McKINLEY AND ROOSEVELT -1891-1904 233 



vert him to the civil-service-reform forces ; but while I had 

 succeeded in converting a good many others, he remained 

 intractable, and on that subject we were at opposite poles. 



It therefore seems to me altogether to his credit that, 

 in spite of this personal and theoretical antagonism be 

 tween us, and in spite of the fact that I had made, and he 

 knew that I would make, no pledges or promises what 

 ever to him in view of an election, he had favored my 

 nomination solely as the best chance of obtaining a Repub 

 lican victory in the State; and I will again say that I 

 do not believe that his own personal advantage entered 

 into his thoughts on this occasion. His pride and his 

 really sincere devotion to the interests of the Republican 

 party, as he understood them, led him to desire, above all 

 things, a triumph over the Democratic forces, and the 

 only question in his mind was, Who could best secure the 

 victory ! 



At the close of these conferences he was evidently in my 

 favor, but on leaving the city I said to him : &quot; Do not con 

 sider yourself as in any way pledged to my support. Go 

 to the convention at Rochester, and decide what is best 

 after you get there. I have no desire for the nomination 

 in fact, would prefer that some one else bear the burden 

 and heat of the day. I have been long out of touch with 

 the party managers in the State. I don t feel that they 

 would support me as they would support some man like 

 Mr. Fassett, whom they know and like personally, and I 

 shall not consider you as pledged to me in the slightest 

 degree. I don t ask it; I don t wish it; in fact, I prefer 

 the contrary. Go to Rochester, be guided by circum 

 stances, and decide as you see fit.&quot; 



In the meantime various things seemed to strengthen 

 my candidacy. Leading Germans who had been for some 

 time voting with the Democratic party pledged themselves 

 to my support if I were nominated, and one of them could 

 bring over to my side one of the most powerful Demo 

 cratic journals in the State; in fact, there were pledged 

 to my support two leading journals which, as matters 



