The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-09-18
ROOSEVELT ASKED
BURTON TO RUN
THE PRESIDENT ENDORSES CON.
CHEESEMAN'S CANDIDACY
FOR MAYOR OF CLEVELAND.
Burton Says the Sole object Of His
Campaign Is to Free the City
from the Alleged Ring Rule Of
Mayor johnson.

Cleveland, Sept 1S.-Congressman
Theodore E. Burton last night issued
a statement commenting on the social
ed national phases of the coming mu-
nicipal election I'm Cleveland I'm which
he is the republican nominee for
mayor, and making public for the first
time the letter of President Roosevelt
urging him to accept the republican
leadership In opposition to Mayor
Johnson.
Mr.. Burton's statement, including
the letter of the president. follows:
AN erroneous impression has gone
forth that the mayOralty campaign
here is to an exceptional extent com.
pfcated with national politics Such Is
not the case The all-suillCipnt reason
for my candidacy is the local situation
Unless am grossly deceived, existing
conditions under the present city adj
ministration demand immediate and
radical reform. The aim of the cam
paign in which am engaged Is TO re-
deem the city OF Cleveland from the
administration of ring.
"fhe specious claim has been made
that the main desire of the present al.
ministration Is TO give the people Of
Cleveland cheap street car fare Under
cover of this slogan there has been
built up In Cleveland a tremendous po.
litical machine Every department of
the city government has been utilized
to perpetuate its power. Favors have
been granted and bargains made
wherever political support could be
obtained Influences are being exert
ed through the police and building de.
partments, among contractors who
have dealings with the city and by an
army of city employees with an arbi.
trariness and a resort to questionable
methods never surpassed in any Amer.
lean municipality.
1T is not the object of those who
stand with me on the ticket to substi-
tuto one political ring for another, but
to give better administration to the
city OF Cleveland-one not subversiye
of the fundamental ideas Of popular
control and in which all interests, in
Guiding street railway corporations
shall be treated without favor or preiu
dice.
Il should have been extremely re-
luctant TO have turned aside from ma
tional politics without the approval Of
President Roosevelt and Secretaries
Taft and Garfield. For this reason
have communicated with each of them.
Their friendly advice has come 10 me
on my solicitation, and there has been
no attempt at interference The fol
lowing is the letter received from
President Roosevelt:
"'Oyster Bay, n. Y, Aug. 80, 1907.
"'My Dear Mr.. Burton:
"'You put a hard question to me in
your letter 10 Mr. Loeb. There are
certain qualities of leadership you pos.
sess which could not be supplied by
anyone else in the house, and you have
a mastery of certain subjects such as
no other man in the house can hope TO
attain. For you TO leave the house,
therefore, would mean that i'm certain
lines of leadership there would be a
loss that cannot be made up. ] would
therefore be tempted to protest against
your leaving, II II were not for my pro
found conviction that il Is exceedingly
desirable that you should win out as
mayor OF Cleveland. In view of the
fact that our democratic system un-
dergoes its most severe strain in the
government of our cities. feel that It
Is OF the utmost importance TO have a
man of your experience power and
character, of your long training, theo-
retical and practical in public life,
take such a position as that of the
mayoralty Of Cleveland. Accordingly,
II you ask my advice | should say.
make the fight.
with all good wishes, believe me
faithfully yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Beth Secretaries Taft and Garfield
have strongly advised me to enter the
contest for the mayoralty; the former
by letter and telegram; the latter in a
personal conversation