. . .... 
 
 ' I « ' 
 
 « ' ' « t I ' , < < 
 
 < , c t « « t 
 
 , , f « « » « « 
 
William F. McCombs 
 
 The President Maker 
 
 By 
 MAURICE F. LYONS 
 
 Secretary to Mr. McCombs during the Prenomination 
 and Presidential Campaigns of 1911-1912 
 
 % 
 
 CINCINNATI 
 THE BANCROFT COMPANY 
 

 Copyright, 1922, by 
 Maurice F. Lyons. 
 
 All Rights Reserved. 
 
Contents 
 
 Chapter Page 
 
 Foreword 7 
 
 I. The Prenomination Campaign ... 11 
 II. The Baltimore Convention .... 78 
 
 III. The Presidential Campaign . . . .108 
 
 IV. The Matter of the French Ambas- 
 
 sadorship, Etc 129 
 
 V. Conclusion 145 
 
 48 
 
Illustrations 
 
 Page 
 
 William F. McCombs Frontispiece 
 
 Woodrow Wilson 38 
 
 Wm. Jennings Bryan 78 
 
 E. M. House 24 
 
 WlLLARD SAULSBURY . . 117 
 
 Wm. G. McAdoo 102 
 
 A. Mitchell Palmer 102 
 
 Maurice F. Lyons 117 
 
 Roger Sullivan 102 
 
 Henry Morgenthau 117 
 
 Walker W. Vick 126 
 
 T. P. Gore 117 
 
 Abram I. Elkus 102 
 
 Josephus Daniels 126 
 
 A. S. Burleson 126 
 
 Joseph E. Davies 126 
 
 Facsimile of part of message from Gov- 
 ernor Wilson to Wm. J. Bryan .... 90 
 
 Facsimile of letter of Wm. F. McCombs 
 
 ACCEPTING THE FRENCH AMBASSADORSHIP. 133 
 
 5 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 Page 
 
 Facsimile of letter of Wm. F. McCombs 
 to President-elect Wilson on March 
 
 4, 1913, AND REPLY 135 
 
 Facsimile of letter of Wm. F. McCombs 
 to Maurice F. Lyons 141 
 
Foreword 
 
 IN the early part of 1911, a young lawyer 
 with an extremely boyish face sat at 
 his desk delving into a mass of political 
 correspondence. The fates then had de- 
 creed that while he was to realize his ideal 
 in bringing about the nomination and 
 election of Woodrow Wilson, Governor of 
 New Jersey and previously his favorite 
 instructor at Princeton College, he was 
 later to suffer keen disappointment, cul- 
 minating in an illness the result of which 
 would be fatal. 
 
 The very being of William F. McCombs 
 centered in his admiration for the New 
 Jersey Governor. 
 
 Allow me to quote from an article which 
 he prepared for one of the magazines early 
 
 in the year 1912: 
 
 7 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 "Long before he became Governor he 
 had arrived at a conception of the forces 
 that control this great Nation, which con- 
 ception has guided him since he became 
 a famous Governor of a great State.*** 
 Those who have known Woodrow Wilson 
 during the years of his activities before he 
 took public office are surprised neither at 
 his effectiveness nor his ideas upon the 
 fundamentals of Government.*** I have 
 known Woodrow Wilson not only as 
 Governor of New Jersey, but as a student 
 in his class room and as a friend.*** 
 Wilson is a red-blooded man; he is a 
 fighting man; he is the young man's 
 man.*** 
 
 Mr. McCombs was a cripple. He was 
 very sensitive of his affliction. His sister, 
 Mrs. Corinne Hardy, told me on one occa- 
 sion that when he was a baby an irrespon- 
 sible nurse allowed him to fall from his 
 carriage, the result of which maimed him 
 for life. He himself related to me one night 
 shortly after the election of Governor 
 Wilson, how he had suffered to make his 
 way through preparatory school; how he 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 later determined to go through Princeton; 
 how he came North hobbling into the 
 University on crutches; how he gradually 
 learned to walk with the aid of a specially- 
 constructed shoe, and how he emerged 
 victorious over all obstacles, eventually 
 receiving the degree of Master of Laws 
 from Harvard University. 
 
 William F. McCombs passed to the Great 
 Beyond just a short time before President 
 Wilson retired from office, leaving his 
 autobiography, which has been published. 
 
 During the summer of 1914 he and I 
 were the guests of former Collector of 
 Internal Revenue Edwards, known by the 
 more familiar title of "Big Bill", at his 
 camp in Connecticut, and it was there, after 
 our host had departed and left us in com- 
 mand, that he told me of his desire to write 
 his memoirs of the prenomination and 
 presidential campaigns, of which he had 
 been Manager and Chairman, respectively, 
 
 and during which I had been his secretary. 
 
 9 
 
FOREWORD 
 
 ' Happily, I was in a position materially 
 to assist him, inasmuch as I had retained 
 voluminous notes, my diaries, and copies 
 of important papers. 
 
 But I find upon publication that much 
 of Mr. McCombs' biography is incomplete, 
 in that many facts have been omitted and 
 there is error in certain statements. 
 "Fiat Justitia Ruat Caelum." 
 
 Maurice F. Lyons. 
 
 10 
 
 
William F. McCombs 
 
 The President Maker 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 The Prenomination Campaign 
 
 DURING the spring of 1911, I was re- 
 quested to call upon Mr. Frank 
 Parker Stockbridge, the well-known news- 
 paperman, with a view to becoming con- 
 nected with a movement, the object of 
 which was to endeavor to bring about the 
 nomination of Woodrow Wilson, Governor 
 of New Jersey, for the Presidency in 1912. 
 The headquarters were in the Columbian 
 Apartments, 157th Street and Broadway, 
 New York City, under the direction of Mr. 
 Stockbridge, who at the time was carrying 
 on a correspondence with officials of clubs 
 
 in various cities of the West, to the effect 
 
 11 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 that Governor Wilson was to make an 
 extended trip through that part of the 
 country, and inquiring whether reception 
 committees could be appointed and ar- 
 rangements perfected with a view to having 
 the Governor address the club members on 
 questions of the day. 
 
 I shortly had the pleasure of an intro- 
 duction to the General of the movement, 
 in the person of Mr. Wm. F. McCombs, a 
 Member of the Bar, whose office was 
 located at 96 Broadway, and who was busily 
 engaged in attempting to procure funds 
 which the Governor's trip would entail. He 
 told me later that he had been unsuccessful 
 in his quest and had underwritten the 
 amount. 
 
 Within a month Governor Wilson started 
 westward, speaking before large assem- 
 blages in Kansas City, Denver, Los Angeles, 
 San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland, the 
 writer having arranged his itinerary. 
 
 Mr. McCombs did not accompany the 
 12 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 Governor, but sought relaxation at the 
 Hotel Waumbeck, Jefferson, N. H., where 
 he met Mr. Louis Wiley of the New York 
 Times, and others, with all of whom he con- 
 ferred as to the movement then under way 
 and the opportunity to nominate a man 
 who could be elected, and thus place in the 
 White House the first Democratic President 
 in sixteen years. Mr. McCombs told me 
 later that the suggestions which he received 
 from Mr. Wiley were of great benefit and 
 assistance. 
 
 Governor Wilson's trip was very suc- 
 cessful, for irrespective of the differences of 
 opinion as to the effect of this speech or 
 that, the presidential ball was actually set 
 in motion. 
 
 It was now decided that the head- 
 quarters should be enlarged and they were 
 removed to West 38th Street, but the sur- 
 roundings were deemed to be unsuitable, 
 and within a few weeks the final move was 
 
 made to 42 Broadway, from which the 
 
 13 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 speeches of the Governor that had been put 
 into pamphlet form were disseminated by 
 tens of thousands. 
 
 Mr. McCombs was now carrying on an 
 extended correspondence and receiving as- 
 surances of support for Governor Wilson 
 from leaders in the Pacific Coast States, 
 the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and 
 some of the Rocky Mountain States. 
 
 Orders were given to employ further help, 
 the clerical force was augmented, and 
 Mr. Walter Measday, a reporter who had 
 formerly been with one of the large dailies, 
 was engaged to accompany the Governor 
 on all his speech-making tours and attend 
 to giving them maximum publicity. 
 
 The furnishing of plate matter for the 
 
 press was out of the question, there being 
 
 insufficient funds, but a paper known as a 
 
 clipping sheet was circulated among the 
 
 Democratic and Independent papers 
 
 throughout the country, the editors of 
 
 which were requested to clip the items they 
 
 14 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 desired to use and set their own type. The 
 plan proved to be very successful. 
 
 The movement was given further impetus 
 by the adoption of a resolution by the two 
 Democratic factions in Pennsylvania, which, 
 irrespective of their local antagonisms, de- 
 cided to support the Princeton School- 
 master in the next national convention. 
 The publicity derived from this action was 
 very helpful and Governor Wilson was as- 
 sured of over seventy votes from the 
 Pennsylvania Delegation more than a year 
 before he required them. 
 
 The correspondence grew enormously. 
 Mail was received and taken away from 
 headquarters by the sackload, and in many 
 instances wagons were essential to dispose 
 of it. 
 
 Mr. McCombs was steadily but surely 
 creating public sentiment for the New 
 Jersey Governor. 
 
 In the evenings conferences were held 
 with other pioneers in the movement, at 
 
 15 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 his rooms in the Royalton on West 44th 
 Street, New York City, among whom was 
 Senator T. P. Gore of Oklahoma, whose 
 counsel was always eagerly sought. It was 
 there one evening that Mr. McCombs re- 
 lated to us of his having visited the Gov- 
 ernor early in the year, calling his attention 
 to a telegram in which he (McCombs) pre- 
 dicted Governor Wilson's election to the 
 Presidency, and that the Governor replied: 
 
 "Let the Prophet fulfill the prophecy." 
 
 During the month of July a great deal of 
 
 good publicity was obtained through the 
 
 attack on Governor Wilson by Chairman 
 
 James Nugent of the New Jersey State 
 
 Committee, during which he called the 
 
 Governor a liar and an ingrate, and was 
 
 ultimately deposed. Mr. Nugent was the 
 
 nephew of former Senator James Smith, Jr., 
 
 known as "Dictator of the State", whom 
 
 Governor Wilson had refused to tolerate 
 
 as a candidate for the United States 
 
 16 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 Senate, on the ground that under the Sen- 
 atorial Preference Primary Law, enacted in 
 New Jersey in the year 1907, James E. 
 Martine had been designated as the Sen- 
 atorial candidate. Senator Smith and his 
 friends had financed the Governor's cam- 
 paign in the sum of approximately $75,000. 
 Mr. McCombs requested that I obtain 
 for him a copy of the debate between 
 Professor Wilson, the Democratic candidate, 
 and George L. Record, the Progressive 
 candidate, referring to former Senator 
 Smith, which is as follows: 
 
 By Mr. Record : Q. Do you admit that the boss 
 system exists as I have described it? If so, how 
 do you propose to abolish it? 
 
 By Mr. Wilson: A. Of course I admit it. Its 
 existence is notorious. I have made it my business 
 for many years to observe and understand that 
 system, and I hate it as thoroughly as I under- 
 stand it. You are quite right in saying that the 
 system is bi-partisan; that it constitutes the most 
 dangerous condition in the public life of our State 
 and Nation to-day; and that it has virtually for 
 the time being destroyed representative govern- 
 2 17 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 ment and in its place set up a government of 
 privilege. I would propose to abolish it by the 
 reforms suggested in the Democratic Platform, 
 by the election to office of men who will refuse to 
 submit to it, and who will lend all their energies 
 to break it up by pitiless publicity. 
 
 By Mr. Record : Q. In referring to the Board of 
 Guardians, do you mean such Republican leaders 
 as Baird, Murphy, Kean, and Stokes? Wherein 
 do the relations of the special interests of such 
 leaders differ from the relation of the same in- 
 terests of such Democratic leaders as Smith, 
 Nugent, and Davis? 
 
 By Mr. Wilson: A. I refer to the men you 
 named. I mean Smith, Nugent, and Davis. 
 They differ from the others in this, that they are 
 in control of the government of the State, while 
 the others are not, and cannot be if the present 
 Democratic ticket is elected. 
 
 By Mr. Record: Q. Will you join me in de- 
 nouncing the Democratic "overlords" as parties 
 to a political boss system? 
 
 By Mr. Wilson: A. Certainly I will join you or 
 any one else, in denouncing and fighting every and 
 any one of either party who attempts any outrages 
 against the government and public morality. 
 
 The bosses had been challenged by the 
 
 man whose nomination they had brought 
 
 about. Ears had they, but they heard not. 
 
 18 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 It was during the month of September, 
 1911, that Mr. William G. McAdoo first 
 called upon Mr. McCombs at 96 Broadway 
 and offered his services in behalf of Gov- 
 ernor Wilson. From that time until after 
 the Baltimore Convention the two gentle- 
 men worked in complete harmony, and there 
 was hardly an important move made by 
 Mr. McCombs until he had been in touch 
 with Mr. McAdoo and either obtained his 
 advice or arranged an appointment so that 
 they could confer and reach a decision. 
 
 The "sinews of war" were running very 
 low indeed, as I recall, during the latter part 
 of September and the first part of October, 
 and the wherewith to maintain the clerical 
 force and pay other expenses of the organ- 
 ization was advanced by Mr. McCombs 
 personally. 
 
 Irrespective of financial conditions, he 
 
 conceived the idea of having a "Woodrow 
 
 Wilson Weekly" issued for dissemination 
 
 and arranged with the Trenton True Amer- 
 
 19 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 ican, of Trenton, N. J., to issue from five 
 to ten thousand additional copies of the 
 paper each Friday, one page of which was 
 to contain nothing but excerpts from 
 speeches of the Governor and from articles 
 that appeared in the larger dailies, with 
 respect to his availability as a Presidential 
 candidate. The list of newspapers and 
 followers to whom it was desired the paper 
 be sent was forwarded to the editor, who 
 attended to the mailing of them. 
 
 This business did not, however, assist 
 the paper materially, for within four or five 
 months its financial condition was such 
 that a receivership was apparent. Mr. 
 McCombs then prevailed upon Mr. Cleve- 
 v land H. Dodge, a staunch supporter of the 
 Governor and who held a controlling in- 
 terest in the sheet, to keep it running "for 
 the sake of the cause", and an embarrass- 
 ing situation was averted. 
 
 About this time Mr. McCombs heard 
 20 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 that Colonel Watterson, Editor of the 
 Louisville Courier- Journal, was stopping 
 at the Waldorf-Astoria. Like a war horse 
 rearing at the smell of powder McCombs 
 made for Thirty-fourth Street and Fifth 
 Avenue, for he lacked money, oh, how he 
 lacked money! But after the Colonel had 
 suggested Thomas F. Ryan as the good 
 angel and volunteered to see him at his 
 home in Virginia, Mr. McCombs concluded 
 that such a contribution would be of ir- 
 reparable injury to Governor Wilson's can- 
 didacy, and later stated to me that he had 
 refused it. 
 
 During the month of December, the 
 famous Harvey- Watterson- Wilson contro- 
 versy arose at the Manhattan Club in New 
 York City, and was brought on by the con- 
 viction of Governor Wilson that Harper's 
 Weekly, though strongly espousing his can- 
 didacy, was injuring it, and upon being 
 
 asked by Mr. Harvey whether he thought 
 
 21 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 this to be a fact, replied that he thought it 
 was. Whereupon Harvey published a state- 
 ment in Harper's Weekly, setting forth that 
 
 "The name of Woodrow Wilson as our candidate 
 for President was taken down from the head of these 
 columns in response to a statement made to us 
 directly by Governor Wilson to the effect that our 
 support was affecting his condidacy injuriously. 
 
 "The only course left open to us, in simple fair- 
 ness to Mr. Wilson, no less than in consideration 
 of our own self-respect, was to cease to advocate 
 his nomination. 
 
 "We make this explanation with great reluctance 
 and the deepest regret. But we cannot escape the 
 conclusion that the very considerable number of our 
 readers who have co-operated earnestly and 
 loyally in advancing a movement which was in- 
 augurated solely in the hope of rendering a high 
 public service, are clearly entitled to this in- 
 formation." 
 
 The door had hardly closed upon this 
 
 incident, for the time being, when more 
 
 publicity was created for the Governor 
 
 through the disallowance by the trustees 
 
 of Princeton University of his application 
 
 for a pension allowance, but it was con- 
 
 22 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 eluded that the attack had been inspired 
 by certain Princeton officials who had taken 
 exception to Governor Wilson's policies 
 when he was President of that institution, 
 who had fought him unsuccessfully in the 
 Gubernatorial contest, and who now sought 
 to weaken him as a Presidential candidate. 
 
 The politicial atmosphere was growing 
 very warm. Speaker Clark, Senator Oscar ^. 
 Underwood of Alabama, and Hon. Judson 
 Harmon of Ohio, now loomed up as pros- 
 pective candidates and the friends of each 
 were donning their war paint. While it 
 was recognized that it would be impolitic 
 to enter the States of these "favorite sons" 
 and make open contests, Mr. McCombs 
 found his way in through channels that led 
 to quiet but effective work on the part of a 
 few influential friends in each case. 
 
 Ever on the alert for funds, Mr. McCombs 
 
 now got in touch with Colonel E. M. 
 
 House of Texas, who was stopping at the 
 
 Gotham Hotel, in New York City, and the 
 
 23 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 Colonel consented to further Governor Wil- 
 son's candidacy and finance the Texas head- 
 quarters. Mr. McCombs relied upon the 
 Colonel to "deliver" the Texas Delegation 
 in the National Convention, and was later 
 assured that "it would perform", whereupon 
 the jubilant McCombs addressed a com- 
 munication to Governor Wilson, and I 
 quote from my notes, as follows: 
 
 "I have a letter from him in which he 
 says Texas will be all right and that he will 
 come to New York within two weeks to 
 help out if I wish it. I am going to ask 
 him to come on by all means."*** 
 
 And then there loomed on the horizon 
 the National Committeeman from Dela- 
 ware, later United States Senator, Willard 
 Saulsbury, who after conferences with Gov- 
 ernor Wilson and Mr. McCombs, joined 
 the Wilson forces. He indeed proved to be 
 a pillar of strength to the movement. 
 Within a month Mr. Saulsbury had ar- 
 ranged a meeting with his colleague, Roger 
 
 ft* 
 

THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 Sullivan, the Democratic leader of Illinois, 
 at Chicago. 
 
