InSeptember，1898，theFirstVolunteerCavalry，incompanywithmostoftherestoftheFifthArmyCorps，wasdisembarkedatMontaukPoint。
Shortlyafteritwasdisbanded，andafewdayslater，IwasnominatedforGovernorofNewYorkbytheRepublicanparty。TimothyL。WoodruffwasnominatedforLieutenant-Governor。Hewasmystanchfriendthroughoutthetermofourjointservice。
Thepreviousyear，themachineorstandpatRepublicans，whowereunderthedominationofSenatorPlatt，hadcometoacompletebreakwiththeanti-machineelementovertheNewYorkmayoralty。ThishadbroughttheRepublicanpartytoasmash，notonlyinNewYorkCity，butintheState，wheretheDemocraticcandidateforChiefJudgeoftheCourtofAppeals，AltonB。Parker，waselectedbysixtyoreightythousandmajority。Mr。Parkerwasanableman，alieutenantofMr。Hill’s，standingclosetotheconservativeDemocratsoftheWallStreettype。
TheseconservativeDemocratswereplanninghowtowresttheDemocraticpartyfromthecontrolofMr。Bryan。TheyhailedJudgeParker’svictoryasagodsend。TheJudgeatonceloomedupasaPresidentialpossibility，andwascarefullygroomedforthepositionbytheNewYorkDemocraticmachine，anditsfinancialalliesintheNewYorkbusinessworld。
TheRepublicansrealizedthatthechanceswereverymuchagainstthem。
Accordinglytheleaderswereinachastenedmoodandreadytonominateanycandidatewithwhomtheythoughttherewasachanceofwinning。I
wastheonlypossibility，and，accordingly，underpressurefromcertainoftheleaderswhorecognizedthisfact，andwhorespondedtopopularpressure，SenatorPlattpickedmeforthenomination。Hewasentirelyfrankinthematter。Hemadenopretensethathelikedmepersonally；buthedeferredtothejudgmentofthosewhoinsistedthatIwastheonlymanwhocouldbeelected，andthatthereforeIhadtobenominated。
ForemostamongtheleaderswhopressedmeonMr。Platt(who“pestered“
himaboutme，tousehisownwords)wereMr。Quigg，Mr。Odell——thenStateChairmanoftheRepublicanorganization，andafterwardsGovernor——andMr。Hazel，nowUnitedStatesJudge。JudgeHazeldidnotknowmepersonally，butfeltthatthesentimentinhiscity，Buffalo，demandedmynomination，andthatthethenRepublicanGovernor，Mr。Black，couldnotbereelected。Mr。Odell，whohardlyknewmepersonally，feltthesamewayaboutMr。Black’schances，and，ashehadjusttakentheStateChairmanship，hewasveryanxioustowinavictory。Mr。Quiggknewmequitewellpersonally；hehadbeenintouchwithmeforyears，whilehewasareporteronthe/Tribune/，andalsowhenheeditedapaperinMontana；hehadbeenongoodtermswithmewhilehewasinCongressandIwasCivilServiceCommissioner，meetingmeoftenincompanywithmyespecialcroniesinCongress——menlikeLodge，SpeakerTomReed，Greenhalge，Butterworth，andDolliver——andhehadurgedmyappointmentasPoliceCommissioneronMayorStrong。
ItwasMr。QuiggwhocalledonmeatMontaukPointtosoundmeabouttheGovernorship；Mr。PlattbeingbynomeansenthusiasticoverMr。
Quigg’smission，largelybecausehedisapprovedoftheSpanishWarandofmypartinbringingitabout。Mr。Quiggsawmeinmytent，inwhichhespentacoupleofhourswithme，mybrother-in-law，DouglasRobinson，beingalsopresent。Quiggspokeveryfranklytome，statingthatheearnestlydesiredtoseemenominatedandbelievedthatthegreatbodyofRepublicanvotersintheStatesodesired，butthattheorganizationandtheStateConventionwouldfinallydowhatSenatorPlattdesired。HesaidthatcountyleaderswerealreadycomingtoSenatorPlatt，hintingatacloseelection，expressingdoubtofGovernorBlack’savailabilityforreelection，andaskingwhyitwouldnotbeagoodthingtonominateme；thatnowthatIhadreturnedtotheUnitedStatesthiswouldgoonmoreandmoreallthetime，andthathe(Quigg)didnotwishthatthesemenshouldbediscouragedandbesentbacktotheirlocalitiestosuppressarisingsentimentinmyfavor。ForthisreasonhesaidthathewantedfrommeaplainstatementastowhetherornotIwantedthenomination，andastowhatwouldbemyattitudetowardtheorganizationintheeventofmynominationandelection，whetherornotIwould“makewar“onMr。
