Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-06
ROOSEVELT TO MUNSEY.

oyster Bay, n. y, March 5.-Re-
ports that the Roosevelt movement
was making steady progress were
brought to Colonel Roosevelt, today
and when he returned to oyster Bay,
tonight, from New York he had the
air of a man well satisfied with the
days work In addition to hearing the
situation in various parts of the eoun-
try described by his visitors, Colonel
Roosevelt made a lengthy contribution
to the campaign literature of the day.
He gave out letter which he wrote
last January to Frank A. Munsey,
the publisher in which he said that
while he would not be a candidate for
the nomination in 1872 he would not
make a statement which would make
it difficult for him to accept the nomi-
nation. Colonel Roosevelt expressed
the hope that this would go along way
toward settling the question whether
he had broken his word by saying,
last week, that he would accept thu
nomination if it were offered to him.
The point to which the colonel call
ed attention was that while he had
said he would not be d candidate for
the nomination. he was saying at the
time that he would not withdraw him
self definitely from the field. He takes
the ground that it involved no change
Of position therefore for him to an
nounce his readiness to accept the
nomination.
The colonel was asked whether he
was going to the Chicago convention
| 10 fight it out.
why no" he responded Il haven't
even thought of it: of course not"
He said too that he had no intention
Of attending the New York state con
vention at Rochester.
The Letter.
The text in part of the letter to Mr..
Munsey which Colonel Roosevelt gave
out, TO-DAY is as follows:
You say that my keeping silence
leads to miseonstruction and gives OPP
p9rtunity for my enemies to make
every kind of false statement about
me, and to create in the minds of the
people false impression of me; some
good people being led by my silence
into the belief that it is useless to try
to nominate me because | would GER
tainly refuse and others being mis-
led into the belief that / am under
handedlY intriguing for what 1 dare
not openly ask; so that the impress
sion on the public is detrimental to
me.
MY dear sir, I entirely agree with
YOU rs to the fact that my silence is
deliberately misrepresented by my
enemies. with the purpose of confus-
| ing good people and getting them to
| take Il wrong view; and moreover, |
entirely agree with you that this pur-
pose is ut least partly achieved
81 Personally | think that any
| other course than the one | am adopt
| ing would at present lead to even more
| misrepresentation and misjudgment
| than actually exist. As ! have again
and again said ! am delighted to state
| my position fully and frankly, not on
! IT, TO any sincere and honest support
| er. but to any sincere and honest OPP
ponent. I have said the same
! things to Secretary Stimson, Secretary
| Meyer and Congressman Longworth
who are supporting Taft; to Mr.
Pinchot and Congressman Lenroot
and Kent. who are supporting La Fol-
lttte. | have said them to editors
| like Mr.. Nelson, Mr.. Van Valkenburg
and Mr. Wright; | practically said
! them to the entire Adm Club, Demo-
Gratis, Republicans, every one. / am
not and shall not be Il candidate. l
| shall not seek the nomination nor
would | accept it If it came to me as
the result of an intrigue. But l Will
not tie my hands by a statement
which would make it difficult or i'm
! possible for me to serve the public
by undertaking a great task if the
people as a whole seemed definitely to
come to the conclusion that L ought
to do that task. In other words. as far
as in me lies / am endeavoring to
look at this matter purely from the
standpoint of the public interest. of
the interest of the people as a whole
and not in the least from my own
standpoint.
IF l should consult only my own
| pleasure and interest | should most
nounce that l would under no cireum
| stances run. / have had all the honor
that any man can have from holding
| the office of President. From every
personal standpoint there is nothing
for me to gain, either in running for
the Office or in holding the office once
more, and there is much to lose.
! Under such circumstances If | con-
suited only my own interest, the oh
Vious thing to do would be to an
nounce that l would not obey any
popular mandate, that I would not run
ii nominated. / shall not follow this
Continued on Page Seven.)