Now, in such a situation, what was an honest man to do? The best
men in the Republican party believed that Roosevelt was the only
one who could be elected, that the people believed so firmly in
his honor and courage that they would vote for him. Senator Platt
did not want him, did not like him, but he came to see that they
could win with him, and with no one else. So Roosevelt was
nominated, and elected, by a narrow lead of 18,000 votes. So far,
the people could rule with Roosevelt as their servant. But the
Governor can do little alone; he must have the support of the
Legislature and the other State officers. The Boss hoped to rule
through them, to say who should be appointed to office, to decide
which bill should pass and which be defeated.
There were people who would have had Governor Roosevelt declare
war on Platt; refuse to have anything to do with him; refuse even
to speak to him. In that way he could have done nothing for the
good of the State; he could have spent his term in fighting Platt,
made a great show of independence and reform, but, in point of
fact, advanced the cause of good government not an inch. All of
his proposals would have been blocked by Platt's men in the
Legislature.
Instead, he acted in accord with the facts as they were; not as if
they were the way he would have liked them to be. If Platt could
not rule he could ruin.
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