第48章

Thevariousclashesbetweenmyselfandthemachine，mytriumphinthem，andthefactthatthepeopleweregettingmoreandmoreinterestedandaroused，broughtonacurioussituationintheRepublicanNationalConventionatPhiladelphiainJune，1900。SenatorPlattandtheNewYorkmachineleadershadbecomeveryanxioustogetmeoutoftheGovernorship，chieflybecauseofthehostilityofthebigcorporationmentowardsme；buttheyhadalsobecomeconvincedthattherewassuchpopularfeelingonmybehalfthatitwouldbedifficulttorefusemearenominationifIdemandedit。TheyaccordinglydecidedtopushmeforVice-President，takingadvantageofthefactthattherewasatthattimeagooddealoffeelingformeinthecountryatlarge。[SeeAppendixBtothischapter。]Imyselfdidnotappreciatethattherewasanysuchfeeling，andasIgreatlydislikedtheofficeofVice-PresidentandwasmuchinterestedintheGovernorship，IannouncedthatIwouldnotaccepttheVice-Presidency。

IwasoneofthedelegatestoPhiladelphia。OnreachingthereIfoundthatthesituationwascomplicated。SenatorHannaappearedonthesurfacetohavecontroloftheConvention。HewasanxiousthatI

shouldnotbenominatedasVice-President。SenatorPlattwasanxiousthatIshouldbenominatedasVice-President，inordertogetmeoutoftheNewYorkGovernorship。Eachtookapositionoppositetothatoftheother，buteachatthattimecordiallysympathizedwiththeother’sfeelingsaboutme——itwasthemanifestationsandnotthefeelingsthatdiffered。MysupportersinNewYorkStatedidnotwishmenominatedforVice-PresidentbecausetheywishedmetocontinueasGovernor；butineveryotherStateallthepeoplewhoadmiredmewereboundthatIshouldbenominatedasVice-President。ThesepeoplewerealmostalldesirousofseeingMr。McKinleyrenominatedasPresident，buttheybecameangryatSenatorHanna’soppositiontomeasVice-

President。HeinhisturnsuddenlybecameawarethatifhepersistedhemightfindthatintheirangerthesemenwouldopposeMr。

McKinley’srenomination，andalthoughtheycouldnothavepreventedthenomination，suchoppositionwouldhavebeenaseriousblowinthecampaignwhichwastofollow。SenatorHanna，therefore，begantowaver。

MeanwhileameetingoftheNewYorkdelegationwascalled。MostofthedelegateswereunderthecontrolofSenatorPlatt。TheSenatornotifiedmethatifIrefusedtoacceptthenominationforVice-

PresidentIwouldbebeatenforthenominationforGovernor。I

answeredthatIwouldacceptthechallenge，thatwewouldhaveastraight-outfightontheproposition，andthatIwouldbeginitatoncebytellingtheassembleddelegatesofthethreat，andgivingfairwarningthatIintendedtofightfortheGovernorshipnomination，and，moreover，thatIintendedtogetit。ThisbroughtSenatorPlatttoterms。TheefforttoinstructtheNewYorkdelegationformewasabandoned，andLieutenant-GovernorWoodruffwaspresentedfornominationinmyplace。

Isupposedthatthisclosedtheincident，andthatnofurthereffortwouldbemadetonominatemefortheVice-Presidency。Onthecontrary，theeffectwasdirectlythereverse。TheupsetoftheNewYorkmachineincreasedthefeelingofthedelegatesfromotherStatesthatitwasnecessarytodraftmeforthenomination。BynextdaySenatorHannahimselfconcludedthatthiswasanecessity，andacquiescedinthemovement。AsNewYorkwasalreadycommittedagainstme，andasIwasnotwillingthatthereshouldbeanychanceofsupposingthattheNewYorkershadnominatedmetogetridofme，theresultwasthatIwasnominatedandsecondedfromoutsideStates。Noothercandidatewasplacedinthefield。

BythistimetheLegislaturehadadjourned，andmostofmyworkasGovernorofNewYorkwasover。Oneunexpectedbitofbusinessarose，however。ItwastheyearofthePresidentialcampaign。Tammany，whichhadbeenlukewarmaboutBryanin1896，cordiallysupportedhimin1900；andwhenTammanyheartilysupportsacandidateitiswellfortheopposingcandidatetokeepasharplookoutforelectionfrauds。

Thecitygovernmen