Vice President Hobart had died in late 1899 . President McKinley was content to leave the choice of a vice presidential candidate for 1900 to the upcoming Republican convention . New York Senator Platt disliked his state 's governor , former Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt , who had pursued a reformist agenda in his year and a half in office . Platt hoped to sideline Roosevelt politically by making him vice president . Roosevelt was a popular choice in any event because of his well-publicized service during the Spanish – American War , and Platt had little trouble persuading state delegations to vote for Roosevelt after McKinley 's renomination . Quay was a close Platt ally in the effort to make Roosevelt vice president . Hanna , who felt Roosevelt was overly impulsive , did not want him on the ticket , but did not realize that the efforts were serious until he was already at the convention in Philadelphia . As many of the delegates were political appointees , Hanna hoped to persuade McKinley to use patronage to get the delegates to vote for another candidate . After emerging from the telephone booth from which he had tried and failed to get McKinley to agree , Senator Hanna stated , " Do whatever you damn please ! I 'm through ! I wo n't have anything more to do with the convention ! I wo n't take charge of the campaign ! I wo n't be chairman of the national committee again ! " When asked what the matter was , Hanna replied , On his return to Washington after the convention nominated McKinley and Roosevelt , Hanna wrote to the President , " Well , it was a nice little scrap at Phila delphia . Not exactly to my liking with my hand tied behind me . However , we got through in good shape and the ticket is all right . Your duty to the country is to live for four years from next March . " The Democrats nominated Bryan a second time at their convention . This time , Bryan ran with a broader agenda , and attacked McKinley as an imperialist for taking the Spanish colonies . The Democratic candidate also urged increased use of the antitrust laws , and alleged that McKinley had been lax in their enforcement . Hanna summed up the Republican campaign in four words , " Let well enough alone . " Hanna was called upon to do only small amounts of fundraising this time : no great educational campaign was required , and the corporations were willing to give . The President gave only one speech , the formal acceptance of his nomination in Canton in July . Roosevelt , on the other hand , traveled widely across the nation giving speeches . The New Yorker traveled in the campaign , reaching 24 of the 45 states . Hanna was now a public figure , and wanted to campaign for the Republicans in the western states . McKinley , however , was reluctant , as Hanna had varied from the administration 's position on trusts in a recent speech . McKinley sent Postmaster General Charles Emory Smith to Chicago , where Hanna then was , to talk him out of the trip . Hanna rapidly discerned that Smith had been sent by the President , and told him , " Return to Washington and tell the President that God hates a coward . " McKinley and Hanna met in Canton several days later and settled their differences over lunch . Hanna made his speaking tour in the West . According to Hanna biographer Thomas Beer , Hanna 's tour was a great success , though many viewers were surprised he did not wear suits decorated with the " dollar mark "
the upcoming Republican convention
1900 Republican National Convention
Mark Hanna