senator, "he has not been chosen yet, but, of course, whoever we choose as Speaker will agree beforehand to make the appointments we wish."

Roosevelt said nothing but made up his mind that if an attempt were made to put the Governor in the same category with the Speaker, there would be trouble.

A few days later Platt sent for him again to discuss the choice of a Superintendent of Public Works. The * Superintendent of Public Works controlled the construction of the Erie Canal and the position was doubly important because of the popular suspicion of the canal management during Black's administration. When Roosevelt arrived the Senator informed him that he, the Senator, had offered the Superintendent's position to a first-class

man from whom he had just received a telegraph of acceptance. The Colonel had no personal objection to the gentleman suggested, but the fact that he lived in a city along the line of the canal was against him, and what was more important, the Governor-elect realized that the time had come to show his independence. Accordingly he politely told the Senator that his man would not fit the job. The result was an outburst on the part of the old chief who had controlled every appointment in the party fold for years and was not minded to see his power taken from him. But Roosevelt was firm, and in the end Platt was obliged to give in. It was thus made plain at the outset that since the people had entrusted their welfare to Roosevelt, he would make their welfare his personal business, and that he and no other would exercise the functions of the state's Governor.

One of his first acts as Governor was to nominate for the position of Superintendent of Public Works John N. Partridge, an engineer who had acted as chief of police when Seth Low was mayor of Brooklyn. Partridge discharged his duties in admirable fashion and with entire satisfaction. Avery D. Andrews, who had been one of the Colonel's fellow Police Commisioners in New York City, was appointed Adjutant General.

Whenever the Governor wanted to discuss an appointment or a question of legislation with Senator Platt he was accustomed to breakfast with the Senator at his hotel in New York. This gave rise to much criticism by supersensitive citizens who felt that the Colonel was obediently coming down from Albany to take orders from his superior officer. Such, however, was not the fact, for a series of breakfasts was usually a prelude to more or less open warfare between the two men.. Roosevelt