 Upon Salisbury's return he reported to 
 Mr. McCombs that he had spent practi- 
 cally a whole afternoon preaching the gospel 
 of Woodrow Wilson to Sullivan, and that 
 while Roger refused to commit himself, 
 he had stated that he was rather inter- 
 ested. 
 
 Mr. Saulsbury kept after his friend like 
 a good salesman determined on landing a 
 big order, and finally — but read how it was 
 accomplished a little further on. 
 
 It was now about the first of the year 
 1912. The amount of cash in bank was 
 $55.23. The conferences between Mr. 
 McCombs and his friends became more 
 frequent. One of the most active of his 
 conferees, Mr. Josiah Quincy, of Boston, 
 mentioned Hon. Frederic C. Penfield, later 
 appointed Ambassador to Austria, and a 
 millionaire who had previously held diplo- 
 matic office, as a possible Wilson adherent. 
 
 25 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 Mr. Quincy's vision was admirable, for 
 zsliortly Mr. Penfield registered under the 
 Woodrow Wilson banner and presented his 
 ^subscription totaling $10,000. I was with 
 Mr. McCombs when he opened the en- 
 velope containing the most acceptable con- 
 tribution, and I can see him again as he 
 straightened up, balanced himself on his 
 good leg, and stated: "Oh, welcome, little 
 angel!" 
 
 The mailing list at headquarters at this 
 time consisted of more than two hundred 
 thousand names, under the supervision of 
 Miss Alberta Hill, an ardent Suffragette 
 and a very capable young lady. Miss Hill 
 also supervised the collecting and indexing 
 of the clippings favorable to Governor 
 Wilson which were taken from the prom- 
 inent papers throughout the country, and 
 in addition managed the clerical force. 
 Mr. Stockbridge had resigned, the cause 
 
 being the insistence, of Mr. McCombs that 
 
 26 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 all correspondence from headquarters bear 
 no signature other than his. Thousands of r 
 followers had been writing, and receiving 
 replies over the signature of Mr. Stock- 
 bridge. They recognized him because in the 
 early days of the movement he had been in 
 touch with them and had made the ar- 
 rangements for the first western trip, in 
 addition to accompanying the Governor 
 and meeting many of them personally. 
 
 The successor of Mr. Stockbridge was 
 Mr. Byron R. Newton, a friend of Hon. 
 Wm. G. McAdoo, later appointed As- 
 sistant Secretary of the Treasury and 
 Collector of the Port of New York. To 
 render him assistance Mr. Jacob R. Binder, 
 of Rutherford, N. J., was engaged. The 
 tenure of both was short. 
 
 Mr. Newton's case is interesting. The 
 pitiless light will be turned on when I again 
 take up the Harvey- Watterson- Wilson con- 
 troversy. 
 
 27 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 But reverting to the growth of the Wilson 
 movement early in 1912 — Mr. McCombs 
 now deemed it of the greatest importance 
 that the Governor make more addresses to 
 provide further ammunition in the form of 
 pamphlets for dissemination, and conferred 
 with Mr. John R. Dunlap of the National 
 Democratic Club, New York City, who 
 arranged that an invitation be extended to 
 Governor Wilson to speak before the Club 
 the evening of January 3d, on the tariff 
 question. 
 
 Among the members who were conspicu- 
 ous by their absence was Mr. Charles F. 
 Murphy. When I laughingly mentioned 
 this fact to Mr. McCombs he stated: 
 "Murphy would be more at ease in the com- 
 pany of Clark or Harmon than on the dais 
 with the Governor". 
 
 Governor Wilson made a splendid and 
 effective address, and we flooded the coun- 
 try with copies of it. 
 
 28 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 Mr. Walker W. Vick, of Rutherford, N. J^ 
 about this time volunteered to make a trip 
 through the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, 
 and Florida, and confer with possible Wilson 
 followers, and rendered valiant service in 
 the cause, becoming one of Mr. McCombs' 
 confidential lieutenants. He succeeded Mr. 
 Newton as Manager of the Prenomination 
 Campaign Headquarters, later being desig- 
 nated Assistant Secretary of the Democratic 
 National Committee, and then Secretary of 
 the Inaugural Committee. He was re- 
 warded by the President with the ap- 
 pointment of Receiver General of Santo 
 Domingo. 
 
 Mr. Thomas J. Pence, Washington cor- 
 respondent for one of the leading papers 
 and a man very well thought of in Congres- 
 sional circles, was also engaged on the 
 recommendation of Congressman William 
 Hughes, of New Jersey, as Manager of the 
 
 Washington Branch of the movement, 
 
 29 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 mainly for the purpose of obtaining pub- 
 licity for Governor Wilson through the 
 correspondents of the various press asso- 
 ciations and newspapers in Washington. 
 In addition he often accompanied Mr. 
 McCombs and myself on trips for the 
 purpose of taking advantage of all the 
 publicity that could be obtained from that 
 source. 
 
 -^After Governor Wilson had delivered his 
 inspiring address on January 6th, in Car- 
 negie Hall, New York City, on the Jewish 
 Passport question, Hon. Henry Morgen- 
 thau, later appointed Ambassador to Tur- 
 key, became his staunch supporter and 
 agreed to subscribe the sum of $4,000 a 
 month to the cause. 
 
 All eyes were now turned toward Wash- 
 ington, where on the 8th of January the 
 Governor was to speak at the Jackson Day 
 Banquet, to be given at the Hotel Raleigh, 
 
 at which many notables were to be present, 
 
 30 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 including the other potential Presidential 
 candidates, Representative Oscar Under- 
 wood, Speaker Clark, and Senator Atlee 
 Pomerene in behalf of Hon. Judson Harmon. 
 As usual, Governor Wilson had not prepared 
 his address in advance, preferring to speak 
 extemporaneously/ 
 
 Mr. McCombs and myself arrived in 
 Washington the morning of the 7th, and 
 had hardly been in our rooms at the Willard 
 Hotel when word was received that the 
 press was to give out a letter from Governor 
 Wilson to Mr. Adrian H. Joline that con- 
 tained "dynamite", and which was as 
 follows : 
 
 "April 29, 1907. 
 "My dear Mr. Joline: 
 
 Thank you very much for sending me 
 your address at Parsons, Kansas, before 
 the Board of Directors of the Missouri, 
 Kansas & Texas Railway Co. I have read 
 it with relish and entire agreement. Would 
 that we could do something at once digni- 
 31 
 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 fied and effective to knock Mr. Bryan once 
 for all into a cocked hat. 
 
 Cordially and sincerely yours, 
 
 Woodrow Wilson. 
 
 Mr. Adrian H. Joline." 
 
 Mr. Bryan was en route to make one of 
 the principal addresses at the banquet. 
 It was ascertained that he had stopped for 
 a short while in Raleigh, N. C. Mr. Pence 
 was requested to get in touch at once with 
 Hon. Josephus Daniels, later appointed 
 Secretary of the Navy, who also resided 
 there, and was a friend of the great Com- 
 moner, and endeavor to still the troubled 
 waters. 
 
 Mr. McCombs then gave out the follow- 
 ing to the press: 
 
 y "The Joline letter is a continuation of 
 efforts to dynamite Governor Wilson, 
 from Wall Street. These attacks on 
 Wilson generally have come from that 
 quarter, largely from Republican sources. 
 32 
 

 THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 Mr. Joline is President of the Missouri, 
 Kansas & Texas Railway, and is a personal 
 attorney for Thomas F. Ryan." 
 
 That afternoon about four o'clock Gov- 
 ernor Wilson and some of his friends 
 assembled in a large room of the Willard 
 Hotel. Among those present were Con- 
 gressman William Hughes; John T. Mc- 
 Graw, National Committeeman from West 
 Virginia; Dudley Field Malone, Joseph P. 
 Tumulty, Mr. McCombs, Senator James 
 A. O'Gorman, Thomas J. Pence, and my- 
 self. A discussion as to what reply the 
 Governor should make to the Joline letter 
 continued for some twenty or thirty min- 
 utes, when Governor Wilson prepared a 
 statement that he wrote what he thought 
 was proper at the time, and further, as 
 taken from my notes : 
 
 "Even if a man has written letters it 
 ought not to embarrass him if they are 
 published. Even if a man changes his 
 mind it ought not to embarrass him." 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 Handing me the statement, Governor 
 Wilson requested that I read it aloud, and, 
 after a pause, requested that I have it type- 
 written. 
 
 When I returned to the room with the 
 copy there was additional discussion and, 
 as I recall, the Governor then decided that 
 his reply would be made at the banquet, 
 whereupon the meeting adjourned. 
 
 Within a short time Mr. Bryan reached 
 Washington and was immediately inter- 
 viewed by Mr. W. B. Hennessy, a member 
 of the press who had been engaged by Mr. 
 McCombs as a publicity man. I give 
 herewith his interview on the Joline letter, 
 taken verbatim by me: 
 
 Q. What have you got to say about the Joline 
 letter, Mr. Bryan? 
 
 A. I have nothing to say about that. I have 
 already made a statement. The persons who pro- 
 cured its publication are probably satisfied. I 
 think that covers it. 
 
 Q. Do you know that T. F. Ryan was con- 
 cerned in the writing or reception of the letter? 
 
 34 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 A. I have nothing to say. 
 
 Q. When you were abroad, Mr. Bryan, did you 
 see the Sphinx? 
 
 A. Yes, and I paid some attention to studying 
 its methods. 
 
 About six o'clock Senator Saulsbury 
 entered Mr. McCombs' room. There were 
 present at the time Senator William Hughes 
 of New Jersey, McCombs, and myself. We 
 were still discussing the Joline matter, 
 when Saulsbury stated: 
 
 "Now is the opportunity to confer with 
 Roger Sullivan." 
 
 Quickly going to the 'phone he got in 
 touch with Mr. Sullivan, arranged the 
 meeting and hung up the receiver, while 
 Senator Hughes and I did a war dance 
 about the room in our joy. 
 
 Within a short while Mr. Sullivan ar- 
 rived, but thought it would be inconvenient 
 to talk in Mr. McCombs' room, which was 
 being besieged by callers, so we all repaired 
 to another room at the end of the hall, 
 
 where an extended conference was had,- 
 
 35 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 during which Roger Sullivan stated that 
 he was inclined to be friendly to Governor 
 Wilson's cause, and then smilingly said: 
 "I cannot yet commit myself." After the 
 Illinois leader had gone, Mr. Saulsbury 
 slapped McCombs on the back, and stated: 
 ."He's fixed." 
 
 At eight o'clock that evening I ac- 
 companied Governor Wilson to the Shore- 
 ham Hotel, where he was to address some 
 members of the New Jersey State Com- 
 mittee, in addition to about two hundred 
 others of his admirers from that State. 
 We entered the hall while Dudley Field 
 Malone was delivering a stirring address 
 with regard to upholding the principles and 
 the policies of Woodrow Wilson. 
 
 The Governor was conducted to the dais, 
 and during the course of his remarks, 
 which I reported, stated: 
 
 "It was worth while coming to Wash- 
 ington to see this. If I followed my in- 
 clinations this is the place I would stay 
 36 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 for the rest of the evening, for I am not 
 sure of having as many adherents any- 
 where else. I am not throwing any asper- 
 sions on the other dinner — that's all right, 
 but then a dinner all Jersey is of a kind 
 and that dinner over there is not all Jersey. 
 I can only surmise what's going on in the 
 minds of some of those fellows. I know 
 the exceeding purity of it — and I know 
 what's going on in your minds — that is, 
 I know on an average what's going on in 
 your minds. But there is, of course, a sort 
 of pleasurable excitement in taking your 
 chances with the other crowd, and there 
 is that very great satisfaction, which is 
 the single satisfaction lacking on this 
 occasion — it is very delightful to ram cer- 
 tain things down some peoples' throats 
 and make them digest them." *** 
 
 When the Governor had concluded his 
 address he, Mr. Malone, and myself re- 
 paired to the Raleigh Hotel. On the way 
 Malone asked me whether I "got" the 
 address all right. I answered that I had, 
 but that I was thankful no reporters other 
 than myself were present, and that I was 
 
 going to "bury" it. 
 
 37 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 As we entered the banquet hall of the 
 Raleigh, Governor Wilson received a tre- 
 mendous ovation. Senator Martine, of 
 New Jersey, stood upon a table yelling like 
 a Comanche Indian, his full dress tails 
 waving in the hot breeze. 
 
 The Governor's chair had been placed 
 next to that of Mr. Bryan. I sat directly 
 in front at the reporter's table, and give 
 that portion of Governor Wilson's address 
 which answered the Joline letter: 
 
 *** "What I want to say is that one of 
 the most striking things in recent years is 
 that with all the rise and fall of particular 
 ideas, with all the ebb and flow of par- 
 ticular proposals, there has been an in- 
 teresting fixed point in the history of the 
 Democratic Party, and that fixed point 
 has been the character, and the devotion, 
 and the preachings of William Jennings 
 Bryan. 
 
 "I, for my part, never want to forget 
 this — that while we have differed with Mr. 
 Bryan upon this occasion and upon that 
 with regard to the specific things to be 
 done, he has gone serenely on, pointing 
 88 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 out to a more and more convinced people 
 what it was that was the matter. He has 
 had the steadfast vision all along of what 
 it was that was the matter, and he has, 
 not any more than Andrew Jackson did, 
 not based his character upon calculation, 
 but has based it upon principle.' * *** 
 
 I distinctly remember the great Com- 
 moner's pleasant expression as the above 
 compliment was paid him, and I felt that 
 Governor Wilson had been successful in 
 removing any feeling that may have re- 
 mained with Colonel Bryan. 
 
 Mr. Bryan in the course of his long and 
 
 interesting address vigorously contended 
 
 that potential candidates or designated 
 
 candidates should not be permitted to buy 
 
 out newspapers, and a number of Speaker 
 
 Clark's followers shouted, "the Trenton 
 
 True American", which, as heretofore stated 
 
 was the sheet that Mr. McCombs had been 
 
 nourishing for the purpose of furthering the 
 
 candidacy of Governor Wilson. 
 
 I did not see Mr. McCombs, though I 
 39 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 was aware that he was in the hall. I re- 
 turned to the Willard about four o'clock the 
 following morning. Mr. McCombs came in 
 a little later, radiantly happy, and stated: 
 
 "Well, Lyons, we surely put it across 
 and I've captured Roger Sullivan." 
 
 While we were talking on other interest- 
 ing phases of the banquet Senator Sauls- 
 bury bounded into the room, and for the 
 next hour the talk centered on Governor 
 Wilson's eloquent speech, which at last 
 had brought Roger Sullivan into the fold, 
 and the impetus which the whole pro- 
 ceedings would give to the Governor's 
 candidacy. 
 
 The 9th of January was the day on which 
 
 the members of the Democratic National 
 
 Committee selected the city in which the 
 
 convention was to be held. Mr. McCombs 
 
 had previously corresponded with Senator 
 
 Gore and followed his advice in urging that 
 
 Baltimore be named. The letter to the 
 
 Senator is as follows: 
 
 40 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 "I have your very good letter of Decem- 
 ber 27th, and will certainly take your sug- 
 gestions. They are always good. I will be 
 in Washington from the 6th until the 9th 
 and will certainly give myself the pleasure 
 of calling on you. Could I have the benefit 
 of your suggestions as to the proper place 
 to hold the convention? You mention 
 Baltimore. What do you think of it? 
 There has been a good deal of fuss over 
 New York. It is needless to say I do not 
 want it, but I think if the Democratic 
 Party, regardless of Wilson, is thinking at 
 all, it does not want New York either, 
 because on its face it would look like a sur- 
 render to Tammany and to money. 
 Yours sincerely.' ' 
 
 Baltimore was selected, the additional 
 magnet being a certified check for $100,000, 
 which Chairman Mack fondled lovingly 
 while the advocate for that city spoke of its 
 desirable location and many other ad- 
 vantages. 
 
 Governor Wilson's strength as a Presi- 
 dential candidate was now recognized by 
 hundreds of Democratic leaders who had 
 
 previously but smiled when his name was 
 
 41 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 mentioned. All roads led to Mr. McCombs' 
 room at the Willard Hotel, and when we re- 
 turned to New York, either to his office at 
 96 Broadway, or to headquarters, but the 
 shekels to carry on the good work were not 
 forthcoming in any large amounts and 
 Henry Morgenthau's $4,000 a month was 
 indeed a life saver. 
 
 I remember that during the early days 
 of the Presidential campaign, Mr. Morgen- 
 thau was informed by Mr. McCombs that 
 he had overlooked the last $4,000 con- 
 tribution to the prenomination campaign, 
 whereupon Mr. Morgenthau handed me a 
 check for the amount, saying: "Here, 
 Lyons, give this to your boss. Ya, ya, 
 Lyons, das Geld es ist etwass". (Yes, yes, 
 Lyons, what a power money is.) 
 
 Hon. Abram I. Elkus, one of the leading 
 
 members of the New York Bar, who later 
 
 succeeded Mr. Morgenthau as Ambassador 
 
 to Turkey, also had come forward with 
 
 many good suggestions and financial as- 
 
 42 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 sistance. Mr. McCombs stated to me on 
 one occasion that had he others about him 
 with half the common sense of Mr. Elkus 
 he could make much more headway. "Mr. 
 Elkus is a man of big parts," he stated, 
 "and if we are successful he should be 
 appointed Attorney General, but I am un- 
 able to make any promises." 
 
