clean-cut, plainly garbed man, who now stood before me, cool and smiling?
My first reaction of regret came when he uttered these words:

I feel the responsibility of the occasion. Responsibility is
proportionate to opportunity. It is a great opportunity to serve the
State and Nation. I did not seek this nomination, I have made no
pledge and have given no promises. If elected, I am left absolutely
free to serve you with all singleness of purpose. It is a new era when
these things can be said, and in connection with this I feel that the
dominant idea of the moment is the responsibility of deserving. I will
have to serve the state very well in order to deserve the honour of
being at its head.... Did you ever experience the elation of a great
hope, that you desire to do right because it is right and without
thought of doing it for your own interest? At that period your hopes
are unselfish. This in particular is a day of unselfish purpose for
Democracy. The country has been universally misled and the people have
begun to believe that there is something radically wrong. And now we
should make this era of hope one of realization through the Democratic
party.

I had another reaction of regret when he said:

"Government is not a warfare of interests. We shall not gain our ends by
heat and bitterness." How simple the man, how modest, how cultured!
Attempting none of the cheap "plays" of the old campaign orator, he
impressively proceeded with his thrilling speech, carrying his audience
with him under the spell of his eloquent words. How tense the moment! His
words, spoken in tones so soft, so fine, in voice so well modulated, so
heart-stirring. Only a few sentences are uttered and our souls are stirred
to their very depths. It was not only what he said, but the simple heart-