The Washington times., 1907-12-18
NOT A CANDIDATE
FOR ANY OFFICE.
SAYS GORTELYOU
viii Make Announce
ment Openly, If at All,
He Declares.

Secretary OF the Treasury CoTtelyou,
in q public statement. declares he has
not been a candidate for any office, but
ADDS that "if IN the future 1 shall de-
eide to be a candidate for any Office 1
shall be prepared to say so frankly and
state the grounds upon which 1 ask for
support"
Whether this Is TO be regarded as in
timation tat the Secretary may later
be announced as a candidate for the
Presidency. is a matter of wide differ
ence Of opinion. The Secretary issued
his statement from his home. where ne
is I'll. and likely TO be confined for some
days, according to report.
As was set forth in The Times yes
terday, there is no probability OF n
change in the Cabinet which would at
feet Secretary Cortelyou-
New Cabinet Discussed.
Rumor has been busy invenung a new
Cabinet, but there are the best rea-
sons for saying the efforts will not sue
coed In bringing any change at this
time. Secretary CortelyOu makes clear
his belief that he has been the victim
OF rumor OF a malicious nature. and
fatty declares the charge that he has
been organizing a machine for himself
IS ''unqualihedly false"
The Cortelyou statement. OF course,
IS plainly aimed at the Taft managers
and supporters-some OF them In high
place-who have charged the Secretary
with disloyalty to the Administration
and with underground political work.
How Il will affect the sensibilites of the
raft folk is yet TO be developed
The Treasury head. in his statement.
said
i do not know that I am called
upon 10 make a statement at this time,
but in view of the various rumOrs IN
circulation as TO the alleged political ac-
tivity Of friends OF mine in my interest
] will say that / have not been a can
didate for anything but the confidence
OF the people in the discharge of my
duties as SecretdTF Of the Treasury.
Sought No Support.
81 have not in person sought. nor
have the friends whose names have
been mentioned in ithis connection
sought, to influence political movements
in my interest; l have not. nor have
they. used any. influence, directly or in
directly. 10 secure political support for
or against any candidate for the Presi-
GtIcy. and accusations that such has
been done are unqualihedly false.
In no office. IN no one Of the three
departments with which I have been
connected have I authorized or per-
mttcd officials 20 attempt 70 influence
any such movements; nor shall do so
IN common with many other citizens
I have decided views as to policies and
as TO candidates. but 1 shall refrain
from expressing them until l believe
IT is proper for me 10 do so.
Upon this statement 1 am entirely
content to leave the people to draw
their own conclusions regarding such
rUInors as those TO which l have re-
ferred
III IN the future 1 shall decide tC
Be candidate for any office, L shall
b. prepared 20 say so frankly and
state the grounds upon which I ask fol
support.
In the meantime. I shall try, az
have tried in the past, to conduct the
Treasury Department for the benefit
OF the people Of the whole country
and absolutely without regard to wheth-
eT any action 1 may take in the line
OF duty may adversely affect my per
GOn6l or political welfare.
GEO B. CORTELYOC."