 Another addition to his forces, the value 
 of which could not be over-estimated, was 
 F. B. Lynch, of St. Paul, Minn., the man 
 whom friends lovingly called "Big Fred," 
 and who was a power in the politics of his 
 State. Mr. McCombs had been endeavor- 
 ing through various channels to have him 
 enlist under the Wilson banner, and great 
 was his joy when, after the Jackson Day 
 Banquet, Mr. Lynch decided to support the 
 Governor. From that time on there was 
 not an important conference into which 
 Mr. Lynch was not called. In fact, Mr. 
 McCombs made very few moves without 
 
 first consulting Mr. Lynch, and counted on 
 
 43 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 Minnesota as safely for Wilson. His con- 
 fidence in Lynch and his abilities was not 
 misplaced, for Minnesota performed like a 
 thoroughbred previous to and during the 
 national convention. 
 
 The Clark and Harmon candidacies were 
 taking on additional momentum. Speaker 
 Clark's managers were circulating scur- 
 rilous literature with regard to Governor 
 Wilson, but Mr. McCombs stated in letters 
 to friends that he was sure Mr. Clark knew 
 nothing about it. This damaging material 
 had been sent into many of the western 
 States where Mr. McCombs was fighting to 
 hold the strength he enjoyed. 
 
 About this time Mr. McCombs came to 
 
 the conclusion that inasmuch as Mr. Bryan 
 
 had appeared so friendly at the Jackson 
 
 Day Banquet, he would endeavor to enlist 
 
 his support for Governor W 7 ilson. He had 
 
 heard that Colonel House and Mr. Bryan 
 
 were friends, but it is strange that in this 
 
 instance he did not himself visit Colonel 
 
 44 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 House, but arranged that Mr: Walker W. 
 Vick and myself should call and, if possible, 
 "sound out" the little man from Texas. 
 
 Colonel House received us most gra- 
 ciously, and after listening to our sug- 
 gestions stated that in his opinion Colonel 
 Bryan would be guided largely by the 
 advice of Mrs. Bryan, and he thought if she 
 could be won over to Governor Wilson's 
 cause the channel would then be widened 
 to such an extent that Colonel Bryan might 
 eventually decide to enlist. Colonel House 
 further stated that Mrs. Bryan was to have 
 luncheon that day with Mrs. House and 
 himself. It would appear that Colonel 
 House did win over Mrs. Bryan and the 
 great Commoner, for Mr. Bryan shortly 
 thereafter stood staunchly by Governor 
 Wilson in the Harvey- Watterson contro- 
 versy, and later, during the month of March, 
 Mr. McCombs addressed a communication 
 to Mr. Oswald Garrison Villard, 20 Vesey 
 
 Street, New York City, as follows: 
 
 45 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 *** "I am informed from Nebraska 
 also that the Committee has demanded 
 Clark's withdrawal from the race, agreeing 
 to take him up as second choice after 
 Wilson. You know our cause there is in 
 the hands of Wm. J. Bryan's friends." *** 
 
 Speaker Clark was the victor in the 
 primaries, but the support of the delegation 
 went to Governor Wilson later, through the 
 activities of Colonel Bryan. 
 
 Now permit me to return with my 
 readers to the Harvey-Watterson-Wilson 
 controversy, which happened in December 
 of 1911. The smouldering fire burst into 
 flame on January 17, 1912, when Colonel 
 Watterson, in his own inimitable way, gave 
 out the following statement: 
 
 "The conference between us in my apartment at 
 the Manhattan Club was held to consider certain 
 practical measures relating to Governor Wilson's 
 candidacy. Colonel Harvey stood towards Gover- 
 nor Wilson much as I had stood five and thirty 
 years ago toward Mr. Tilden. This appealed to me. 
 Colonel Harvey had brought the Governor and 
 myself together in his New Jersey home eighteen 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 months ago, and as time passed had interested me in 
 his ambitions. I was hoping I might find in 
 Governor Wilson another Tilden in point of in- 
 tellect and advisability. I know that Colonel 
 Harvey made no mistake in his choice of a candi- 
 date, but the circumstances leading to the un- 
 fortunate parting of the ways between them leads 
 me to doubt whether in character and tempera- 
 ment it may not be merely in the habit of a life- 
 time, Governor Wilson is not rather the school- 
 master than the statesman. From the first there 
 was a certain strain in Governor Wilson's manner, 
 the absence of that cordiality and candor which 
 should mark hearty confidential intercourse, in- 
 timating the existence of some adverse influence. 
 His manner was autocratic, if not tyrannus. I did 
 not take this to myself but thought it related to 
 Colonel Harvey, and when Colonel Harvey, ap- 
 parently overcome by Governor Wilson's aus- 
 terity, put the direct question to Governor Wilson 
 whether the support of Harper s Weekly was doing 
 him an injury and received from Governor Wilson 
 a cold rejoinder that it was, I was both surprised 
 and shocked." *** 
 
 Mr. McCombs replied: 
 
 "It seems to me that Colonel Watterson has said 
 all that needs to be said. It appears that as far 
 back as last October he himself suggested to 
 Governor Wilson that Colonel Harvey's support 
 
 47 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 through Harper s Weekly might be injurious, and 
 that he probably told Colonel Harvey himself the 
 same thing. It would seem that Colonel Watterson 
 had convinced the Governor of the truth of his 
 opinion and had at least impressed Colonel Harvey 
 with the probability of its truth, else Colonel 
 Harvey would not have pretended the question. 
 
 "It is passing strange that Colonel Watterson 
 should feel concerned that the Governor in private 
 conversation with himself and Colonel Harvey 
 should in answer to a pointed question give frank 
 expression to the very view which Colonel Wat- 
 terson himself entertained and which he had 
 communicated to the Governor and probably to 
 Colonel Harvey. 
 
 "In October last, the very month in which he 
 made these suggestions to Governor Wilson, 
 Colonel Watterson said in the Louisville Courier- 
 Journal editorially: 
 
 " 'Two things seem tolerably sure to 
 the surmise of the Courier- Journal. If 
 Woodrow Wilson is nominated for Presi- 
 dent it will be through the force of an 
 irresistible pressure of public opinion, 
 and if he is defeated for the nomination 
 it will be by some organized agency well 
 backed with money. No Democrat of 
 modern times has come into the running, 
 Samuel J. Tilden alone excepted, with 
 48 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 half as much of the equipment and the 
 claim of the New Jersey Governor.' M 
 
 "The tears that are being shed over the passing 
 incident are wrung from those who have hitherto 
 been the most conspicuous opponents of Governor 
 Wilson. Witness the frequently-quoted statement 
 of Mayor Dahlman of Omaha, Nebraska, who has 
 for months not only been openly opposed to 
 Governor Wilson, but who has been the aggressive 
 champion of another candidate. The same applies 
 to others who have indulged in lachrymosel ex- 
 pressions. This, of course, is to be expected when- 
 ever any man develops a decided lead for the 
 nomination. 
 
 "The gist of the issue, as I see it, is whether one 
 friend in private conversation with another should 
 in answer to a plain question resort to flattery or 
 dissimulation, or whether he should state the 
 truth as he sees it." 
 
 The following day Colonel Watterson 
 gave the "retort courteous" to Mr. Mc- 
 Combs : 
 
 "I have nothing to add to what has 
 already been said unless it be seriously 
 challenged by some responsible person. 
 Then I may have a good deal to say." 
 4 49 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 William J. Bryan now entered the lists 
 and on January 23d indorsed the attitude of 
 Governor Wilson, giving out the following 
 letter: 
 
 "The recent break between Governor Wilson 
 and Colonel Harvey illustrates the impossibility 
 of cooperation by the men who look at public 
 questions from definite points of view. Colonel 
 Harvey became a supporter of Mr. Wilson when 
 he was selected as the Democratic candidate for 
 Governor of New Jersey, and he continued his 
 support when Governor Wilson began to be dis- 
 cussed as a candidate for the Presidency. Of 
 course it is absurd for Colonel Harvey's friends to 
 talk about his 'bringing Governor Wilson out*. 
 No man or paper could have made Governor 
 Wilson available as a candidate if he himself had 
 not attracted attention; it would have been im- 
 possible for Colonel Harvey to have prevented a 
 discussion of Governor Wilson's availability. 
 
 "But let us assume that Colonel Harvey was 
 doing all that he could for his choice, what was the 
 situation? His conspicuous support was not only 
 of no advantage, but it had become actually a dis- 
 advantage; it would not bring to Governor Wilson 
 the class for which Colonel Harvey speaks, but 
 alienated men just as honest as Colonel Harvey's 
 friends, who could not understand why Colonel 
 Harvey praised Governor Wilson personally with- 
 
 50 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 out indorsing the things for which Governor Wilson 
 stands. It naturally aroused suspicion as to the 
 sincerity of one or the other, and, when Governor 
 Wilson was asked the question, he admitted that 
 he regarded the support of Colonel Harvey as a 
 liability rather than an asset. Should he have 
 pretended that he thought that Colonel Harvey 
 was helping him when he was not? And why 
 should Colonel Harvey complain? If he really 
 favors Governor Wilson he must desire to aid him; 
 why should he be offended, then, at Governor 
 Wilson's frankness? Is he more interested in 
 being known as 'the man who made Governor 
 Wilson famous than in advancing Governor 
 Wilson's cause?' 
 
 "Harvey has shown no signs of conversion. If 
 he communes with Ananias it is not with any 
 consciousness of blindness. He has seen no new 
 light, and when he does he will feel so ashamed of 
 his lifelong fight against progressive Democracy 
 that his first desire will be to bring forth fruits to 
 meet his repentance — not to assume leadership. 
 It must pain Governor Wilson to break with his 
 old friends, but the break must necessarily come 
 unless he turns back or they go forward. A man 
 is known by the company he keeps, and he can- 
 not keep company with those going in opposite 
 directions. Governor Wilson must prepare him- 
 self for other desertions; they will distress him, but 
 there is abundant consolation of duty well done." 
 
 51 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 Senator Gore followed with a catapult 
 in which he stated: 
 
 "This whole incident is a bubble, not a billow. 
 It is not surprising, however, that the opponents 
 of Wilson, being the friends of other candidates, 
 should mistake the one for the other. It seems 
 that the head and heart of the Governor's offend- 
 ing is that he told the truth. 
 
 "No honest man can accept an office, least of all 
 the Presidency, with a lie upon his conscience or 
 his conduct. No one has plenary power to select 
 either his friends or his opponents in politics. 
 To decline tendered aid and alliance is a most 
 difficult and delicate task. Few men have the 
 courage and candor to do this when battle is 
 joined. Peradventure, the Governor may have 
 learned by experience that there are men who 
 would undertake to capitalize gratitude and then 
 commercialize influence. He may have thought it 
 just and timely to foreclose the possibility of 
 such an attempt hereafter. 
 
 "The critics of Governor Wilson should tell the 
 public frankly whether their candidates would 
 assume such an obligation as the Governor declines, 
 and, if so, whether their candidate would dis- 
 regard or would discharge such obligations. The 
 American people have the right to know the text 
 and terms of all the mortgages and deeds of trust, 
 either expressed or implied, under which a candi- 
 
 52 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 date for the Presidency may labor, and they have 
 an equal right to know the names of all the mort- 
 gagees and beneficiaries of the trust. I would 
 rather see Governor Wilson defeated and his heart 
 an open book, 'that all who run may read/ than 
 to see him triumphant with a skeleton in his 
 political closet which had been concealed from the 
 eyes of a confiding people." 
 
 But the facts! Mr. McCombs was in- 
 formed that it was generally understood in 
 most of the far western States, where Gov- 
 ernor Wilson's strength was increasing, 
 that Harper's Weekly was owned by the 
 late J. Pierpont Morgan, and then news 
 came to him that certain agents were busily 
 engaged in organizing Wilson Clubs through- 
 out those States, including in the member- 
 ship a year's subscription to Harper's 
 Weekly and a lithograph of Woodrow Wil- 
 son. Of course, shouts of "Morgan, Wall 
 Street, and Wilson" came from the West 
 to McCombs in the form of telegrams and 
 letters, stating that unless the program 
 
 was abandoned it would be charged that 
 
 53 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 Wilson was "sailing under false colors". 
 Indeed, many of the papers were announc- 
 ing that Governor Wilson had been "las- 
 soed" by Wall Street, and that the evidence 
 was conclusive by reason of the fact that 
 George Harvey supported him. Mr. Mc- 
 Combs at once conferred with the Governor. 
 
 Will any one now assert that Woodrow 
 Wilson erred, if upon these grounds alone, 
 in refusing the support of Harper's Weekly? 
 
 Senator Tillman, of South Carolina, now 
 enlivened matters by engaging in a con- 
 troversy with Colonel Watterson on the 
 subject of campaign funds, which brought 
 forth the following statement by Mr. Mc- 
 Combs: 
 
 "I have read the correspondence interchanged 
 between Colonel Watterson and Senator Tillman 
 which appeared in this morning's papers. * * * 
 
 "From the beginning of the campaign for Gover- 
 nor Wilson which I have managed I have received 
 all of the contributions made to it. They have 
 uniformly been made by people who had no in- 
 terest except the consummation of the ideals which 
 
 54 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 he represents. Not one of them expects any 
 return. 
 
 "Any communication which has been had be- 
 tween myself and Colonel Watterson regarding 
 campaign funds has taken place in personal inter- 
 views between him and myself. I intensely dislike 
 to make a public statement of a private conversa- 
 tion, and regret very much that Colonel Wat- 
 terson has forced me to do so. 
 
 "In October of last year I had a general con- 
 versation on Presidential politics with Colonel 
 Watterson at the Waldorf, where he was stopping. 
 In the course of that conversation he gave it as his 
 opinion that a large amount of money would be 
 needed and volunteered the suggestion that he 
 would go and see his friend Mr. Ryan, and that he 
 was sure he could induce him to make a very large 
 contribution to the campaign. 
 
 "I said to him that we could not take Mr. 
 Ryan's money and that such contributions were 
 not within the spirit of the Woodrow Wilson 
 campaign. His reply was: 
 
 " 'I have been in politics fifty years and I know 
 that money and not patriotism counts in a Presi- 
 dential campaign.' 
 
 "I repeated to Colonel Watterson that we 
 could not take the money. Early in December 
 I met him again and he renewed the discussion of 
 the Ryan contribution. I made the same answer 
 to him that I have made before. 
 
 55 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 "I heard nothing further from Colonel Wat- 
 terson on this subject and thought no more of the 
 conversation. I had not seen him since that time. 
 
 "If I mistake not there is an implication perhaps 
 in Colonel Watterson's letter to Senator Tillman — 
 probably not intended — to the effect that he 
 secured funds for this campaign from Mr. Ryan. 
 No such contribution has been made, and this, of 
 course, Colonel Watterson well knows. 
 
 "The bombs exploded to divert attention each 
 time Governor Wilson is about to speak, and 
 exploding in the hands of those who throw them are 
 rendering Wilson a real service. I will specify. 
 Since the beginning of these attacks I have re- 
 ceived in my mail many small contributions from 
 all over the country from people who have not 
 been asked to contribute and who neither I nor the 
 Governor knows. Their letters all convey expres- 
 sion of resentment at the unfair and concerted 
 attacks that are being made upon him." 
 
 Colonel Watterson on January 29th re- 
 turned the following broadside, addressed 
 "to the Democrats of the United States": 
 
 "The time limit set on my stay in the national 
 capitol being about to expire, and Governor Wilson 
 having refused my offer as to the issue of veracity 
 he has raised between us to submit proof of the 
 
 56 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 truth of my averment to party associates com- 
 petent to judge both of its character and the 
 expediency of its publication — " 
 
 Note: Colonel Watterson had sug- 
 gested that a Court of Honor be ap- 
 pointed to determine as to the veracity of 
 Governor Wilson or himself in the matter. 
 
 "I shall bring this most distasteful episode to a 
 close, as far as I am concerned. 
 
 "The claim that I must rush into print with this 
 proof emanates either from the perverse or the 
 malignant. I have it, am ready under proper 
 supervision to produce it, and can be asked in 
 reason to do no more. If I should publish it the 
 very men who are demanding that I shall would 
 be first to accuse me of reckless disregard of what 
 they would call party prudence and private rights. 
 The sole issue is whether I have lied, as Governor 
 Wilson says I have, or he has lied, which I have 
 engaged conclusively to show. He dare not face 
 the facts. 
 
 "With as brief a review as may be of the cir- 
 cumstances to which I owe the misfortune of hav- 
 ing made Governor Wilson's acquaintance, not to 
 mention my endorsement of his plausible but 
 specious pretensions, I shall cease to trouble the 
 public with a controversy nowise of my seeking. 
 
 "During the early summer of 1910 I was passing 
 a week-end with Colonel George Harvey, an old 
 friend, at Deal Beach, his home in New Jersey. 
 
 57 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 There arrived for dinner Dr. Woodrow Wilson, 
 then President of Princeton, and the Hon. James 
 Smith, Jr., late a Senator in Congress. 
 
 "Dr. Wilson I had never met before. The talk 
 at table was mainly about the prospective nomina- 
 tion of a Democratic candidate for Governor of 
 New Jersey. Drawn into the conversation, I 
 ventured the opinion that if nothing more than a 
 Governorship was in sight it would be a sacrifice 
 for Dr. Wilson to quit his exalted station for the 
 head of the bullring of politics to struggle for 
 preferment so ephemeral and uncertain. 
 
 "That was probably what Colonel Harvey, who 
 seemed under some spell wrought by Dr. Wilson, 
 had planned. 
 
 "Mr. Smith declared that he wanted nothing for 
 himself; only to see the State redeemed; that no 
 one but Dr. Wilson could redeem it and the like. 
 In due season Dr. Wilson was nominated and elected. 
 