Plattandhisfriends，orwhetherIwouldconferwiththemandwiththeorganizationleadersgenerally，andgivefairconsiderationtotheirpointofviewastopartypolicyandpublicinterest。Hesaidhehadnotcometomakemeanyofferofthenomination，andhadnoauthoritytodoso，nortogetanypledgesorpromises。Hesimplywantedafrankdefinitionofmyattitudetowardsexistingpartyconditions。
TothisIrepliedthatIshouldliketobenominated，andifnominatedwouldpromisetothrowmyselfintothecampaignwithallpossibleenergy。IsaidthatIshouldnotmakewaronMr。Plattoranybodyelseifwarcouldbeavoided；thatwhatIwantedwastobeGovernorandnotafactionleader；thatIcertainlywouldconferwiththeorganizationmen，aswitheverybodyelsewhoseemedtometohaveknowledgeofandinterestinpublicaffairs，andthatastoMr。Plattandtheorganizationleaders，Iwoulddosointhesincerehopethattheremightalwaysresultharmonyofopinionandpurpose；butthatwhileI
wouldtrytogetonwellwiththeorganization，theorganizationmustwithequalsinceritystrivetodowhatIregardedasessentialforthepublicgood；andthatineverycase，afterfullconsiderationofwhateverybodyhadtosaywhomightpossessrealknowledgeofthematter，I
shouldhavetoactfinallyasmyownjudgmentandconsciencedictatedandadministertheStategovernmentasIthoughtitoughttobeadministered。QuiggsaidthatthiswaspreciselywhathesupposedI
wouldsay，thatitwasallanybodycouldexpect，andthathewouldstateittoSenatorPlattpreciselyasIhadputittohim，whichheaccordinglydid；and，throughoutmytermasGovernor，Quigglivedloyallyuptoourunderstanding。[*]
[*]InalettertomeMr。Quiggstates，whatIhadforgotten，thatI
toldhimtotelltheSenatorthatIwouldtalkfreelywithhim，andhadnointentionofbecomingafactionalleaderwithapersonalorganization，yetthatImusthavedirectpersonalrelationswitheverybody，andgettheirviewsatfirsthandwheneverIsodesired，becauseIcouldnothaveonemanspeakingforall。
Afterbeingnominated，ImadeahardandaggressivecampaignthroughtheState。Myopponentwasarespectableman，ajudge，behindwhomstoodMr。Croker，thebossofTammanyHall。MyobjectwastomakethepeopleunderstandthatitwasCroker，andnotthenominalcandidate，whowasmyrealopponent；thatthechoicelaybetweenCrokerismandmyself。Crokerwasapowerfulandtruculentman，theautocratofhisorganization，andofadomineeringnature。ForhisownreasonsheinsisteduponTammany’sturningdownanexcellentDemocraticjudgewhowasacandidateforreelection。Thisgavememychance。Undermyattack，Croker，whowasastalwartfightingmanandwhowouldnottakeanattacktamely，himselfcametothefront。Iwasabletofixthecontestinthepublicmindasonebetweenhimselfandmyself；and，againstallprobabilities，Iwonbytherathernarrowmarginofeighteenthousandplurality。
AsIhavealreadysaid，thereisalunaticfringetoeveryreformmovement。Atleastnine-tenthsofallthesincerereformerssupportedme；buttheultra-pacifists，theso-calledanti-imperialists，oranti-
militarists，orpeace-at-any-pricemen，preferredCrokertome；andanotherknotofextremistswhohadatfirstardentlyinsistedthatI
mustbe“forced“onPlatt，assoonasPlattsupportedmethemselvesopposedme/because/hesupportedme。AfterelectionJohnHaywrotemeasfollows：“WhileyouareGovernor，Ibelievethepartycanbemadesolidasneverbefore。Youhavealreadyshownthatamanmaybeabsolutelyhonestandyetpractical；areformerbyinstinctandawisepolitician；brave，bold，anduncompromising，andyetnotawildassofthedesert。Theexhibitionmadebytheprofessionalindependentsinvotingagainstyoufornoreasononearthexceptthatsomebodyelsewasvotingforyou，isalessonthatisworthitscost。”
