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PRESIDENT MCKINLEY AND VICE-PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT ON STEPS

OF MCKINLEY RESIDENCE AT CANTON

During the roll call for the vote on the nomination of Vice-President, Mr. Curtis, of New York, desired that the State be allowed a little time to complete the count, as she was "not quite ready to report her vote." Mr. Huested, of New York, asked that the rule might be suspended, so that other States might be called before New York. At the end of the roll call, New York was again called, and gave her vote-60 for Logan, 6 for Gresham, and 1 for Foraker. The official record continues:

"The President-The question now is, shall the nominations be made unanimous? And the motion was carried unanimously."

The Convention, was now substantially over. Of 820 votes, only 780 had been cast. The adjournment took place at 9:45 P. M., June the 6th.

Mr. Roosevelt's record in this Convention was a most uncommon one to be made by a man twenty-six years old. As the head of the delegation of the decisive State, as the politics of the country was divided at that time, he displayed throughout the exciting and at times tumultuous proceedings, the tenacity, intelligence, and courage characteristic of his whole career. He listened attentively to all suggestions, treated the rights of all delegates with respect, asserted his own views, and acted distinctly upon his own motion, neither driving nor consenting to be driven.

It was remarked that the Harvard men from New York and Boston were active before the Convention adjourned sine die, and there was much said by the delegates and spectators, including particularly the men of the press, that the two delegates-at-large, representing two great cities—one the metropolis of the continent, and the other of New England-would be "heard from hereafter;" and so it has turned out.

The Republican National Convention at Philadelphia, sixteen years later, was presided over by Senator Lodge, of Massachusetts, and nominated by acclamation. lacking his own vote when the roll was called of unanimity, Governor Roosevelt, of New York, for the Vice-Presidency. The only opposition of a personal or political nature to this nomination, centred upon the Secretary of the Navy, Governor Long; and there was a small but able and earnest group of men, in years, youthful, but of marked accomplishments, who idealized Colonel Roosevelt, so that they held, that after being Governor of New York, he should never be a candidate for any office other than that of President of the United States. These gentlemen unwisely misapprehended the wants of the State of New York, and strangely disbelieved in the dignity of the office of Vice-President, and, curiously enough, undervalued the personal power of Mr. Roosevelt on the stump, and the potential prestige of his fame as a ranchman and as the discoverer and commander of the Rough Rider soldiers in the Spanish War.

Theodore Roosevelt breaks State and National records with his appear

ance in the Republican Convention, of 1884, in his twenty-sixth year, at the head of the New York Delegation. Grant and Garfield were two of the four Presidents who took the oath of office when under fifty years of age-Grant forty-seven, Garfield forty-nine. The twenty-fifth President, at the age of forty-two years, ten months and two weeks, was a full Presidential term younger than any predecessor in the great office.

Two of the youngest men in the country, who entered the National army as boy soldiers, were McKinley, who was seventeen, and Foraker, sixteen, at the time of enlistment. There were rare cases of boys of fourteen and fifteen years getting into the ranks, and to the firing line, but there was no show for Theodore Roosevelt as a three-year-old boy. If he had been twelve years old, the probability is he would have reached the front through even greater difficulties than he experienced when he fought his way to the firing, fighting line.

CHAPTER V.

STARTING CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

Very Interesting Testimony-Business Advantages Gained-Funny Questions and Answers The Conspicuous Lead of Roosevelt in the Crusade-Important Official Letter from Him.

TH

HEODORE ROOSEVELT was appointed by President Harrison a member of the National Civil Service Commission, in May, 1889, and served to May, 1895. When he took office, the only Commissioner was Mr. Charles Lyman, of Connecticut. Honorable Hugh S. Thompson, ex-Governor of South Carolina, was made Commissioner at the same time Roosevelt was, and after serving for three years, resigned. He was succeeded by Mr. George D. Johnston, of Louisiana, removed by the President in November, 1893, and replaced by Mr. John R. Proctor, the former State Geologist of Kentucky.

It was a matter of fitness that Roosevelt was in substance chief of the Commission, and he took satisfaction in saying it "never varied a hand's breadth from its course" in all his six years. He had pleasure in making the remark: "In the Fifty-First and Fifty-Second Congresses, Mr. Lodge, of Massachusetts, led the fight in the Lower House. He was supported by such party leaders as Messrs. Reed, of Maine, and McKinley, of Ohio, among the Republicans; and Messrs. Wilson, of West Virginia, and Sayers, of Texas, among the Democrats."

In his "American Ideals" and other essays, Mr. Roosevelt said it seemed of interest to "show exactly what has been done to advance the law and what to hinder its advancement, during these six years, and who have been the more prominent among its friends or foes." He continued, "I wish to tell 'the adventures of Philip on his way through the World,' and show who robbed him, who helped him, and who passed him by. It would take too long to give the names of all our friends, and it is not worth while to more than allude to most of our foes, and to most of those who were indifferent to us; but a few of the names should be preserved, and some record made of the fights that have been fought and won, and of the way in which, by fits and starts, and more than one setback, the general advance has been made." It was an honor President McKinley appreciated, that his name was

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