 "Not long after I was called to New York, the 
 situation in New Jersey was explained to me. 
 I was told that Mr. Smith wished to return to the 
 Senate, despite his declaration that he wanted 
 nothing for himself, that there had been a primary 
 election, which had gone by default, in which a 
 person of the name of Martine, represented as 
 wholly unfit, had obtained a rather meager vote, 
 that Governor Wilson held Senator Smith to his 
 bond, and stood by the party pledge touching 
 primary elections. In this he was clearly right. 
 
 58 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 "The Presidential campaign, to which the 
 gubernatorial election had served as prelude, 
 began. In a manner I had been dragooned, I will 
 not say decoyed, into the service of Governor 
 Wilson and Colonel Harvey. The succeeding ten 
 months brought me into confidential relations 
 with Governor Wilson. Letters passed between us. 
 Upon his invitation and on his business I visited 
 his home in Princeton. He was good enough last 
 winter to come to the steamer to see me off for 
 Europe. We were even caught by the inevitable 
 kodak fiend and pictorialized in the ribald press 
 side-by-side, making quite a touching group. 
 
 "I found him a man of polished manners, schol- 
 arly attainments and undeniable talents. 
 
 "On my return from abroad the Governor met 
 me in New York. Again in November and De- 
 cember we foregathered there. In short, nothing 
 was wanting to the most cordial and unrestrained 
 intimacy. 
 
 "I make this detailed statement because the 
 public might well fancy from the Governor's 
 present attitude and tone that I had in some way 
 thrust myself upon him, and that my friendship 
 and support had not been desired by him. 
 
 "The fortnight immediately preceding the inter- 
 view at the Manhattan Club, of which I have been 
 at pains to say as little as was needful in justice 
 between man and man, and men and men, I had 
 done what I could in the interest of his campaign. 
 
 59 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 "I was met on my arrival in New York by a most 
 urgent appeal for money from a gentleman of 
 distinction, closely associated with, if not actually 
 in the capacity of directing the Wilson organiza- 
 tion, and in answer to this I was able at once to 
 secure a considerable sum of money. The meeting 
 at the Manhattan Club was designed still further 
 to push forward and perfect the work of organiza- 
 tion. Else, why and for what was the Governor 
 there? 
 
 "To confuse and mislead the public he has 
 latterly adopted a policy of alternate silence and 
 sneering. Giving the lie direct to my statement 
 that I -was asked to help the financial end of his 
 campaign and declining my offer to submit the 
 proof of its truth to a body of gentlemen and 
 Democrats equally concerned with ourselves for 
 the well-being of the party, he thinks to cloud the 
 issue and escape its menace by turning upon me 
 the irresponsible chatter of a literary bureau which 
 claims to live off the immaculate contributions of 
 subscribers having wings, harps and halos, and 
 which have been for weeks flooding the country 
 with every manner of falsification. The very exist- 
 ence of this, to say nothing of the courses of its 
 being, should set honest people to thinking. 
 
 "The Ryan story, which has made such an im- 
 pression upon the unknowing and unreflecting, 
 was, as far as it related to Colonel Harvey, a lie 
 out of whole cloth. Though Governor Wilson 
 
 60 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 knows this, he has allowed it to circulate without 
 a word of contradiction. The attempt which 
 followed its exposure by me, to make it appear 
 that I have intimated that application was made 
 to Mr. Ryan, is cut off the same cloth, and is char- 
 acteristic of the duplicity which attached itself to 
 the entire proceeding of the Governor and his 
 publicity agents. 
 
 "The suggestion of Mr. Ryan was eagerly 
 caught up by those agents. Fancy a political pro- 
 moter refusing money from anywhere or anybody! 
 But when I spoke to Governor Wilson about it he 
 said some uncivil things of Mr. Ryan, expressing 
 a fear that if the knowledge of such a contribution 
 got abroad it might do more harm than good — 
 an opinion with which Colonel Harvey promptly 
 concurred — and the matter went no further." *** 
 
 Seated at the table in the Waldorf- 
 Astoria with Messrs. McCombs and Wat- 
 terson, when Mr. McCombs, as he main- 
 tained, refused to consider a contribution 
 fromT. F. Ryan, was Mr. Byron R. Newton. 
 
 Mr. Newton and myself were with Mr. 
 McCombs at his apartment in the Royal- 
 ton, when the latter read that portion of 
 Colonel Watterson's statement referring to 
 
 the eagerness of "those agents" for Ryan's 
 
 61 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 financial assistance, whereupon Mr. Mc- 
 Combs requested Newton to issue a state- 
 ment to the effect that he had been one of 
 the party at the conference and that such a 
 contribution had in fact been refused. 
 
 Mr. Newton declined to do so, upon the 
 ground that he understood financial assist- 
 ance would be welcome, whereupon Mr. 
 McCombs gave out the following upon Mr. 
 Newton's promise not to enter a denial: 
 
 "An analysis of Colonel Watterson's statement 
 shows that he himself refutes every charge he has 
 made in this — no, not controversy, for it isn't 
 that — in this discussion. 
 
 "He says that a 'literary bureau* is busily en- 
 gaged in circulating some story and that neither 
 Governor Wilson nor his managers are doing 
 anything to stop it. Now, every statement I have 
 made — and there have been but two — has been 
 made formally and in public. There has been 
 nothing surreptitious about it. In my last state- 
 ment I adverted to the charge that Mr. Ryan 
 and his money had to do with the 'break' between 
 Governor Wilson and Colonel Harvey. 
 
 "Colonel Watterson now says that Mr. Ryan 
 never knew anything about this matter. That 
 confirms absolutely what I said. That if we 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 Wilson managers had been so eager for Mr. Ryan's 
 money, why didn't Colonel Watterson take the 
 matter up with Mr. Ryan and get some of it for us? 
 He says that Governor Wilson objected to it, 
 which does away with the charge that the managers 
 were eager for it. As a matter of fact Governor 
 Wilson has no 'managers'; I am his only manager. 
 "This, it seems to me, puts the matter squarely 
 up to Colonel Watterson himself. The whole 
 Ryan story has been his. He should also name 
 that 'man of distinction' who, he says, met him in 
 New York to urge his activity in the matter of 
 raising money. That, too, is part of his own 
 story." *** 
 
 The following day at headquarters Mr. 
 McCombs again begged Mr. Newton (the 
 "man of distinction" to whom Colonel 
 Watterson referred) to assist him and give 
 out a statement, thus clearing the Ryan 
 matter, but Mr. Newton positively refused, 
 and his action brought about the estrange- 
 ment which resulted in his resignation. 
 
 Mr. Hearst, one of the leading sup- 
 porters of Speaker Clark, was vigorously 
 attacking the candidacy of Governor Wilson 
 
 through the columns of his powerful papers, 
 
 63 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 and Mr. McCombs received word that he 
 was pounding away with a vengeance in 
 Illinois. It was thereupon arranged that 
 the Governor should speak on February 
 12th — Lincoln's Birthday — in the LaSalle 
 Hotel, Chicago, at a luncheon given under 
 the auspices of the Wilson organization, 
 which had been established through Mr. Mc- 
 Combs and at the head of which were such 
 splendid workers as Wm. Brown, Jr., a well- 
 known Chicago attorney; Judge Lawrence 
 B. Stringer, of Lincoln, Illinois; Irving Schu- 
 man, a banker of Sullivan, Illinois ; and Rivers 
 McNeil, who later was appointed Collector of 
 the Port of Chicago; but Governor Wilson, 
 though he reached the heights of eloquence 
 during his masterly address, failed to stem 
 the tide in favor of Speaker Clark. I shall 
 never forget the expression on the face of 
 Senator Saulsbury, who accompanied Mr. 
 McCombs and myself, while he nervously 
 
 pulled his large mustache and finally 
 
 64 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 stated: "Hell, come on, let's go to Kansas." 
 The newspapers would hardly give us space. 
 
 The Governor's address was, however, 
 put into pamphlet form and disseminated 
 throughout Illinois and in other States 
 where the cause might be benefited, but our 
 activities so far as Illinois was concerned 
 produced no "balm in Gilead". 
 
 Governor Wilson now led the way into 
 Kansas, where he made a number of ad- 
 dresses and wound up with a rather dis- 
 appointing talk in Topeka on the 22d — 
 Washington's Birthday. The stage had all 
 been set for the "Star", but it was manifest 
 that he was very tired, and in the words of 
 the vaudeville comedian, "the act fell flat". 
 
 The following day, after the Governor 
 
 had departed, Mr. McCombs and Mr. 
 
 Saulsbury endeavored to straighten out 
 
 their lines by holding a conference at the 
 
 Baltimore Hotel, Kansas City, with a 
 
 number of followers, the leader of whom 
 5 65 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 was Henderson S. Martin, later appointed 
 Viee-Governor of the Philippines, who, 
 however, informed us to be prepared for the 
 worst in the primaries, as the State had 
 been flooded with the diatribes of Ex- 
 Senator R. F. Pettigrew and former Con- 
 gressman George Fred Williams, lieutenants 
 of Speaker Clark, which had taken firm 
 hold and could not well be uprooted. 
 True to his prediction the State was lost, 
 and shortly thereafter Mr. McCombs ad- 
 dressed a letter to Governor Wilson, as 
 follows : 
 
 *** "As I have said before, one of the 
 difficulties of your campaign is that you 
 have not had an opportunity to come in 
 intimate contact with as many people 
 as the other candidates. Clark's organ- 
 ization is built up through members and 
 ex-members of Congress with whom he has 
 had a long and personal relationship. This 
 is a very strong influence and it is having 
 its effect. 
 
 "I was in Washington for an hour on 
 my way here and was told of the adverse 
 result in Kansas. We had by all odds the 
 66 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 cream of the organization there with us, 
 and they worked very hard, I am told. 
 This illustrates the necessity of your 
 sending for your friends in Congress and 
 having them come to see you. They would 
 be very glad to do it, and I think it would 
 have great influence.*** 
 
 "The George Fred Williams and Petti- 
 grew letters are the basis of attack in the 
 Middle West. It succeeded in Kansas 
 and is succeeding in Iowa." *** 
 
 Mr. Saulsbury, Mr. McCombs, and my- 
 self now traveled through Kentucky en- 
 deavoring to strengthen the weak spots, 
 and conferences were had with Hon. Urey 
 Woodson, Hon. Desha Breckenridge, and 
 Governor Beckham. 
 
 Upon our return to New York on Feb- 
 ruary 28th, it was ascertained that the 
 Clark leaders were bombarding Governor 
 Wilson with renewed energy, the basis of 
 their attack, as heretofore, being a state- 
 ment Governor Wilson had made in his 
 "History of the American People", to the 
 
 effect that Chinese labor was preferable in 
 
 67 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 this country to that of the Italians, Poles, 
 and Hungarians. In California, for in- 
 stance, it was playing havoc to such an 
 extent that Senator James D. Phelan, one 
 of the Wilson leaders there, was sorely per- 
 plexed and wrote Mr. McCombs in the 
 matter, which brought the following reply: 
 
 "I have written a letter to Governor Wilson with 
 reference to the Chinese matter. My suggestion is 
 that you write him a letter with reference to his 
 position on the matter and let him answer you. He 
 has recently written a letter to Mr. Aylward of 
 Wisconsin, in which he stated that with reference 
 to the Italians, Poles and Hungarians he was 
 referring to the period in which pauper labor was 
 imported into the United States under contracts. 
 This vicious practice led up to the enactment in 
 the late 80's of the Anti-Contract Labor Law." *** 
 
 Governor Wilson was communicated with 
 in the matter by Mr. McCombs, as follows: 
 
 "I have a letter from Mr. Phelan of San Fran- 
 cisco, our leader there, in which he says that the 
 Chinese portion of your history is hurting you.*** 
 Of course I take it the reference in your history has 
 been misinterpreted. As I understand it you were 
 merely referring to the Chinese as industrial units 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 and comparing their efficiency as laborers with the 
 contract pauper labor that was brought over here. 
 As I read your history you did not deal in any way 
 with reference to the advisability of permitting 
 unrestricted immigration or upon the character of 
 their citizenship. I think Mr. Phelan is going to 
 write you about the matter. A reply setting forth 
 your position, which he would make public, would 
 be of advantage to the situation.' ' *** 
 
 The suggestion of Mr. McCombs was ac- 
 cepted by the Governor, and some of the 
 strength which Speaker Clark held in 
 sections where this Chinese matter had been 
 beautifully worked up was neutralized. 
 
 On March 4th I journeyed to St. Louis 
 
 on a political mission, and then crossed 
 
 over to Chicago, where Mr. McCombs 
 
 awaited me, for a conference with Roger 
 
 Sullivan, who stated that the prospects of 
 
 Wilson carrying Illinois in the primaries 
 
 were hopeless; that Mr. Hearst had made 
 
 too great inroads through his attacks, and 
 
 that the minds of large numbers of the 
 
 foreign element had been poisoned. 
 
 We turned our eyes to the South and on 
 69 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 March 17th arrived in Georgia, making the 
 Bon Air Hotel at Augusta, our head- 
 quarters, Mr. McCombs having requested 
 Vick to act with Colonel House in an advi- 
 sory capacity during his absence. With 
 the able assistance of Senator Saulsbury, 
 who had preceded us, Mr. McCombs was 
 brought in touch with many of the leaders 
 throughout that section of the country. 
 
 McCombs now reached the conclusion 
 that a triple alliance existed between Mr. 
 Underwood, Mr. Clark, and Mr. Harmon 
 to beat Governor Wilson, and wrote Colonel 
 House as follows: 
 
 "There is not the slightest doubt that 
 Clark, Harmon, and Underwood are being 
 financed from the same source. The 
 former Harmon people in the West are 
 now Clark people, and I find that the 
 former Harmon people in the South are 
 now Underwood people, and that neither 
 Underwood nor Clark are running in the 
 East. It is a question with us as to 
 whether the people in Wall Street shall 
 be able to get this nomination by the 
 70 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 use of money. My idea is that on all 
 hands we howl about it and in that way 
 we can nullify the efforts they are mak- 
 ing. 
 
 "I have been a good deal concerned 
 about Texas from what I have heard 
 from various sources, but I take your as- 
 surances as to the situation there as 
 absolute." *** 
 
 On March 24th Mr. McCombs and my- 
 self arrived in Atlanta and conferred with 
 James D. McNeel and General Bibb Graves, 
 who with Governor B. B. Comer and 
 Walker W. Vick were later instrumental in 
 holding the Alabama Delegation in line for 
 Underwood until it should break in favor of 
 Governor Wilson. But this phase of the 
 proceedings will be taken up later. 
 
 Our next stop was New Orleans, where 
 Mr. McCombs got in touch with that good 
 old war-horse Colonel Robert Ewing, Na- 
 tional Committeeman for Louisiana, and 
 much was accomplished in the way of seeing 
 that his State would remain neutral as be- 
 tween Clark and Wilson, as would also 
 
 71 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 Mississippi, McCombs having been brought 
 in touch with Lieutenant-Governor Bilbo 
 of the latter State. 
 
 Upon our arrival in Little Rock, Ar- 
 kansas, we found that the Clark forces had 
 stolen a long march on us and that the 
 Speaker could not be withheld from carry- 
 ing the primaries, so we returned to Chicago, 
 where Roger Sullivan finally informed us 
 that Illinois would be lost, mainly through 
 Mr. Hearst's onslaughts of Governor Wilson. 
 
 At this time Mr. McCombs was in- 
 debted to the extent of some $40,000, and 
 was planning day and night to procure the 
 whole or part thereof. He was aware that 
 his bright chances for obtaining funds had 
 gone aglimmering with Speaker Clark mak- 
 ing such inroads in States where he had 
 hoped the Governor would prevail. He 
 had, however, one hope in the form of a 
 letter of introduction to Mr. Charles R. 
 Crane, of Chicago, which had been sent him 
 
 by Mr. Mark Sullivan, of Collier's Weekly, 
 
 72 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 in response to his (McCombs') appeal, as 
 follows : 
 
 "My dear Sullivan: 
 
 "Your letter of March 8th has been 
 forwarded to me in Georgia. 
 
 "The enclosure was very interesting. 
 I hope to get back to New York very 
 shortly. Before I return I shall go into 
 Chicago and see Mr. Crane. Can't yoa 
 help me a little bit with a letter? You 
 of course understand what I want. With 
 kind regards, I am, Yours sincerely/' 
 
 Mr. Crane presented his cheek for 
 $5,000, but McCombs was still some $35,000 
 "in the hole", and even Henry Morgen- 
 thau's $4,000 a month could not dis- 
 sipate the blackness which seemed to 
 permeate the financial atmosphere, for ere 
 Mr. McCombs had fondled Mr. Crane's con- 
 tribution long, a call for the "life buoy" 
 came from Wisconsin, where Hon. Joseph 
 E. Davies, later Chairman of the Federal 
 Trade Commission, was making a gallant 
 fight to save the State for Governor Wilson 
 
 in the coming primaries, and the $5,000 
 
 73 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 took flight to Madison, accompanied by a 
 letter from McCombs to Mr. Da vies in 
 which he stated: 
 
 "Here is some bloody sweat. Return it to me 
 if you can." 
 
 On April 9th in the Illinois primaries, 
 Speaker Clark won by over 140,000 ma- 
 jority. 
 
 On April 30th Massachusetts gave Clark 
 an overwhelming majority, and the Speaker 
 duplicated in Rhode Island. 
 
 Mr. McCombs became disheartened. He 
 addressed a letter to Governor Wilson, as 
 follows : 
 
 "My dear Governor: 
 
 "The fight seems to be going against us, 
 but be assured I shall not abate my efforts 
 and I still think you have a chance to be 
 nominated. Sincerely yours." 
 
 I remember distinctly Governor Wilson's 
 reply, to the effect that Texas would be all 
 right, as well as Pennsylvania, and these 
 
 States, together with votes which he would 
 
 74 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 receive from some of the others, would place 
 him in a very fair position. 
 
 Governor Wilson was victor in the Wis- 
 consin primaries by 9,000 plurality. 
 
