The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-10-06

Will Accept But Will Not Seek q
denomination.

Rapids Herald tonight formal state
ment indicating his attitude toward q
second term. He indicates that he will
accept second term nomination mex,
fall; and, If nominated, that he will &c
into the election campaign with ali
vigor and enthusiasm. His statement,
which is self-explanatory and which il
given out in response to hundreds OF
queries from all over the state, is as
follows:
"Your request for statement from
me regarding the possibility of an Os.
born candidacy for second term as
governor is perfectly justified. 1t is no
more than fair that my friends through.
out the state should know just what
my attitude is TOWARD the splendidly
complimentary demands that have been
put up to me to permit my name to ap-
pear again in the Republican primaries.
l am glad to make this statement as an
acknowledgment of my profound ap.
probation of this public sentiment,
wherever it may exist, which at least
acknowledges that have tried to con.
scientiously do my duty as chief ex.
ecutive of this great commonwealth.
Before my Inauguration in January,
1911, / made a public statement in
which said: Il shall not be candi-
date for governor for a second term
and in connection Herewith 1 indicat-
ed, among other reasons, the sugges-
tion that l believed the governor of
Michigan should fill four-year rather
than a two-year term, and declared
that l did not want my advocacy of
that, or any other reform measure, to
be open to the insinaation that had a
personal or selfish motive in the posi-
tion assumed.
THE state legislature has not yet
heightened the term of the governor,
and will not until after the next elec.
tion; therefore any embarrassment due
to the charge that sought four year
sOA LII W iO-CiCStlOh 10 ODNldJCu. dUu
thankful that in the other measures
which l have advocated before the
legislature my position has been free
from political misconstruction; with
the result that feel less embarrassed
in that direction than ever before.
But even though the road seems
clear, ! can candidly say that my per-
sonal preference is to literally construe
my pre-inaugural interview-as some
who do not just agree with my attitude
toward public problems would be very
glad to have me do-and to lay down
the burdens of the chief magistracy of
this commonwealth at the end of my
first term. 1 have done my best for
Michigan and shall continue to do so
as long as am a public servant. 1
feel deeply the obligation of governor
to his people, and although many are
declaring to me that 1 owe it to the
state to continue in the governorship
until the reforms which have splendidly
started shall cuiminate in progressive
statute form, personally feel no such
sense of personal necessity. I know
that there is plenty of other good
gubernatorial material in the penin-
sulas. There is no such paucity of men
in Michigan that there are not many
who would do honor to the executive
Office.
Such being my personal inclinations
I shrink from a positive statement at
this hour regarding the kindly sugges-
tions that come to me regarding Sec
ond term. am too keenly apprecia-
tive, however, of the splendid loyalty
of my friends who are pressing me to
enter the field, and of the good people
of this state-many of whom have been
good enough to say they would like to
have me continue for second term
not to substantially acknowledge my
debt to them. II can pay them my
debt in any way, it must be through
service which shall justify their sym
pathetic and faithful support.
$50 say to you as / shall now say
to them: l shall not be q candidate for
governor for second term, in any such
sense as such an announcement ordi-
narily is made. shall not seek the
Office, and shall not ask single man to
seek 1t for me. / shall be happy and
content to step out of the capitol atthe
end of another year. But if my friends
insist upon presenting my name to the
primaries, shall abide by
the resultant primary referendum,
referendum during which l shall not
makes single speech or lift q single
finger in the promotion of my own per-.
sonal candidacy. If, under such cir
shall receive renomina
tion, then shall enter the election
campaign with all the vigor at my
command and seek to retain Michigan
in the Republican column, where she
rightfully belongs.
II hope this statement will not be
misconstrued. Every word Of it is sin.