Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1912-05-09
10 NOT A CANDIDATE FOR PLACE
ON ANY TICKET; GOVERNOR,
vicE-PRGsipENT OR DELEGATE.
CLEARLY STATES THAT HE WILL
RETIRE DECEMBER 81.
What He Has Tried to Accomplish,
What His Purpose Was. His Hopes,
and What He Believes In Arc
Fully Set Forth.
To the People Of Michigan

time. This Is my reply TO hundreds |
of letters, personal requests. inquiries
OF delegations and Endorsements OF
counties. confess that am person
ally gratified by the active insistence
Of 30 many that l should become a
candidate.
| do not desire ONCE have at no
time thought OF going or have spoken
voluntarily TO anybody OF going as
delegate TO the Republican National
Convention. / have at no time thought
of being a candidate for the vice
presidency. In other words | am in
exactly the same frame OF mind that
| was in on December 6. 1910. when !
announced that I would not be a can
didate for a second term.
knew at that time practically
what my program OF endeavor would
be. have already succeeded In do
Ing more than I ever hoped to accom-
plish. The greatest service that / ex-
pect to be able to perform Ia to con-
vince the people OF the State OF Mich
igan that we are nearing the threshold
OF a new era, wherein citizens will
have q higher idea of their duties and
unselfish service will be their chiefest
reward and happiness, and when they
will do things without any thought OF
acquiring issues with which they may
be perpetuated in ONCE and power.
have been most Unexpectedly
criticized. For the most part those
who have opposed me have been hon
est, think. They have known only
the habits and methods OF yesterday,
| when II was common for men to hold
once for the purpose OF satisfying
| lust for ONCE and for serving the few
! for profit rather than the many for
| patriotism. This led to a general
| doubling OF men In public office
When stated that would be can
didate for only one term great car
| toonist drew q picture OF previous
governors arising in their graves with
such violence as to overturn their
headstones. l do not wish them to
arise again and cry out False
alarm"
do not know whether / can con-
vey my thoughts TO you or not, but
believe there are many men now, and
there will be An increasing number
In every part Of our nation. who will
Hnd their preatest happiness in un'
selfish service Rich men are slowly
admitting, but more generally than
ever before, that the pursuit Of the
Jack O. lantern of wealth does not
lead to contentment or Joy. They
must turn elsewhere. A new and bet
ter spirit Is developing In many Of the
departments OF life. The preacher
and priest work for the very love o.
their work, for love of their Master
and of mankind The doctor enlist,
In the same spirit, and his Hippocra
tian oath OF service is superby Ideal
Teachers are attached to their pro
, fession by love of service. Scientists
are always striving for the public
good. The lawyer In tune with tn
higher ethics of his profession feel
the same way. This spirit 10 con
, tagious and 10 attacking the ROlitica
} sphere.
. Theodore Roosevelt enlisted for III
, at twenty In the service OF the peopl
: for either war or peace. woodrow
: Wilson told me a few months ag
that he proposed TO give up his III
J TO public service. These are two pal
, ticularly notable examples. There ar
. many more. At this point / am goin
, TO ask you to permit me to break 4
4 with the statement that i hope tn
= Republicans will nominate Theodor
/. Roosevelt and that the Democrats wi
!. nominate Woodrow Wilson. Which
: ever then IL elected will insure a
administration In fullest sympath
|. with the highest welfare OF all tn
y people.
y Men build their political characte
y whether they always realize II or no
Q much as they do their financial credi
Q My own political character Is not
70 finished and secure as to permit dom
|. anything that might be permanent
. misinterpreted or misunderstood.
may be argued, and is by a gres
many who wish me to become ca
didate. that my own welfare is not
the balance. I think that is true.
n think the individual is entitled to 4
" conside Iteration In such cases and TIT
always the individual must and shou
give way for the good Of the specie
= But let us consider the subject In th'
y light for a moment.
q l was elected to the governorship
70 Republican. I have endeavored
n do a great many things not incorpo
q. ated In the Republican party pls
m form at the last Republican state co
!. vention. The Workman's Compens
ton law was, think, first advocate
publicly by me and ! was misunde
stood and criticized by my be
friends at the time. including some
q the most able men In Michigan al
a. some OF those who are now mo
Il thoroughly convinced OF Its justi6
a, Woman suffrage, which was subm
40 ted to the special session In oppo
q ton to the advice Of the acting he'
~ OF the Michigan Equal Suffrage ASH
~ citation, Ia another matter espouse
- The opposition to brewery-owned
40 looms: the fight against the outraged
70 saloon bonding company monopol
no efforts for state wide primaries; i
"a uative. referendum and recall; a
many more issues are not the
- elusive property OF any partisan
ganisation. WOULD call them pi
,. partisan. Also have appointed
o. good many Democrats to office, In
"A endeavor to make for bipartisan
- AGENCY. rss----'h'iitv and repres'