 On April 19th Nebraska was instructed 
 for Speaker Clark, and on the same day 
 Oregon instructed for Wilson. 
 
 On May 6th Maryland in State Conven- 
 tion supported Clark, and the following day 
 Pennsylvania in Convention endorsed Wil- 
 son. 
 
 On May 14th Clark captured California 
 by 20,000 votes, and he repeated two days 
 later in Iowa. 
 
 Mr. McCombs' office and the head- 
 quarters at 42 Broadway were deserted. 
 It appeared as though many of the sup- 
 porters of a month or two ago were now 
 leaning strongly toward Speaker Clark's 
 candidacy, and from information that we 
 received the Clark forces were jubilant and 
 confident of victory. Mr. McAdoo, Senator 
 
 Saulsbury, Mr. Elkus, Mr. Morgenthau, 
 
 75 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 and a few other staunch friends were about 
 all that called and conferred. 
 
 New Jersey, which held its presidential 
 primary on May 28th, gave Governor 
 Wilson a majority of 16,000 and twenty- 
 four of the twenty-eight delegates, the sore 
 spot being Essex County, former Senator 
 James Smith's bailiwick. 
 
 And be it known that Governor Burke, of 
 North Dakota, although a "favorite son" 
 candidate for the Presidency, had written 
 Mr. McCombs that he would turn over his 
 delegation to Governor Wilson whenever 
 the word was given. He was rewarded with 
 the appointment of United States Treas- 
 urer. 
 
 By June 1, 1912, the conventions and 
 primaries in the States were at an end. 
 
 The leaders in some of the States which 
 
 it had been impossible for Mr. McCombs 
 
 and myself to visit, such as Colorado, Utah, 
 
 Maine, and Tennessee, were supplied with 
 
 "working capital", and it was confidently 
 
 76 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 expected that their delegations would "fall 
 into the bag" in due course. They per- 
 formed admirably. 
 
 The contributions which Mr. McCombs 
 had received during the prenomination 
 campaign totaled approximately $210,000, 
 of which Charles R. Crane, Chicago, 111.; 
 Cleveland H. Dodge, Henry Morgenthau, 
 Abram I. Elkus, James Sheldon, F. C. Pen- 
 field, and Walter L. McCorkle, of New York 
 City; Joseph F. Guffy, Pittsburgh, Pa.; John 
 Martin, Stapleton, N. Y.; James Sprunt, 
 Wilmington, N. C; Edward W. Filene, 
 Boston, Mass. ; Hugh MacRae, Wilmington, 
 N. C; C. A. Snow, Washington, D. C; 
 John Barton Payne, Chicago, 111.; John P. 
 Parker, Munro, La.; and Walter H. Page, 
 Garden City, Long Island, were the princi- 
 pal subscribers. 
 
 77 
 
CHAPTER II 
 The Baltimore Convention 
 
 ON June 18th, Mr. Vick and I arrived 
 at the Emerson Hotel, Baltimore, where 
 arrangements were perfected for the estab- 
 lishment of Wilson Headquarters, and rooms 
 were engaged for Mr. McCombs, Senator 
 Gore, and a number of other workers. 
 Mr. McCombs had also personally ar- 
 ranged for a private suite in the Latrobe 
 Apartments, arriving in Baltimore on the 
 20th. 
 
 On June 21st the name of Hon. Alton B. 
 Parker, of New York, having been pre- 
 sented for the office of Temporary Chair- 
 man of the Democratic National Con- 
 vention, Mr. Bryan stoutly opposed him 
 on the ground that he had been nominated 
 to lead the forces of Democracy four years 
 
 previous through the activities of Thomas 
 
 78 
 
7$ ?Pu,ftuuu^cji, 
 
 tSf&^SnLA^^ 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 F. Ryan and August Belmont, and that he 
 was a reactionary. The Great Commoner 
 had sent the following telegram to Messrs. 
 Clark, Wilson, Underwood, and Harmon: 
 
 "In the interest of harmony I suggested to the 
 sub-committee of the Democratic National Com- 
 mittee the advisability of recommending as 
 Temporary Chariman some Progressive acceptable 
 to the leading Progressive candidates for the 
 Presidential nomination. I take it for granted 
 that no committeeman interested in Democratic 
 success would desire to offend the members of a 
 convention overwhelmingly progressive by naming 
 a reactionary to sound the keynote of the cam- 
 paign. 
 
 "Eight members of the sub-committee, how- 
 ever, have, over the protest of the remaining eight, 
 agreed upon not only a reactionary but upon the 
 one Democrat, who among those not candidates 
 for the Presidential nomination, is, in the eyes of 
 the public most conspicuously identified with the 
 reactionary element of the Party. 
 
 "I shall be pleased to join you and your friends 
 in opposing his selection by the full committee or 
 by the Convention." 
 
 On the 22d, Governor Wilson called up 
 Mr. McCombs at Headquarters, where- 
 
 79 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 upon I was requested to take the reply that 
 the Governor had sent to Mr. Bryan, part 
 of which had been suggested by McCombs, 
 and which was as follows : 
 
 "You are quite right. Before hearing of your 
 message I clearly stated my position. The Balti- 
 more Convention is to be a convention of Progres- 
 sives, of men who are progressive in principle and 
 by conviction. It must, if it is not to be put in a 
 wrong light in its own organization, express its 
 convictions in its organization and in its choice of 
 men who are to speak for it. You are to be a 
 member of this convention and are entirely within 
 your rights in doing everything within your power 
 to bring that result about. No one will doubt 
 where my sympathies lie, and you will, I am sure, 
 find my friends in the convention acting upon clear 
 conviction and always in the interest of the 
 peoples' cause. I am happy in the confidence that 
 they need no suggestion from me." 
 
 Mr. McCombs was exceedingly disap- 
 pointed, for he had advised that no direct 
 committal be made on the question, but 
 the statement made by Mr. Tumulty that 
 McCombs threw himself across a bed and 
 
 wept is erroneous. Mr. McCombs was too 
 
 80 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 busy to weep. Mr. Tumulty's assertion, 
 having been based on hearsay, is of little 
 weight, as are any other of his statements 
 with regard to the prenomination campaign, 
 the Baltimore Convention, or the Presi- 
 dential Campaign, for the reasons that he 
 was not directly connected with the pre- 
 nomination campaign, was not at the 
 Baltimore Convention, having remained at 
 Sea Girt, N. J., and was only at Head- 
 quarters a few times during the Presidential 
 campaign. 
 
 After the convention had been called to 
 order by Chairman Norman E. Mack on 
 June 25th, he submitted, on instruction of 
 the National Committee, the name of Hon. 
 Alton B. Parker for Temporary Chairman. 
 Mr. Bryan presented the name of Hon. 
 John W. Kern, of Indiana, and stated that 
 in the interest of harmony he had advised 
 the Committee to consult the two leading 
 candidates, who together had nearly two- 
 thirds of the vote of the convention in- 
 6 81 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 structed for them, and get their approval 
 of some man's nomination so that there 
 might be no contest; that in the sub- 
 committee the friends of Mr. Clark and the 
 friends of Mr. Wilson were not able to 
 agree, but that in the full committee of the 
 night before the friends of Mr. Wilson 
 joined the friends of Mr. Clark in the sup- 
 port of Hon. Ollie James, Speaker Clark's 
 choice, and yet the Committee turned 
 down the joint request thus made. 
 
 The day before Mr. McCombs, Mr. 
 Saulsbury, Robert S. Hudspeth, Senator 
 Gore, A. Mitchell Palmer, Joseph E. Davies, 
 and other friends had decided to swing their 
 delegates to Mr. James, who was both Mr. 
 Bryan's and Mr. Clark's friend, and thus 
 be placed in splendid position. 
 
 Mr. Kern refused the nomination, and 
 finally placed Mr. Bryan himself before the 
 convention as the nominee. 
 
 Mr. McCombs now played to Mr. Bryan, 
 
 inasmuch as he was convinced Governor 
 
 82 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 Wilson's attitude toward the Colonel de- 
 manded it, and he told me that he would 
 rise or fall with this program. 
 
 The result of the vote on the temporary 
 chairmanship was Parker 579, Bryan 508, 
 with the original Wilson States, Delaware, 
 New Jersey, Minnesota, North Dakota, 
 Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wis- 
 consin, voting in accordance with Mr. 
 McCombs' and the steering committee's 
 orders, for Bryan. 
 
 The Clark forces threw their vote to 
 Parker. 
 
 Bryan was defeated, but McCombs and 
 his friends had been the warriors that cast 
 their fatal lances into the candidacy of 
 Speaker Clark, and when I saw McCombs 
 later that night he said: "Don't worry, 
 Bryan's strength will eventually be placed 
 in the lap of the Governor". 
 
 In the midst of this melee Colonel House 
 
 was called to Europe, sailing from Boston, 
 
 but before embarking he wrote two letters 
 
 83 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 to Governor Wilson, the first' of which 
 recommended the formation in the conven- 
 tion of a flying squadron of ten delegates, 
 they to work among others and thus form as 
 many tens as could be mustered, with a 
 view of obtaining the greatest efficiency. 
 
 The second communication set forth the 
 opinion that if Speaker Clark was not 
 nominated on the early ballots, Wilson's 
 chances of becoming the nominee would 
 be much brighter, and the Colonel sug- 
 gested, in the event of the Governor's 
 nomination, that Wm. F. McCombs, Sen- 
 ator James A. O'Gorman, and Congressman 
 A. S. Burleson be placed in charge of the 
 presidential campaign. 
 
 Governor Wilson thereupon sent the 
 letters to Mr. Vick, at the Emerson Hotel, 
 Baltimore, stating that he had a very high 
 regard for the opinions of Colonel House, 
 and requesting that McCombs make the 
 best possible use of the Colonel's sugges- 
 tions. 
 
 84 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 The first ballot on the Presidential can- 
 didacy was taken June 28th at about 
 6.30 a. m., Clark receiving 440j^ votes, and 
 Wilson 324 votes, about 20 more than 
 Mr. McCombs had figured on, and the 
 Clark forces being apparently satisfied withf 
 their strength on the initial test, moved, 
 through Senator Luke Lea, that the con- 
 vention adjourn until 4 p. m. Mr. McCombs 
 and his friends desired that the voting 
 continue, and accordingly National Com- 
 mitteeman Robert Ewing, of Louisiana, 
 moved to lay Senator Lea's motion on the 
 table, but on a vote of the question, the y 
 Clark forces prevailed. 
 
 The situation in Oklahoma was a pe- 
 culiar one, in that for the sake of harmony 
 the delegation had been divided equally 
 between Clark and Wilson, with Senator 
 Gore and "Alfalfa Bill" Murray piloting the 
 destinies of the Governor under Mr. Mc- 
 Combs. On the tenth ballot Delegate Hite 
 
 demanded a poll of the delegation, with a 
 
 85 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 view of causing its vote to be recorded for 
 Clark, but Murray explained that being a 
 member of the Wilson unit, Mr. Hite's 
 vote would have to be recorded for the 
 Governor, and his contention was sus- 
 tained. 
 
 Mr. McCombs' plan also was to have his 
 friends on the delegations for Clark, Under- 
 wood, and Harmon demand that polls be 
 taken and thus demonstrate the strength 
 of Wilson, even though it could not be 
 exercised because of the unit rule. This 
 procedure started on the third ballot with 
 Ohio, in which it was shown that Wilson 
 had 13 votes, and then came Arizona with 
 
 1 vote; Idaho, 2 votes; Tennessee, 5}/% 
 votes; Washington, % x /i votes; Wyoming, 
 
 2 votes; Iowa, 9 votes; New York, 9 votes, 
 and later New Mexico, West Virginia, 
 Florida and Maryland all showed much 
 strength for Wilson. 
 
 The effect of these polls upon large 
 numbers of delegates could not be over- 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 estimated. It was MeCombs' idea and he 
 should have credit for it. 
 
 But let us return to the tenth ballot on 
 which Speaker Clark received 556 votes and 
 Governor Wilson 350}/£, whereupon Chair- 
 man James announced that no candidate 
 having received two-thirds of the vote cast 
 no nomination was made; that Mr. Clark 
 having received eleven more than a major- 
 ity was not the nominee until he received 
 two-thirds. 
 
 Congressman A. Mitchell Palmer, one of 
 the pioneers in the Wilson movement and a 
 member of the steering committee, rose to a 
 parliamentary inquiry as to what was the 
 purpose of the Chair in announcing that one 
 candidate had received a majority of the 
 votes. 
 
 Chairman James replied that he wished 
 it to be understood that a majority does not 
 nominate, but that under the rules of the 
 convention it took two-thirds. The Chair- 
 man was "cornered", for in Mr. Palmer 
 
 87 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 he faced a seasoned parliamentarian and a 
 splendidly equipped debater. 
 
 Mr. McCombs in his autobiograplry 
 sets forth that A. Mitchell Palmer sought 
 the Presidential nomination. The state- 
 ment is erroneous. Palmer fought from 
 first to last for the nomination of Woodrow 
 Wilson and never abated his efforts until 
 victory was won. 
 
 The States of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, 
 Louisiana, and Mississippi were ready to 
 swing to Clark on this ballot, but Mr. 
 McCombs' friends on or accompanying 
 those delegations held them in line for 
 Underwood until the break on the forty- 
 sixth ballot, when there was no alternative 
 but to be for Wilson. They totaled 94 
 votes, which, had they gone to Clark would 
 have given him 650 votes, and there would 
 have been a stampede to him, for 75 J^ more 
 votes would have made him the nominee. 
 
 Let it be noted to the credit of Mr. 
 
 Walker W. Vick that he, in conjunction 
 
 88 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 with General Bibb Graves, former Governor 
 Comer, and others, held the Alabama 
 Delegation in check. Vick then turned to 
 Florida and with the assistance of Frank 
 L. Mayes, of Pensacola, and National Com- 
 mitteeman J. T. G. Crawford, held the 
 State in line against the onslaughts of the 
 Clark leaders. The Georgia Delegation, 
 sensing a tornado, gave Vick the word that 
 she would declare for Wilson as soon as 
 Alabama led the way^ 
 
 On June 29th, Governor Wilson called 
 Mr. McCombs on the telephone in the con- 
 vention hall. Mr. Vick and myself were 
 requested to take his message. The sheet 
 containing the first part of the message be- 
 came torn and I therefore had it type- 
 written, for it was the Governor's wish that 
 it be handed to Mr. Bryan. Here is the 
 first part of the message: 
 
 "It has become known that the present 
 deadlock is being maintained for the pur- 
 pose of enabling New York, a delegation 
 89 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 controlled by a single group of men, to 
 determine the nominee and thus bind the 
 candidate to them. In these circumstances 
 it is the imperative duty of each candidate 
 for the nomination to see to it that his own 
 independence is beyond question. I can 
 see no other way to do this than to declare 
 that he will not accept the nomination if 
 it cannot be secured without the aid of 
 that delegation. For myself I have no 
 hesitation in making that declaration. 
 The freedom of the Party and its candi- 
 date and the security of the Government 
 against private control constitutes the 
 supreme consideration. 
 
 Woodrow Wilson." 
 
 The second part of the message was: 
 
 "The only reason the Governor does not 
 cause the publication of this statement is 
 because his vote in the convention having 
 stood still, he (the Governor) would re- 
 gard it as a reflection on himself because 
 his position of independence is so well 
 known." 
 
 The above message was received while 
 
 the thirteenth ballot was being taken. 
 
 When the Secretary proceeded to call 
 90 
 
T^^lCyv^ ^ 
 
 
 [ (jJjlU 
 
 fit A^ 
 
 7 
 
 r-kj 
 
 ^jiAA^^ 
 
 %x uL *^ &^ 
 
 
 kjs&O^it 
 
 I 
 
 : >Kjls6 
 
 VjjjjA^ 
 
 i) 
 
 .A 
 
 ijjMfo* 
 
 this— «- 
 
 &* >MJ2fi 
 
 m^y 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 the roll for the fourteenth ballot and reached 
 the State of Nebraska, Delegate Loomis 
 asked that it be passed for the present. A 
 little later Nebraska was again called 
 and Senator Hitchcock requested that the 
 Delegation be polled. 
 
 When the name of William Jennings 
 Bryan was called, the great Commoner rose 
 to explain his vote, and stated that as long 
 as Ryan's agent — as long as New York's 
 ninety votes were recorded for Speaker 
 Clark, he (Bryan) would withhold his vote 
 from him, and as the announcement was to 
 be made as to how it would be cast a 
 demonstration took place. Senator Stone, 
 one of Mr. Clark's managers, asked for 
 order and moved that Mr. Bryan be al- 
 lowed to explain his vote. 
 
 Mr. Bryan then stated that the conven- 
 tion by a vote of more than four to one had 
 pledged the country that it would nominate 
 for the Presidency no man who represented 
 
 or was obligated to Morgan, Ryan, Belmont, 
 
 91 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 or "any other member of the privilege-seek- 
 ing, favor-hunting class". He further set 
 forth that the vote of the State of New York 
 as cast under the unit rule did not repre- 
 sent the intelligence, the virtue, the De- 
 mocracy, or the patriotism of the ninety 
 men comprising it, but that it represented 
 the will of Charles F. Murphy, and that he 
 represented the influences that dominated 
 the Republican Convention at Chicago, 
 and were trying to dominate the Democratic 
 Convention. He further let it be known 
 that he would withhold his vote from Mr. 
 Clark as long as New York's vote was re- 
 corded for him, and that this position would 
 be taken in regard to any other candidate 
 whose name was now or might be later 
 placed before the convention, and that with 
 this understanding he would cast his vote 
 for Nebraska's second choice, Woodrow 
 Wilson. 
 
 Governor Wilson's message to Mr. Bryan 
 
 had "turned the trick". 
 
 92 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 Whereas the thirteenth ballot had shown 
 Nebraska to be 13 for Clark and 3 for 
 Wilson, on the fourteenth ballot it registered 
 4 for Clark and 12 for Wilson. 
 