Atthattimebossrulewasatitsveryzenith。Mr。Bryan’scandidacyin1896onafreesilverplatformhadthreatenedsuchfrightfulbusinessdisasterastomakethebusinessmen，thewage-workers，andtheprofessionalclassesgenerally，turneagerlytotheRepublicanparty。EastoftheMississippitheRepublicanvoteforMr。McKinleywaslargerbyfarthanithadbeenforAbrahamLincolninthedayswhenthelifeoftheNationwasatstake。Mr。Bryanchampionedmanysorelyneededreformsintheinterestoftheplainpeople；butmanyofhisplatformproposals，economicandotherwise，wereofsuchacharacterthattohaveputthemintopracticewouldhavemeanttoplungeallourpeopleintoconditionsfarworsethananyofthoseforwhichhesoughtaremedy。Thefreesilveradvocatesincludedsincereanduprightmenwhowereabletomakeastrongcasefortheirposition；butwiththemanddominatingthemwereallthebelieversinthecompleteorpartialrepudiationofNational，State，andprivatedebts；andnotonlythebusinessmenbuttheworkingmengrewtofeelthatunderthesecircumstancestooheavyapricecouldnotbepaidtoaverttheDemocratictriumph。ThefearofMr。Bryanthrewalmostalltheleadingmenofallclassesintothearmsofwhoeveropposedhim。
TheRepublicanbosses，whowerealreadyverypowerful，andwhowerealreadyinfairlyclosealliancewiththeprivilegedinterests，nowfoundeverythingworkingtotheiradvantage。Goodandhigh-mindedmenofconservativetemperamentintheirpanicplayedintothehandsoftheultra-reactionariesofbusinessandpolitics。Thealliancebetweenthetwokindsofprivilege，politicalandfinancial，wascloselycemented；andwherevertherewasanyattempttobreakitup，thecrywasatonceraisedthatthismerelyrepresentedanotherphaseoftheassaultonNationalhonestyandindividualandmercantileintegrity。
Assooftenhappens，theexcessesandthreatsofanunwiseandextremeradicalismhadresultedinimmenselystrengtheningthepositionofthebeneficiariesofreaction。ThiswastheerawhentheStandardOilCompanyachievedamasteryofPennsylvaniapoliticssofar-reachingandsocorruptthatitisdifficulttodescribeitwithoutseemingtoexaggerate。
InNewYorkState，UnitedStatesSenatorPlattwastheabsolutebossoftheRepublicanparty。“Bigbusiness“wasbackofhim；yetatthetimethis，themostimportantelementinhisstrength，wasonlyimperfectlyunderstood。ItwasnotuntilIwaselectedGovernorthatI
myselfcametounderstandit。Wewerestillaccustomedtotalkingofthe“machine“asifitweresomethingmerelypolitical，withwhichbusinesshadnothingtodo。SenatorPlattdidnotusehispoliticalpositiontoadvancehisprivatefortunes——thereindifferingabsolutelyfrommanyotherpoliticalbosses。Helivedinhotelsandhadfewextravaganttastes。Indeed，Icouldnotfindthathehadanytastesatallexceptforpolitics，andonrareoccasionsforaverydrytheologywhollydivorcedfrommoralimplications。Butbigbusinessmencontributedtohimlargesumsofmoney，whichenabledhimtokeephisgriponthemachineandsecuredforthemthehelpofthemachineiftheywerethreatenedwithadverselegislation。Thecontributionsweregivenintheguiseofcontributionsforcampaignpurposes，ofmoneyforthegoodoftheparty；whenthemoneywascontributedtherewasrarelytalkofspecificfavorsinreturn。[*]ItwassimplyputintoMr。Platt’shandsandtreatedbyhimasinthecampaignchest。Thenhedistributeditinthedistrictswhereitwasmostneededbythecandidatesandorganizationleaders。Ordinarilynopledgewasrequiredfromthelattertothebosses，anymorethanitwasrequiredbythebusinessmenfromMr。Plattorhislieutenants。Nopledgewasneeded。
Itwasalla“gentlemen’sunderstanding。”AstheSenatoroncesaidtome，ifaman’scharacterwassuchthatitwasnecessarytogetapromisefromhim，itwasclearproofthathischaracterwassuchthatthepromisewouldnotbeworthanythingafteritwasmade。
[*]Eachnationhasitsownpetsinstowhichitismercifulandalsosinswhichittreatsasmostabhorrent。InAmericawearepeculiarlysensitiveaboutbigmoneycontributionsforwhichthedonorsexpectanyreward。InEngland，whereinsomewaysthestandardishigherthanhere，suchcontributionsareacceptedasamatterofcourse，nay，asoneofthemethodsbywhichwealthymenobtainpeerages。Itwouldbewell-nighanimpossibilityforamantosecureaseatintheUnitedStatesSenatebymerecampaigncontributions，inthewaythatseatsintheBritishHouseofLordshaveoftenbeensecuredwithoutanyscandalbeingcausedthereby。
