In 1898 Senator Platt was asked if there was any doubt as to the
renomination of Frank S. Black as Governor of New York. “Yes, there
is,” was his response. “McKinley and Congress are liable to declare war
on Spain at any moment. That war may develop a hero. Theodore Roosevelt
has just resigned as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and is drilling
his Rough Riders in the West. He may come out of the war adorned with
such laurels as to compel his nomination.”
Platt was a true prophet. Roosevelt crowned with military glory, came
back from the Battle of San Juan Hill. Chauncey Depew and others
suggested to Platt that Roosevelt would be an ideal candidate for
Governor. Platt sent Lemuel Eli Quigg, known as “the Accelerator,”
to Roosevelt at Montauk Point, where he was camped with his troops.
Quigg’s mission was to sound the Colonel as to his willingness to run
for Governor.
Roosevelt was in a receptive mood. He accepted the Republican
nomination unconditionally, but he took pains to announce during the
campaign that on all important questions of policy and legislation he
would consult with the Republican state leader, Senator Platt. He made
it clear that he would not act on Platt’s advice if it were not in
accordance with his own ideas of what was right.
Roosevelt made a dramatic campaign. He made Richard Croker, the Tammany
boss, who had been pilloried by the Lexow committee, an issue. The
Rough Rider won by over 17,000 plurality.