 From the eleventh to the twenty-third 
 ballot two unruly members of the Oregon 
 Delegation had switched to Clark, although 
 in the primaries the 10 delegates from that 
 State had been instructed to vote for Wilson 
 until it was apparent he could not be 
 nominated. Judge Will R. King, Na- 
 tional Committeeman and leader of the 
 delegation, got in touch with me and we 
 wrote letters to these men, advising them 
 to change their votes to Wilson or not 
 attempt to cross the border into Oregon^ 
 On the twenty-fourth ballot Judge King 
 drove one of them to cover, and on the 
 twenty-seventh ballot the other insurgent 
 hoisted the white flag and entered the 
 reservation. Of course the move was an 
 effort to start a slide of the delegation to 
 
 Clark, but Judge King "threw the sand" 
 
 93 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 in time to stop it. Mr. McCombs con- 
 gratulated the Judge, and he deserved it, 
 for he had had a hard tussle with these two 
 stubborn delegates. 
 
 Meanwhile Indiana had been consistently 
 supporting its "favorite son", Governor 
 Thomas R. Marshall, but at a meeting be- 
 tween Mr. Thomas Taggart, Chairman of 
 the Delegation, and Mr. McCombs, it was 
 agreed to swap votes for the Vice-Presi- 
 dential nomination the following Monday 
 if Wilson still held his strength. 
 
 On the last ballot of the day, the twenty- 
 sixth, the vote stood Clark 4633^, Wilson 
 407^. 
 
 While the balloting was in progress 
 
 Roger Sullivan called a caucus of the 
 
 Illinois Delegation, and McCombs, Vick, 
 
 and myself, who waited nearby, were 
 
 finally informed by Sullivan that he would 
 
 bring the delegation to Wilson on the first 
 
 ballot after midnight for a limited period, 
 
 but in the meantime A. Mitchell Palmer, 
 
 94 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 who had not been advised of the caucus, had 
 requested an adjournment until the follow- 
 ing Monday, which was granted, and Mr. 
 McCombs became frantic, being joined by 
 Congressman Burleson and Senator Hughes 
 in the attack on Palmer. Roger Sullivan 
 threw his hands in the air and said: "I fear 
 you won't be able to hold your lines over 
 Sunday". 
 
 The Wilson "rooters" in the galleries had 
 been a source of torment to the Clark 
 aggregation, and it was moved that all per- 
 sons be excluded except delegates, alter- 
 nates, representatives of the press, and 
 officials connected with the convention. 
 
 Mr. Palmer made the point that the 
 resolution was not in order, because his 
 motion to adjourn was not debatable, and 
 he was sustained. He was watching like a 
 hawk and he knew his business well. 
 
 To Joseph E. Davies, National Com- 
 mitteeman from Wisconsin, must go the 
 
 credit for packing the galleries with Wilson 
 
 95 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 supporters. During the early proceedings 
 of the convention it had been ordered that 
 those without badges be not permitted to 
 enter the armory. Mr. Davies thereupon 
 moved that as the supply of badges was in- 
 adequate, orders of admission signed by the 
 Secretary of the National Committee and 
 countersigned by the Sergeant-at-Arms be 
 recognized. The motion was jammed 
 through, and Davies feverishly signed thou- 
 sands of these orders. Soon a mass of the 
 Governor's followers surged through the 
 doors and were assigned to advantageous 
 positions about the hall. 
 
 At 11.55 p. m. the Convention adjourned, 
 and Mr. McCombs, instead of going to his 
 rooms in the Emerson Hotel, repaired to his 
 suite in the Latrobe Apartment with Roger 
 Sullivan, who in my presence informed 
 McCombs that he would have to call an- 
 other caucus on Sunday or Monday before 
 he could again pledge the vote of the Illinois 
 
 Delegation for Wilson. 
 
 96 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 Let me in all fairness and with all kind- 
 ness deny the statement in Mr. McCombs' 
 biography that he had any interview with 
 Mr. Bryan in the Emerson Hotel that night 
 in which Colonel Bryan suggested himself 
 as the only logical candidate and that Gov- 
 ernor Wilson's cause be deserted, because 
 he (McCombs) was not there. 
 
 I had hardly reached my room when 
 Mr. McCombs 'phoned for me and I 
 hurriedly returned to his apartment, where 
 I found him in deep thought. Presently 
 he stated: 
 
 "Lyons, I'm afraid of a deadlock. If 
 Sullivan doesn't perform Bryan may again 
 be nominated." 
 
 I replied: "We must force Sullivan to 
 perform. Get the Illinois crowd to send 
 messages to those back home asking them 
 to telegraph their delegates to break and 
 come across for Wilson before it's too late." 
 
 Mr. McCombs thought the idea was 
 
 passably fair. He then told me of a meet- 
 7 97 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 ing he had attended the previous afternoon 
 at which representatives of Speaker Clark, 
 Congressman Underwood, and the other 
 candidates were present, with the intention 
 of endeavoring to agree upon a candidate; 
 that Senator Stone had called upon him for 
 his views, but that he had parried and 
 thrown the burden on him. "They tried to 
 corner me," he said, "but I wriggled out." 
 In the meantime Senator Saulsbury had 
 been hammering away at the States of 
 Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and 
 Kentucky, which on the last ballot of the 
 day stood 12 for Clark, 23^ for Wilson, 13^ 
 not voting; 3 for Clark, 9}^ for Wilson, 
 113^2 for Underwood; 16 for Clark; and 
 26 for Clark, respectively, and it was Mr. 
 Saulsbury's conviction that the time was 
 ripe to gather them in, They were more or 
 less connected in sentiment, but not one 
 could be turned to the Wilson column with- 
 out the concurrence of their leaders, Sen- 
 ator John Walter Smith, Senators Martin 
 
 98 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 and Swanson, Senator Watson, and Na- 
 tional Committeeman John C. C. Mayo, 
 respectively. Now, Saulsbury had main- 
 tained friendly connections with the Demo- 
 cratic Senators during the prenomination 
 campaign in the interest of Governor Wilson 
 and knew practically all of them, some quite 
 intimately. In the case of Maryland there 
 was some family connection between him 
 and Senator Smith. Mr. Saulsbury told 
 McCombs that Senator Smith was not un- 
 friendly to Governor Wilson, but his delega- 
 tion had remained steadfastly with Clark 
 because of primary instructions. 
 
 Early Sunday morning Mr. Saulsbury 
 visited Senator Smith, hoping to find that 
 the Clark men had abandoned hope and 
 Maryland would feel she was released from 
 Clark instructions. It was then arranged 
 between Saulsbury and Senator Smith to 
 have a conference that afternoon between 
 the representatives of all four States, but 
 
 Mr. Saulsbury recognizing McCombs' posi- 
 
 99 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 tion, arranged that he also attend the 
 meeting. At this session were the leaders 
 of Maryland, West Virginia, and Kentucky, 
 Virginia's representatives sending word that 
 they would remain in friendly association 
 with the other States I have mentioned. 
 It was agreed that at the most favorable 
 opportunity to try out the possibility of 
 nominating Governor Wilson, that the 
 votes of these States would be transferred 
 to him. 
 
 Sunday night a caucus of the Illinois 
 Delegation was had, and Roger Sullivan 
 informed Mr. McCombs that he could make 
 no pledges as to any specific ballot, but that 
 the Delegation would swing to Governor 
 Wilson at the first opportunity. 
 
 Senator Shively of Indiana, who as- 
 certained through some friends on the 
 Illinois Delegation what Sullivan had stated, 
 said: "It's all over." 
 
 As the balloting continued on July 1st, 
 
 Tom Taggart abided by his agreement and 
 
 100 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 threw the strength of 29 of the 30 votes 
 of the Indiana Delegation to Wilson, amid 
 a roar from the occupants of the galleries. 
 
 On the twenty-ninth ballot, when the 
 question arose as to how the votes of 
 Kansas should be cast, A. Mitchell Palmer, 
 in a clear statement, explained that Wood- 
 row Wilson had two-thirds of the vote of 
 that delegation, and therefore under the 
 unit rule was entitled to the whole vote, 
 further setting forth that while Kansas 
 was entitled to 20 votes, she did not have 
 those votes at the particular time and that 
 13 of the 19 delegates present constituted 
 two-thirds of the delegation on the floor. 
 Mr. Palmer's contention was sustained 
 amid great applause. 
 
 In accordance with my idea Mr. Mc- 
 Combs now passed the word that telegrams 
 be sent to friends throughout Illinois request- 
 ing them to wire the delegation to break from 
 Clark to Wilson, and it was not long before 
 
 the messages began to arrive in droves. 
 
 101 
 

 WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 Very early the following morning I was 
 summoned to Mr. McCombs' apartment, 
 and he said: 
 
 "Lyons, we've got to put it across to-day 
 or we're licked. We've got to have Illinois." 
 
 He was very tired. His face was yellow 
 and drawn. I can again see him as he 
 worked among the sweltering delegates, 
 endeavoring to augment the vote he and 
 his friends had acquired for Governor 
 Wilson. He was a very sick man, but his 
 indomitable will plus the intense excitement 
 held him on his feet. 
 
 That day as the first States were being 
 called on the forty-third ballot, McCombs 
 got to Sullivan and said : 
 
 "Roger, we've got to have Illinois, or I'll 
 withdraw." 
 
 The statement was not a weakness on 
 McCombs' part, but in the nature of a plea 
 for the delegation. 
 
 Sullivan replied: "Sit steady, boy," and 
 
 shortly thereafter Roger Sullivan instructed 
 
 102 
 

 'tiJL&L/jW 
 
 
 /dUAASL, 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 the Illinois delegates to switch to Wilson. 
 One of the delegates stated: "What excuse 
 can we make to the folks back home?" 
 Taking a handful of the telegrams which 
 had been received by his colleagues and self, 
 Sullivan excitedly waved them on high and 
 shouted: "I'll show them these". 
 
 I cannot close the Roger Sullivan episode 
 without words of praise for Mr. Irving 
 Schuman, of Sullivan, and Mr. Henry Pin- 
 dell, of Peoria, members of the Illinois Del- 
 egation, who had the confidence of Mr. 
 Sullivan at all times and did splendid work 
 in the cause. 
 
 Senator Saulsbury now saw some of the 
 fruits of his work on Sunday, as Virginia 
 swung her 24 votes to Wilson, and West 
 Virginia followed with her 16 votes, while 
 on the forty-fifth ballot the vote of Mary- 
 land was about divided, but Kentucky 
 broke her pledge and still voted for Clark. 
 
 This avalanche was the beginning of the 
 
 end. McCombs and Saulsbury gave Sen- 
 
 103 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 ator Smith, of Maryland, and Senator 
 Watson, of West Virginia, credit for pro- 
 ducing the result. While Senator Smith, 
 unfortunately, was unable to swing the 
 entire Maryland Delegation, he was a 
 power with the delegations of Virginia and 
 West Virginia, Kentucky remaining out in 
 the cold with New York, but Senator Sauls- 
 bury was the moving spirit in the whole 
 matter. 
 
 On the forty-sixth ballot, Senator Bank- 
 head withdrew Mr. Underwood's name 
 from before the convention, whereupon 
 Senator Stone stated that he would release 
 the obligation imposed upon any Clark 
 delegate in the convention. A short time 
 previous word had been carried through the 
 convention hall that Speaker Clark had 
 come on from Washington and might en- 
 deavor to stem the tide by personally ap- 
 pearing and addressing the delegates. What 
 the effect of his presence might have been 
 
 must remain an unanswered question. 
 
 104 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 Woodrow Wilson received 990 votes on 
 the last ballot, his nomination was sub- 
 sequently made unanimous, and Chairman 
 James announced: 
 
 "I declare Woodrow Wilson, of New 
 Jersey, the nominee of this convention for 
 the office of President of the United States." 
 
 Mr. McCombs stood on the platform en- \ / 
 deavoring to contain himself, while Na- 
 tional Committeeman John T. McGraw 
 danced about and then embraced him. 
 I stood right below Mr. McCombs. We 
 clasped hands and I congratulated him. 
 He steadied himself and looked out upon 
 the mass of coatless, collarless, perspiring 
 delegates as a General upon his victorious 
 forces. Then he waved to the occupants of 
 the galleries, especially to the Princeton boys 
 who were "tearing things apart" in their joy. 
 
 Mr. Tumulty has stated that Woodrow 
 Wilson was not nominated and elected be- 
 cause of, but in spite of Wm. F. McCombs. , 
 
 How unfair, how cruel! 
 
 105 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 Later in the day Charles Bryan called up 
 at the Emerson from the Belvidere Hotel 
 and stated: 
 
 "Colonel Bryan would like Mr. Mc- 
 Combs to come over and see us." 
 
 Mr. McCombs stood at my side and re- 
 quested I reply that he would do so. He 
 was completely worn out and extremely 
 irritable. I insisted that he lie down for a 
 while. He did not keep the appointment, 
 later addressing a letter of apology to 
 Mr. Bryan at Lincoln, Neb. He re- 
 turned to the convention hall that evening, 
 and on the first ballot for the Vice-Presi- 
 dential candidacy received the compli- 
 mentary vote of the Arkansas Delegation, 
 his native State. 
 
 Governor Marshall received the nomina- 
 tion on the second ballot. It had all been 
 fixed. 
 
 Later I was hurriedly called to Mr. 
 
 McCombs' rooms by Mr. Pence and Mr. 
 
 Vick, who informed me that the chief was 
 
 106 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 desperately ill and that a physician had 
 been sent for. I immediately telephoned 
 Governor Wilson and decided to remain 
 with Mr. McCombs through the night, 
 taking an adjoining room. 
 
 Early on the morning of July 3d, Mr. 
 McCombs, to my surprise, entered my 
 room fully dressed. It was indeed re- 
 markable that he was able to recuperate 
 sufficiently to be able to stand. He in- 
 formed me that he was going to Sea Girt. 
 I shall never forget the meeting of Governor 
 Wilson and McCombs, as the Governor, 
 surrounded by his friends and the news- 
 papermen, grasped the hand of his Manager 
 and stated so affectionately: 
 
 "My dear McCombs, I want to thank 
 you for all your own faithful labors. I 
 have been sorely distressed since Lyons 
 telephoned me of your illness." 
 
 107 
 
CHAPTER III 
 The Presidential Campaign 
 
 ON July 14th Mr. McCombs and my- 
 self left for Chicago, where a meeting 
 of the National Committee was to be held 
 the following day and, in accordance with 
 the wishes of Governor Wilson, he was to 
 be elected Chairman of the Democratic 
 National Committee. 
 
 In the course of a conversation in our 
 stateroom, Mr. McCombs inquired as to 
 whether I thought he would be strong 
 enough physically to last through the 
 Presidential campaign. I replied emphati- 
 cally that I did not think so. I was a walk- 
 ing dispensary. I carried a grip containing 
 various pills and medicines which I gave 
 him at prescribed intervals. 
 
 Mr. McCombs said: "I realize that I am 
 
 very ill. I believe I have accomplished all 
 
 108 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 that should be expected of me. I re- 
 member the statement of Mr. Whitney, 
 President Cleveland's manager, that no 
 man could go through two campaigns and 
 retain his health. I have often thought of 
 that." 
 
 Almost immediately after the meeting 
 convened, Mr. Hudspeth, of New Jersey, 
 nominated Mr. McCombs for the office, 
 which was seconded by Mr. Taggart, of 
 Indiana, and made unanimous by the 
 Committee. 
 
 After he had taken the gavel from Mr. 
 Norman E. Mack, the retiring Chairman, 
 and made a few pleasant remarks, he stated 
 that the next business would be the selec- 
 tion of a secretary, and Mr. Hudspeth 
 thereupon placed in nomination Mr. Joseph 
 E. Davies, of Wisconsin. The nomination 
 being seconded by Mr. John E. Osborne, 
 of Wyoming, Mr. Davies was duly elected. 
 
 Mr. McCombs now moved that the 
 
 Committee proceed to the completion of its 
 
 109 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 organization electing a Sergeant-at-Arms, 
 and Col. John I. Martin was designated. 
 I could not quite understand why the 
 office of treasurer should have been omitted, 
 but presently Mr. Hudspeth offered the 
 following: 
 
 "Resolved, That the Chairman be au- 
 thorized and empowered to select, by and 
 with the advice of the nominee for 
 President, a campaign committee to con- 
 sist of not less than nine members, a 
 majority of whom shall be members of the 
 National Committee, said Committee to 
 be vested with full power to conduct the 
 national campaign and to do all acts and 
 things necessary and proper to carry into 
 effect the objects of this resolution. This 
 committee shall have power also to ap- 
 point a Treasurer of the National Com- 
 mittee, and all committees and other 
 officers, and to establish rules governing 
 its action. The Chairman of the National 
 Committee shall be the Chairman of this 
 Committee." 
 
 The motion was seconded by Mr. Tag- 
 
 gart and unanimously carried. 
 
 110 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 The following day we returned to New 
 York, and after a week during which much 
 unanswered correspondence was taken care 
 of and the subject of a place as head- 
 quarters fully discussed, we went to Bretton 
 Woods, N. H., so that Mr. McCombs 
 might have at least a few days of real rest 
 before the first meeting of the Committee 
 in the Fifth Avenue Building, on the 29th 
 of July. 
 
 While we were lounging about in the 
 Mt. Washington Hotel, the following tele- 
 gram was received from Governor Wilson: 
 
 "July 24, 1912. 
 William F. McCombs, 
 Bretton Woods, N. H. 
 "Would be very much obliged, if you 
 would notify McAdoo at once that he is to 
 act as Vice-Chairman of the National 
 Committee. This is of the first conse- 
 quence. W. W." 
 
 Mr. McCombs showed me the telegram 
 
 and asked my opinion in the matter. I 
 
 stated a message should be sent the 
 
 111 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 Governor informing him that after the 
 campaign committee had been formed, in 
 accordance with the resolution adopted at 
 Chicago, Mr. McAdoo's name would be 
 placed before it and a statement made at 
 the time that it was his (the Governor's) 
 desire that Mr. McAdoo be appointed as 
 Vice-Chairman. 
 
