pre-Governor, Franklin D. Roosevelt, TLS 1928
                                                           October 15th, 1928
Mr. A.M. K…
Winnetka, IllinoisÂ
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 Dear Mr. K….:-
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I have not heard what decision you have made as between the two Presidential candidates, but remembering your firm belief in the policies and ideals of Woodrow Wilson, I am encouraged to hope that you have decided as I have decided - that under Governor Smith our country stands far more chance of returning to the path blazed out for us by our greatest President, than under the materialistic and self-seeking advisers who surround the other candidate; men whose influence has already made it manifest that high ideals and a forward-looking policy - notably for this country, but for the world - would stand as little chance under Mr. Hoover as they have stood under President Harding, President Coolidge and Mr. Mellon.
To me, the contemptuous casting aside of all of President Wilson’s wonderful dreams of a better world, and the substitution of crass materialism and dollar-and-cents viewpoint of everything has been a world tragedy. I know Governor Smith and I know that in his own way his interest humanity, his intolerance of the oppression of the weak and his desire to help those handicapped by circumstances has led him to the same belief as to what our country’s attitude should be, and as to how its course should be guided, as animated President Wilson.
I would deeply appreciate it if you would write me confidentially what you have decided, addressing the letter to my house, 49 East 65th Street, New York City.                                           Yours very truly,                                          signed Franklin D. Roosevelt
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End letter
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Possibly a “proxy” signature
At the 1924 Democratic Convention he dramatically appeared on crutches to nominate Alfred E. Smith as “the Happy Warrior.” In 1928 Roosevelt became Governor of New York.
In 1928, when Al Smith won the Democratic nomination for president, he persuaded FDR to run for governor of New York. Although Smith lost, FDR won. FDR established himself as a progressive governor by bringing tax relief to farmers and advocating cheap electric power. In September 1929, the stock market crashed and FDR spent the rest of his four years as governor dealing with the consequences. He moved slowly at first but as the depression worsened, he became a strong advocate of government intervention. He established relief programs for people out of work, including a program that put 10,000 men to work in New York State’s forests and parks planting trees, building roads and park buildings, and taking measures to prevent erosion. This would become the model for the CCC, one of the most successful New Deal programs.
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$350.00
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