Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1912-02-01
ROOSEVELT WILL
ACCEPT THE CALL
Abbott Tells Governor Stokes
Colonel Will Take
Nomination.
STATEMENT IS POSITIVE
President of the Outlook Committee
Speaks in Answer to Letter
from E. c. Stokes.

IlSutOn, jail OU.- IL 10 lOl Lin
party and his country and not for Col
onel Roosevelt to decide the question
of whether he is again to be candi-
date for the presidency. If they de-
eide to nominate him l am sure he
will accept He will no more decline
their call than he would decline to
enlist if needed in time of war"
The above quotation is part of
formal, written statement over the sig
nature of Lawrence F. Abbott, presi-
dent of The Outlook Company, of
which Colonel Roosevelt is contribut-
ing editor, sent today to former Gov
ernor E. C. Stokes who made it pub
lie. This is the most authoritative an
nouncement of Colonel Roosevelt's at
titude.
The letter in full follows:
THE Outlook, 2S7 Fourth Avenue,
New York, January 20.
MY Dear Governor:
I'm answer to your letter in which
you ask me as one of Mr.. Roosevelt's
associates whether he would accept
the nomination for the presidency, /
can state my views of the situation in
a few words. l have no authority to
speak for him and what / say is my
own individual opinion. But l have
had some exceptional opportunities,
during the last two years not only to
learn his political principles, but to
see at times the intimate working of
his mind, and l believe / clearly un-
derstand his attitude with regard to
the discussion of his name as presi-
Dental possibility
IF Mr.. Roosevelt is ever elected
President again, it will not be be-
cause he seeks or wants the office, it
will be because the country wants
him in the Office to perform certain
job. He has had all the political and
official honor that any man can pos
sibly want He accepted a nomina-
ton for the vice presidency in 1900
when such nomination was thought
to be equivalent to political oblivion
and although he wanted to run again
for Governor of the State of New
York, in order to complete some i'm
portant work in that office. But his
friends told him that it was his duty
to sacrifice himself in order to
strengthen Mr.. McKinley's nomination
and the campaign for sound money
and national financial honor. He ac-
cepted the nomination on that ground
although at the time both his friends
and his enemies said that 1t would
mean the end of his political career.
1T did not end his career, however,
for in 1904 he was nominated prac-
tically without opposition and elected
by an overwhelming majority.
I'm 1908 he not only declined but
put stop to his denomination at a
time when such nomination was
equivalent to an election.
What possible incentive can there
be to a man with his record of both
European and American achievements
and honors to enter the arduous, dis
agreeable and often disastrous con-
tests into which the candidate who
struggles for the presidency is in
evitably plunged?
81 am convinced that he does not
desire the nomination and will enter
no contest to obtain it. But / am
equally convinced that if his country
men have still further need of his
services as their chief executive, he
will no more decline their call than
he would decline to enlist if needed in
time of war. 1t is, however, for his
party and his country and not for him
to decide the question. If they decide
to nominate him l am sure he would
accept, if they elect him I am sure he
will serve,
II base my opinion upon his own
words. On the 18th of June, 1910
when he arrived in New York on his
return from Africa, he replied to
Mayor Gaynor's address of welcome
as follows:
Il am ready and eager to do my
part, so far as l am able, in helping