 It was now almost impossible for me to 
 handle Mr. McCombs. He appeared at 
 time to be abnormal. As he walked away 
 with the telegram, I said: "I suppose you 
 think I'm a hell-of-a secretary, but I defy 
 you to tell me I'm not a mighty good 
 nurse." I myself was very nervous, but 
 the next moment was extremely sorry I 
 had spoken harshly to him. He turned, 
 limped to my side, and apologized in a 
 way that brought tears to my eyes. I 
 determined that thereafter I would never 
 cross him. Poor, sick McCombs. 
 
 Upon our return to New York we wen 
 
 to headquarters, where later the first 
 
 in 
 
 r 
 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 meeting of the Campaign Committee was 
 called and at which Senator James Reed, of 
 Missouri, was present. I remember dis- 
 tinctly the most friendly greeting between 
 the Senator, Mr. McCombs, and Mr. 
 McAdoo, and Senator Reed's remark: "Now 
 that we are all working for the Governor, 
 let us be open and frank with one another." 
 Whereupon he presented many valuable 
 suggestions. The question of Mr. McAdoo's 
 appointment as Vice-Chairman was not 
 brought to the attention of the Committee 
 at this session, during which the Directors 
 of the various divisions were designated, 
 as follows: 
 
 Finance Division, Henry Morgenthau. 
 
 Publicity Division, Josephus Daniels. 
 Speakers Division, A. S. Burleson and Homer 
 
 S. Cummings. 
 Organization Division, Senator T. P. Gore. 
 Foreign Division, Abram I. Elkus. 
 
 Business Division, W. W. Vick. 
 
 Labor Division, R. S. Hudspeth. 
 
 Young Men's Division, John F. DeSaulles and Jo- 
 seph Truesdale. 
 8 113 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 Mr. Morgenthau rendered splendid serv- 
 ice in his undertaking to raise approximately 
 $1,000,000. Mr. McCombs stated that he 
 was an ideal person to direct this division, 
 being a capitalist with large financial ex- 
 perience and excellent business judgment. 
 (The Publicity Division plastered the 
 country with posters, and in addition ex- 
 tolled the Democratic candidate in leading 
 magazines that reached the eyes of mil- 
 lions. Further, myriads of pamphlets were 
 disseminated, and the campaign text-book, 
 which had been edited by Hon. Robert 
 W. Woolley, later appointed Director of the 
 Mint, found a large sale and merited much 
 praise from all who consulted it. Woolley 
 also attended to the cartoon service and 
 edited the special articles that were sent to 
 the larger dailies and Sunday papers. 
 
 The Speakers Division reminded one of 
 
 an employment bureau. Spellbinders sat 
 
 about ready for any call that might be made 
 
 on them. The books contained thousands 
 
 114 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 of speakers, and they were kept busy until 
 election da^y 
 
 At one of the Committee meetings, Mr. 
 Hudspeth, of the Labor Bureau, stated 
 that he thought it would be a very good 
 idea to have some negro speakers. Mr,/ 
 Burleson, of Texas, quickly replied that he 
 was in favor of the motion, provided the 
 Labor Bureau handled them. 
 
 Senator Gore perfected the Division of 
 Organization to an extent that made it 
 possible to reach the personnel of the small- 
 est precincts, and he kept in close touch 
 with the leaders of Wilson associations and 
 clubs. As his assistant he named Mr. W. 
 D. Jamieson, who had been a rabid Clark 
 follower. When this fact was brought to 
 the Senator's attention, he said: "That's 
 why I want him near me." 
 
 Mr. Elkus, in McCombs' opinion, had 
 the tartar of all the divisions because of the 
 fact that during the prenomination cam- 
 paign the minds of many thousands of the 
 
 115 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 foreign element had been poisoned by the 
 addresses of Governor Wilson's opponents, 
 together with the vicious pamphlets that 
 they had sent out, but through a series of 
 splendidly edited booklets, and personal 
 communications, Mr. Elkus dissipated their 
 intense indignation and succeeded in lining 
 up large numbers of these good people for 
 the Democratic candidate. 
 
 The Director of the Division of Business, 
 Mr. Vick, supervised all plans for the 
 installation of headquarters, together with 
 the purchasing of necessary supplies, and 
 Mr. McCombs had declared that all items, 
 both incoming and outgoing, should bear 
 the approval of the head of that Division. 
 Mr. Vick's duties were so manifold that I 
 crave pardon for being unable to name 
 them. 
 
 The Young Men's Division was organ- 
 ized to enlist the support of the first voters, 
 and also took in the college clubs. Mr. 
 
 Joseph R. Truesdale, a rising young New 
 
 116 
 
tf~ 
 
 Cat ^a^yz^c^ cT^o^^ Photo by Clinedinst 
 
 H 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 York lawyer, was the brains of the organiza- 
 tion. Mr. John DeSaulles, the co-director, 
 contributed $5,000 to the Presidential cam- 
 paign and was appointed Minister to Ar- 
 gentina. 
 
 Returning to the subject of the first meet- 
 ing of the Committee, a recess was taken 
 until 8 p. m., and the body again called to 
 order by the Chairman, whereupon Senator 
 Reed proposed that ratification meetings be 
 held, placing emphasis upon the necessity of 
 taking quick action. 
 
 The question of a vice-chairman of the 
 Campaign Committee was now taken up 
 and Senator O' Gorman stated that New 
 York should not be represented so largely, 
 and that if Mr. McAdoo were elected there 
 should be a Vice-Chairman from another 
 locality. 
 
 Mr. McCombs stated that in his opinion 
 
 there should be two or three vice-chairmen 
 
 from various localities. 
 
 The discussion was interrupted by Mr. 
 117 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 McAdoo, who proposed that arrangements 
 be made for the meeting at Sea Girt, N. J., 
 to inform Governor Wilson of his nomina- 
 tion as the Democratic Presidential candi- 
 date. It was thereupon moved, seconded, 
 and carried that Mr. McAdoo be delegated 
 as a member of the campaign committee to 
 assist in the matter of arrangements on the 
 day of notification, but my minutes do not 
 show that he was elected Vice-Chairman 
 of the Democratic National Committee or 
 of the Campaign Committee. 
 
 The meeting was adjourned until the 
 following day, but I was not present, re- 
 maining with Mr. McCombs, who had a 
 relapse, and I am unable to state whether 
 Mr. McAdoo at that time was elected Vice- 
 Chairman, though later in a letter to 
 Senator Gore, Mr. McCombs stated: 
 
 "Nobody is Acting Chairman, except 
 upon a construction, Mr. McAdoo." 
 
 Colonel House at this time cabled to 
 
 Mr. McCombs, who replied: 
 
 118 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 "E. M. House, 
 
 Brown, Shipley & Co., 
 London. 
 
 "Am glad you are returning. Your as- 
 sistance will be of great value." 
 
 On the 12th of August Mr. McCombs 
 collapsed completely in his rooms at the 
 Knickerbocker Hotel and Mr. McAdoo 
 took hold of the reins at headquarters. He 
 called to see Mr. McCombs and was most 
 considerate and patient. I endeavored to 
 assist Mr. McAdoo in every way possible, 
 presenting to him the incompleted lists of 
 various State committees and other matters 
 that I thought should be in his possession. 
 
 When Mr. McCombs was later removed 
 to the home of his sister, Mrs. Ethel 
 Thomas, at Flushing, L. I., Mr. McAdoo 
 called several times, as did Governor Wil- 
 son, Colonel House, Senator Gore, and 
 many other friends. 
 
 During one of his visits, Governor Wilson 
 
 requested that I keep him informed as to 
 
 119 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 Mr. McCombs' condition. Within a short 
 time I wrote him, as follows: 
 
 "Dear Governor Wilson: 
 
 "Mr. McCombs has had two or three very bad 
 spells since he wrote you. He is still in bed and is 
 weak. His doctors do not give him any definite 
 assurances as to when he will be able to return. 
 One says three weeks, one says at least four, and 
 the other makes no definite statement. Mr. 
 McCombs repeatedly expresses anxiety that the 
 campaign should not be held back in any way on 
 account of his illness. He told me that he thinks 
 his return, in fairness to all, especially those who 
 are waiting to confer with him, be regarded as in- 
 definite. He asks me to say he is doing the very 
 best he can and to convey to you his highest 
 regards. Yours sincerely." 
 
 Mr. McCombs then dictated the follow- 
 ing for Mr. McAdoo: 
 
 "As I said to you ten days ago, and as I have 
 sent word to members of the Committee and to 
 the Governor since that time, I expect that noth- 
 ing be held up pending my return, but that the 
 campaign proceed exactly as though I were not in 
 it at all. I sketched out my ideas in skeleton form 
 when I saw you and am sure, so far as they are 
 applicable, you are following them. I am still 
 confined to my bed and, in justice to the campaign 
 
 120 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 as well as myself, must patiently await a re- 
 covery. Mr. Lyons spoke to me about your 
 making use of Mr. Pence, Mr. Vick, and himself. 
 Of course, I expected you would, as far as their 
 knowledge of the situation went. I am sure they 
 all are as much interested in the election of Gover- 
 nor Wilson as you and I, and are willing to do 
 what they can. I think Senator Gore comes nearer 
 knowing the personnel of politics in this country 
 and the dangerous rocks to avoid in making ap- 
 pointments than any man on the committee. 
 
 "It fills me with sorrow to have to come down 
 at such a critical period, and I can only, in fairness 
 to the cause, say, as I said at the beginning, that 
 my absence must positively in no way be allowed 
 to hold up anything, otherwise I should be ex- 
 tremely unhappy. 
 
 "I am revolving in my mind resigning the 
 Chairmanship of the Campaign Committee if I do 
 not feel decidedly better by Monday. The fairness 
 of this appeals to me very strongly. All the above, 
 of course, is confidential. 
 
 "Believe me, with kindest regards, 
 
 "Sincerely yours.' ' 
 
 Mr. Archibald S. White now prevailed 
 
 upon Mr. McCombs to accept the use of 
 
 his camp at Paul Smith's, in the Adiron- 
 
 dacks, and a private car was placed at his 
 
 121 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 disposal by Mr. DeSaulles, who composed 
 one of our party, the others being Mrs. 
 DeSaulles, Miss Corinne McCombs, Mr. 
 McCombs' nurse, and myself. 
 
 After Mr. McCombs had been made 
 comfortable at the camp I returned to head- 
 quarters for a day, and upon reaching my 
 office on August 30th was informed by Mr. 
 Hollister, an assistant to the Chairman, 
 that Mr. McAdoo had stated to Senator 
 Stone that he did not desire the Chairman- 
 ship, that McCombs' work was unsuited 
 to him, and that he hoped the Chairman 
 would be able to return within ten days. 
 
 Mr. Henry Morgenthau also informed 
 me that it was intended to cut down the 
 force, but that Mr. McAdoo had stated the 
 services of none of Mr. McCombs' friends 
 would be dispensed with; also that Mr. 
 McAdoo hesitated to take Mr. McCombs' 
 office, Mr. Morgenthau adding: "You could 
 not blame him if he desired to assume com- 
 mand." 
 
 122 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 The above remarks I placed in my diary 
 under said date of August 30th, 1912, and 
 upon my return to the camp the following 
 day I read them to Mr. McCombs, who ap- 
 peared to be much gratified, but he did not 
 improve and requested that I telephone 
 Colonel House at Great Barrington, Mass., 
 that he had definitely concluded to resign 
 the Chairmanship. Within a short time I 
 was in communication with the Colonel, 
 who stated: 
 
 "Tell Mr. McCombs not to resign; that 
 his friends expect him to hold on, and 
 that there are big things in store for him. 
 Tell him, if possible, to come to the 
 Adams House, Boston, to-morrow. I 
 shall be there and we can talk it over." 
 
 The following morning Mr. McCombs 
 
 and I left the camp hurriedly and were soon 
 
 in Boston. Upon our arrival at the Adams 
 
 House I looked on the hotel register, but 
 
 the Colonel's name was not there. Presently 
 
 he came toward us and stated that he had 
 
 not registered under arrangements at the 
 
 123 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 desk. Mr. McCombs was a sorry sight, 
 yellow-skinned, hollow-eyed and emaci- 
 ated. He assisted himself along with the 
 aid of his cane, and the Colonel held his 
 arm. During the conference, at which I 
 was present, Mr. McCombs stated he was 
 of the opinion that Governor Wilson was 
 not playing fair with him, and had shown 
 a coolness which worried him greatly. Colo- 
 nel House replied that he was not aware 
 of the Governor's attitude, but that in any 
 event he stood ready at all times to up- 
 hold him (McCombs) for the service he 
 had rendered. Colonel House had always 
 been most kind to him. He had a fatherly 
 way of soothing a person in distress. The 
 very atmosphere seemed to breathe comfort 
 when he was about. 
 
 The return to New York was a nightmare 
 for me, Mr. McCombs having become 
 desperately ill on the train. The nurse had 
 been left at the camp. I was up most of the 
 
 night endeavoring to allay his pains. 
 
 124 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 Mr. Samuel Untermeyer had previously 
 arranged a suite of rooms for Mr. McCombs 
 at the Plaza Hotel. He remained there but 
 a short time, and then rented the Sedley 
 Cottage at Larchmont, N. Y., hoping that 
 the surroundings would be of benefit to him. 
 Two of New York's foremost specialists 
 were engaged to attend him. Governor 
 Wilson and Colonel House called to confer 
 with the stricken man, as did also Mr. 
 McAdoo. 
 
 Later a banquet was tendered the Chair- 
 man at the Hotel Astor, under the auspices 
 of a committee at the head of which was 
 "Big Bill" Edwards, Mr. McCombs having 
 been treated so that it would be possible 
 for him to attend. Governor Wilson was 
 present, and during his address said that it 
 would not be in good taste publicly to state 
 the great affection he had for McCombs, 
 and that he would therefore leave that part 
 of the program for another occasion. 
 
 Mr. McCombs returned to the Plaza 
 125 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 Hotel, where he had another relapse, and 
 Dr. Simon Baruch was hurriedly called. 
 Governor Wilson again visited the sick 
 man. I was at a loss to understand why 
 the Governor did not insist upon the resig- 
 nation of Mr. McCombs, give out a state- 
 ment to the press, and have Mr. McAdoo 
 see the campaign through. I concluded, in 
 view of all the circumstances in the case, 
 that Governor Wilson considered the Chair- 
 man impossible of replacement. 
 
 Toward the middle of October Mr. 
 McCombs requested that I call head- 
 quarters and inform Mr. McAdoo that he 
 would be at his desk the following day. Mr. 
 McAdoo escorted the Chairman to his room 
 and saw that he was made comfortable. 
 
 A conference was immediately had with 
 Mr. Rolla Wells, Treasurer of the Com- 
 mittee, and it was ascertained that there 
 was a dearth of "sinews", whereupon Mr. 
 McCombs immediately set to work in an 
 
 effort to replenish the coffers. He was 
 
 126 
 

 ti< $ y&^*J~*<^^ 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 quite successful, and should have great 
 credit for himself having procured a large 
 amount of the contributions. He had a 
 smile, a handshake, and a line of conversa- 
 tion that almost always brought results. 
 
 Colonel House called often, entering 
 McCombs' room quietly and leaving more 
 so. He was an enigma to all at head- 
 quarters. My desk being close to that of 
 the Chairman, I had every opportunity of 
 hearing anything that passed between the 
 two men. Their conversations invariably 
 related to finances with which to conduct 
 the campaign and political conditions in 
 the States. 
 
 On election day Mr. McCombs, upon 
 entering headquarters, stated: 
 
 "Good morning, the People speak to- 
 day." 
 
 He did not remain very long, and on de- 
 parting said he would meet me at the 
 Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, where the returns 
 
 were to be received. 
 
 127 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 That evening we gathered in the East 
 Room of the hotel and I noticed that 
 Senator O'Gorman was graciously assisting 
 Mr. McCombs about, while Colonel House 
 sat alone in one of the small off rooms. 
 
 As it became apparent that Governor 
 Wilson had been elected to the Presidency, 
 Mr. McCombs and I sent telegrams of con- 
 gratulation to him. The Chairman then 
 entered the room in which Colonel House 
 was seated, and I followed. They spoke in 
 low tones, and presently Mr. McCombs 
 said: 
 
 "If I cannot be Secretary of the 
 Treasury, I will take nothing." 
 
 Colonel House made no reply, and soon 
 Mr. McCombs went upstairs, where some 
 friends awaited him. 
 
 128 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 The Matter of the French Ambas- 
 sadorship, Etc. 
 
 }7^ROM the month of July, when he was 
 . first stricken, Mr. McCombs was a 
 changed man. He seemed suspicious of 
 every one in any way connected with the 
 campaign. In his abnormal condition he 
 concluded that Mr. MciVdoo, especially, 
 sought to undermine him, and when I 
 endeavored to quiet him he responded 
 in a manner that caused me to gasp. Sub- 
 sequently I collapsed in our rooms at the 
 Vanderbilt Hotel, but within a few weeks 
 returned to my desk. 
 
 Hundreds of letters had in the mean- 
 time been received from members of the 
 National Committee in the interest of 
 friends whom they desired should be con- 
 sidered for office, and while they were being 
 9 129 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 replied to and a list prepared for reference, 
 Mr. McCombs communicated with his 
 friends in regard to his desire to be ap- 
 pointed Secretary of the Treasury, a very 
 active worker of the coterie being Mr. 
 Otto Carmichael. In addition Mr. Mc- 
 Combs called upon Governor Wilson quite 
 often at his home in Princeton until the 
 Governor left for Bermuda. 
 
 When the press announced the selection 
 of Mr. McAdoo for the Secretaryship of the 
 Treasury and the information was con- 
 veyed to Mr. McCombs, he slowly left the 
 room, stating: "Well, he has it." 
 
