THREE paths to the presidential nomination in 1904 opened be-
fore Roosevelt while he was governor of New York. One was
to seek reëlection. The second was to achieve appointment
as Secretary of War under McKinley. The third, and in Roosevelt's
mind the least promising, was the Vice-presidential nomination.

Any governor of so important a State as New York is a possible can-
didate for President. On the day after he was elected in 1898, Roose-
velt was told by a newspaper correspondent that "a clear trail" led from
Albany to Washington. Again, as when the subject had been mentioned
at police headquarters, Roosevelt exhibited irritation and alarm. He in-
sisted that nothing of the sort was in his mind. ¹ This, of course, was not
true, but it is to his credit that he compromised as little as he did.

Public comment on Roosevelt's presidential aspirations started in
March, 1899, to the annoyance of the party leaders pledged to a renomi-
nation for McKinley. Mr. Depew said in May that the President was
certain to be named and that Roosevelt did not want the Vice-presi-
dency. He would continue as governor of New York for two more years,
"but look out for him in 1904. . . there will be a regular Roosevelt
deluge." ² Depew did not hint that Platt might refuse to tolerate an-
other term at Albany for Roosevelt.

Roosevelt did not deceive himself about 1900. He told Lodge in
April, 1899, that McKinley would be chosen. ³ In June, however, he
attended a Rough Rider reunion in New Mexico and was astonished at
the throngs which greeted him "exactly as if I had been a Presidential
candidate."⁴ The New York Times"> was amused over the enthusiasm
being shown for Roosevelt, and intimated that he was debating his presi-
dential chances. Had the governor of New York no consideration for
poor Mr. McKinley, no feeling for "a weary President. . . who, when
he read of these exploits. . . wondered how it is that with 7,000,000

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