 Within a few days he again called upon 
 Governor Wilson, and upon returning his 
 face was wreathed in smiles as he said: 
 
 "Lyons, the Governor has promised me 
 the patronage." 
 
 Shortly after Governor Wilson had been 
 inaugurated as President he issued a state- 
 ment that it would be impossible for him to 
 
 handle questions of patronage, and he 
 
 130 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 placed them within the jurisdiction of the 
 Secretaries of the various departments. 
 
 Previously Mr. McCombs had also sub- 
 mitted his first list of those whom he be- 
 lieved to be deserving of reward, as follows : 
 
 Richard Olney, for Secretary of State. 
 
 John T. McGraw, for Secretary of War. 
 
 R. W. Hollister, for Assistant Secretary of War. 
 
 Abram I. Elkus, for Attorney General. 
 
 R. L. Henry, for Postmaster General. 
 
 Henry Morgenthau, for Secretary of Commerce. 
 
 Archibald S. White, for Ambassador to France. 
 
 Frederic C. Penfield, for Ambassador to Germany 
 
 James W. Gerard, for Ambassador to Italy. 
 
 John F. DeSaulles, for Minister to Chile. 
 
 John W. Clifton, for Minister to Switzerland. 
 
 Wm. Osborn, for Commissioner of Internal 
 Revenue. 
 
 General Bibb Graves, for Collector of Internal 
 Revenue, Alabama. 
 
 None of these recommendations were 
 followed, excepting that of Mr. Wm. Osborn. 
 
 Mr. McCombs also spoke to President 
 Wilson with regard to the appointment of 
 his brother, Robert McCombs, as Super- 
 intendent of the Reservation at Hot Springs, 
 
 131 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 Arkansas, but informed me that the Presi- 
 dent had declined to do so on the ground 
 that Senator Robinson of that State might 
 interpose objections. 
 
 On the afternoon of March 2d, Mr. Mc- 
 Combs and myself arrived at the Shoreham 
 Hotel in Washington, having engaged a 
 suite of rooms directly below that which the 
 President-elect was to occupy. 
 
 The following evening the Chairman in- 
 formed Mr. Pence and myself that he had 
 been tendered the French Ambassadorship, 
 and stated: 
 
 "I cannot take it. I cannot afford it. 
 My law practice would be ruined. They 
 are trying to send me to St. Helena after 
 all I have done." 
 
 I begged him to take the post, so did 
 
 Tom Pence. After Pence left, he said: 
 
 "Lyons, I am no quitter. Friends have 
 
 worked with me in these campaigns. I 
 
 must remain here and see that they are 
 
 looked after." 
 
 132 
 
^/lioreham 3(btel 
 
 M-i it « ^jj~^/-rL f-~~+~ 
 
 IM*J » 
 
 
 V*A. ^~^^ — ^, 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 However, about midnight, after having 
 
 paced about the room for over two hours, 
 
 he wrote the following: 
 
 "March 3, 1913. 
 "My de\r Governor: 
 
 "I have thought carefully over the 
 means of accomplishing the accepting 
 of the great compliment you have paid 
 me in offering to me the ambassadorship 
 to France. Happily after conference 
 with my family to-day I am glad to say 
 I can arrange to accept the great honor 
 you have offered me. I shall try to 
 fulfill the functions of the great office 
 to the utmost of my ability. 
 "Yours sincerely, 
 
 W. F. McCombs." 
 
 Upon arriving at the door of Governor 
 
 Wilson's suite, I found that he had retired 
 
 for the night, and while I was endeavoring 
 
 to insert the letter underneath the door, 
 
 Mr. Joseph P. Tumulty approached and 
 
 suggested that I deliver it to Major Wilson, 
 
 the Governor's aide, whose room was a few 
 
 doors away. This being accomplished, I 
 
 returned to our room. Mr. McCombs was 
 
 133 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 walking nervously about, and presently 
 stated : 
 
 "Yes, they are trying to send me to St. 
 Helena. Lyons, get that letter." 
 
 I returned to Major Wilson's room and 
 he handed me the communication, which 
 Mr. McCombs threw in the waste basket 
 and I retained as a souvenir. 
 
 On the morning of the 4th of March, 
 after Mr. McCombs had received an in- 
 vitation to take luncheon at the White 
 House with the President and Mrs. Wilson 
 at £ o'clock that afternoon, he said to me: 
 
 "Lvons, I am heart-broken. I must see 
 the Governor." He thereupon wrote the 
 following : 
 
 "March 4th. 
 My dear Governor: 
 
 "I am very desirous of seeing you be- 
 fore you leave the hotel, which I think is 
 about ten o'clock. It is quite important. 
 "Yours sincerely, 
 
 "Wm. F. McCombs." 
 
 134 
 
yiwreham *J{btel 
 
 'Tf&S Kington 
 
 tv^ 
 
 ~t^<4_^. V '? 
 
 ) 
 
 
 A-*--*- 
 
 r*. 
 
 1 "Y"~ 
 
 iu 
 
 *< 
 
 
 fc-~4? 
 
 ■=- ^ 
 
 
 ifi/.t/- 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 I delivered the letter in person to Gover- 
 nor Wilson, who wrote at the bottom 
 thereof: 
 
 "Can you come to my room now? 
 The Committee comes almost at once. 
 
 "W. W." 
 
 and Mr. McCombs accordingly went to 
 him, but returned within a short time and 
 we left the hotel. 
 
 A statement has been made by Mr. 
 Tumulty that Mr. McCombs' poison bri- 
 gade gathered at the Shoreham Hotel in 
 Washington on the day of the inauguration 
 and, attempting to reform their broken 
 lines, sought to prevent Mr. McAdoo's 
 confirmation at the hands of the Senate. 
 
 Mr. Tumulty's statement is erroneous. 
 The only persons who called to see Mr. 
 McCombs on the 4th of March were Post- 
 master General Burleson, Mr. McCombs' 
 immediate family, Tom Pence, and one or 
 two other friends. 
 
 It had been arranged that after Mr. 
 135 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 McCombs had broken bread at the White 
 House I was to meet him in the President's 
 Stand on the 15th Street side. Senator 
 Saulsbury also joined us and we viewed the 
 inaugural parade. 
 
 I believe the reason there were so few 
 callers on Mr. McCombs that day was be- 
 cause the papers carried a list of the 
 President's cabinet, and "friends" seeing 
 that his name was not included deserted him 
 for the direction in which the plums might 
 be more easily procured. But this, of 
 course, is part of the game of politics. It 
 requires a good loser. I think Mr. Mc- 
 Combs would have taken : the short end 
 gracefully, had he not been desperately ill. 
 
 At a meeting of the Democratic Na- 
 tional Committee in the Willard Hotel on 
 March 5th, Colonel John T. McGraw, 
 National Committeeman from West Vir- 
 ginia, offered the following: 
 
 "Resolved, That this Committee repre- 
 senting the several States and Territories 
 136 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 of the Union tender their thanks to the 
 accomplished and efficient Chairman of 
 this Committee for the faithfulness and 
 earnestness and efficiency with which he 
 discharged the important duties intrusted 
 to him by this Committee at its Chicago 
 meeting." 
 
 The motion was seconded by National 
 Committeeman Cato Sells, of Texas, and 
 unanimously carried. 
 
 Mr. McCombs responded in a few well- 
 chosen words, thanking the members for 
 their advices and encouragement during 
 the campaign, and adding that he valued 
 their friendships and would endeavor ever 
 to retain them. 
 
 Late that afternoon Mr. McCombs called 
 up the White House and I remember dis- 
 tinctly that he begged the President to 
 issue a statement to the press that he had 
 been offered a cabinet post, but had de- 
 clined, his last words being: "You know 
 how I feel, Governor." 
 
 137 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 The next day, the 6th, the following ap- 
 peared in the Washington Post: 
 
 "Mr. Wilson made formal announce- 
 ment yesterday that he offered an ambas- 
 sadorship to Chairman Wm. F. Mc- 
 Combs of the Democratic National Com- 
 mittee,' ' 
 
 and further quoted the President as follows: 
 
 "Mr. McCombs told me he did not wish 
 a cabinet appointment. I have offered 
 him one of the principal diplomatic posts 
 and hope he will accept.' ' 
 
 And so the whitewash was applied. 
 
 Mr. McCombs returned to New York un- 
 decided as to whether he should accept the 
 French Ambassadorship, but early in April 
 he addressed the following communication 
 to the President: 
 
 "Since I saw you on Saturday, I have been mak- 
 ing continuous efforts to dispose of my affairs so 
 that I might accept your very flattering offer. I 
 have been in touch with Tumulty from day to day 
 to find out whether my delay was embarrassing 
 you in any way, and he told me it was not. Of 
 course, I did not want to inconvenience you. 
 
 138 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 "As I have told you before, my difficulty in 
 accepting the post has lain in the adjustment of my 
 financial affairs here and in the forming of a con- 
 nection which would continue, in some degree, my 
 practice. The clientele which any lawyer has is 
 very largely personal to himself, and it is almost 
 impossible to arrange that the affairs of such a 
 clientele be handled by others. This is the diffi- 
 culty under which I have labored. 
 v "After intimations to my clients, I find my 
 absence would, in their view, be prejudicial to 
 their interests and that they would each seek 
 separate counsel. This would mean my return to 
 New York without any clientele whatsoever and 
 a new start. After the statement which you so 
 kindly issued, it occurred to me that I might make 
 an arrangement under which my affairs could be 
 handled. I am convinced now that it is impossible, 
 and that I must remain here to maintain myself. 
 During the past two years I have been compelled 
 to neglect my business to a very large extent, and I 
 feel that it is absolutely essential for me to recoup. 
 In view of the very great honor of the French 
 post, I was quite willing to sacrifice almost any- 
 thing. I now know that the sacrifice would be 
 complete. 
 
 "I was sorry to see in the New York papers of 
 yesterday under Washington date line that I had 
 accepted the embassy. It has placed me in a most 
 embarrassing position, and has caused general 
 
 139 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 comment of vacillation. I cannot imagine how the 
 fact that I was reconsidering became public. The 
 press clippings I get in the matter are most annoy- 
 ing to me, and must be to you. I suppose the only 
 thing to say in the matter is that my position is 
 the same as it was when my statement was given 
 out in Washington. 
 
 "Let me again thank you very deeply for the 
 great honor you have conferred upon me. I 
 sincerely wish it were within my power to accept. 
 It is such a thing as rarely comes in a man's lifetime. 
 
 "Believe me as ever, ' 
 
 Always your to command, 
 
 Wm. F. McCombs." 
 
 With regard to the above communication, 
 
 Mr. McCombs had formed a new law 
 
 partnership under the name of McCombs, 
 
 Ryan and Gordon, but upon consideration 
 
 did not feel that he could afford to leave 
 
 them in charge of his practice. I remember, 
 
 in particular, that during the campaigns the 
 
 officials of a large construction company 
 
 were extremely embarrassed through their 
 
 inability to get in touch with him. 
 
 With respect to that part of Mr. Mc- 
 140 
 

THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 Combs' letter in which he refers to the 
 statement which the President issued, it 
 has been set forth by me under date of 
 March 6th. 
 
 As to the statement which was given out 
 in Washington by Mr. McCombs — the 
 Chairman set forth that it would be im- 
 possible for him to accept the post and that 
 he would return to the practice of the law. 
 
 About the middle of April I collapsed 
 completely from the strain of worry and 
 work, and Mr. McCombs insisted that I 
 leave New York. Early in May I was in- 
 formed that the Chairman had sailed for 
 France, and later I received the following 
 at Greenwood Lake, N. J. 
 
 "Confidential "July 6, 1913. 
 
 My dear Lyons: 
 
 "I am on Tuesday to have an operation 
 for appendicitis. The surgeons say it has 
 been the cause in the main of my illness. 
 I hope it will come out all right. I trust 
 by this time you are fully restored. We 
 141 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 fought a historic battle and must expect 
 to pay the penalty of fatigue. Rest as 
 long as you like. 
 "Sincerely, 
 
 "W. F. McCombs." 
 "7 Rue Scribe, Munroe & Co." 
 
 I immediately made preparations to sail 
 
 for France, and telegraphed the President, 
 
 who was at Cornish, N. H. : 
 
 "Am leaving for France within a few 
 days. Have you any word to send Mc- 
 Combs through me?" 
 
 The President replied: 
 
 "Convey my affectionate regards to 
 McCombs and tell him I hope to have the 
 pleasure of sending his name to the 
 Senate." 
 
 It appears that irrespective of anything 
 the President was determined that Mr. 
 McCombs accept the French post. 
 
 On July 19th I joined Mr. McCombs at 
 
 Dengler's Sanitorium in Baden-Baden, 
 
 Germany, whither he had gone from Paris, 
 
 which was an admirable retreat for both of 
 
 us in our lamentable condition, from which, 
 
 142 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 however, happily I recovered, and each day 
 thereafter the Chairman spent much time 
 in sending cables either to the White House 
 or to Mr. Ryan, his law partner, with regard 
 to the Ambassadorship. 
 
 Our daily walks were necessarily short. 
 The good folk of the city upon learning who 
 their distinguished visitor was paid him 
 homage, and on one occasion when we 
 entered the Kur Garten to listen to the 
 splendid orchestra the audience applauded 
 this man that the New York Sun had 
 honored with the sobriquet "The New 
 Napoleon". He acknowledged their greet- 
 ing with a weary and mechanical movement 
 of his hand. 
 
 One day as we were slowly walking toward 
 the spacious veranda of the Stephanie 
 Hotel, Mr. McCombs took from his pocket 
 the message I had brought him from 
 President Wilson, and stated: 
 
 "Lyons, the President knows full well 
 that I cannot afford to accept. When my 
 143 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 term expired I would have nothing left but 
 a boiled shirt with a medal hanging on it, 
 and I could then return to my father's 
 house at Hamburg, Arkansas, sit under a 
 tree and think it over. My efforts have 
 been fruitless, Lyons. The President has 
 treated me like a red-headed stepchild." 
 
 His words burned into my brain like 
 fire, as I held the arm of McCombs, a 
 broken-down old man at about thirty-nine 
 years of age. 
 
 Early in August Mr. McCombs sent a 
 cable to his law partner, requesting him to 
 call at the White House and inform the 
 President of his final decision not to accept 
 the French Ambassadorship. 
 
 Shortly thereafter it was necessary for 
 me to depart for home, and upon reaching 
 New York I immediately called upon Mr. 
 Ryan, who exclaimed: 
 
 "Did you ever see anything like it! 
 McCombs sent me four and five cables a 
 day." 
 
 144 
 
CHAPTER V 
 Conclusion 
 
 WHEN that portion of Mr. McCombs' 
 memoirs which I had assisted him 
 in compiling was shown me I was amazed. 
 It was plainly the effort of a bitterly disap- 
 pointed person. I was aware of the futility 
 of argument, but determined, if at all possi- 
 ble, to quash the publication. I both called 
 upon and wrote Mr. Tumulty in the mat- 
 ter several times, giving him the gist of the 
 book, and in one of my communications de- 
 clared that the man who could prevail upon 
 McCombs to do away with the manu- 
 script was Hon. T. P. Gore. Mr. McCombs 
 loved the blind Senator from Oklahoma. 
 It appears that my advice was not heeded. 
 I also called to see Colonel House in the 
 matter, and he, as usual, received the news 
 
 calmly. The Colonel had been endeavor- 
 10 145 
 
WILLIAM F. McCOMBS 
 
 ing to assist Mr. McCombs in many matters 
 of patronage. Presently he stated : 
 
 "What a tragedy! He is making it im- 
 possible for me to help him." 
 
 The Colonel always had a deep affection 
 for Mr. McCombs, stood by him during the 
 campaigns, and to the last ditch in the dis- 
 cussions relative to the personnel of the 
 President's cabinet. 
 
 Let me also state, in justice to Mr. 
 McAdoo, that he never raised a finger 
 against the unfortunate man at any time. 
 He was kind and big-hearted. 
 
 Poor McCombs — few seemed to under- 
 stand his condition, but let it never be for- 
 gotten that William F. McCombs was 
 Manager of the campaign that resulted in 
 the nomination of Governor Wilson. 
 
 William F. McCombs was Chairman of 
 
 the Democratic National Committee and 
 
 gave the best that was in him during the 
 
 Presidential Campaign, which resulted in 
 
 the election of Woodrow Wilson. 
 
 146 
 
THE PRESIDENT MAKER 
 
 Mr. McCombs became desperately ill 
 while working in Governor Wilson's behalf. 
 
 Woodrow Wilson denied the young Presi- 
 dent Maker the reward that he sought and 
 hoped for, until at last heart-broken, sick, 
 and weary he found solace in that land 
 
 Where falls not hail, or rain, or 
 
 any snow, 
 Nor ever wind blows loudly, but 
 
 it lies 
 Deep-meadow'd, happy, fair with 
 
 orchard lawns 
 And bowery hollows crown'd with 
 
 summer sea. 
 
 147 
 

(& 
 
14 DAY USE 
 
 RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED 
 
 LOAN DEPT. 
 
 p "*»THrfiiiMTi i i,; , i . „ 
 
 ite recall. 
 
 ^5^Sp ::SSIBa ^" 
 
 IN 
 
 mm 
 
 n 1QR7 
 
 tOAtt 
 
 S£P5 
 
 T35B- 
 
 4N-STACKS 
 
 jUH^se^ 
 
 mrrj 
 
 1968 
 
 ~wmm 
 
 fifCClftC 
 
 flp R 8 7985 
 
 
 JiiLxsjafii 
 
 LD 21A-50m-ll,'62 
 (D3279sl0)476B 
 
 General Library 
 
 University of California 
 
 Berkeley 
 
ffifi&&K>iSSir?*m 
 
 YB 08393 
 
 q 
 
 GENERAL LIBRARY -U.C.BERKELEY 
 
 BD00?7133fi