The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-26
CHAPTER XCITI-

Well Colonel Roosevelt has yielded
at last to the pressure of his Jealous
but unwise friends, and today an
nounces that he will accept the nomi-
nation for president If it is rendered
to him.
History repeats itself ones idols
or ideals are almost sure at some
stage of time to shock or to be shat
tered.
This writer has always tried to be
a sincere friend and admirer of Roose-
welt. He is likely to continue such
efforts. which have as a rule. been
easy of action.
Being such friend and admirer,
he was naturally disappointed that
Colonel Roosevelt succuInbed to a
pressure, which in this opinion, is not
genuine and sincere and is not based
upon good judgment, good government
or good politics. Every unprejudiced
and unbiased friend of Roosevelt must
at once be struck with the inconsis-
tency between the pronounced and
emphatic statements made by him on
the eve of his election in 1904. reit-
Grated in 1907, with the statement
made by him today.
Whatever explanations may be given
they are inconsistent, and to that ex-
tent WILL in a political way, turn his
friends against him and operate tow
ard his defeat for the Republican NOM
ination in June next.
Let the reader carefully note the ex-
plicit and definite expressions below:
"On the 4th of March next I shall
have served three and half years,
and this three and a half years con-
stitute my first term. The wise GUS
tom which limits the president to two
terms regards the substance and not the
form and under no circumstances viii
[ be Il candidate for or accept another
nomination. '-Theodore Roosevelt Nov
L have not changed and shall not
change that decision thus announced
Theodore Roosevelt, Dec II, 1907
Then read what Colonel Roosevelt
says today.
81 absolutely agree with you that
this matter is not one to be decided |
with any reference to the personal
preferences or interests of any man, !
but purely from the standpoint of the
int erests of the people as a whole. / |
will accept the nomination for presi- |
dent if it is rendered to me and will |
adhere to this decision until the con-
Vention has expressed its preference |
One of the chief principles for which |
have stood and for which l now
stand and which l have always en- |
deavored and always shall endeavor |
to reduce to action, is the genuine |
rule of the people; and, therefore [ !
hope that so far as possible the peo- |
pie may be given the chance, through |
direct primaries, to express their |
preference as to who shall be the
nominee of the Republican presiden- |
tial convention.
In one instance he says, The wise |
custom which limits the president to |
two terms regards the substance. and |
not the form. and under no circum-
stances will I be a candidate for, or
accept another nomination" In the |
other he says: Il will accept the NOM
ination if it is rendered to me-"
The two are incomp atib1e, excuse |
them as you may.
It will be said, of course, only in ex
tenuation however. that President
Roosevelt, when he made the first
meant that he would not
be candidate for a third consecu-
tive term; but he is an adept at ex
pressing himself in the English Ian
guage, and if he had meant this, he
would have said SO, and made the
statement that he would not be a can
didate to succeed himself. but he evil
IDENTIFY meant exactly what his state
ment said. that under no circum-
stances would he again accept another
nomination.
1t is TO be said. of course, that
crisis in the history of the nation might
arise that would render even so strong
a statement as Roosevelt made in 1904 t
Conditions could be con-
ceived by which national duty might |
almost require the ignoring of such 4
statement and Roosevelt shirks no !
duty, but certainly no such crisis exists
today.
In other words. the state Journal be-
Iieves that Colonel RooseveIt's state
ment today is not only unwarranted. /
but unknd, and will cause his defeat /
for the nomination.
President Taft has made a good
president. but he has offended some
politicians He has not appointed
them to offices they desire, he has not
them in his cabinet he has
not always appointed whom they rec
commended, he has removed some of
them from office. This applies to
James A. Garfield to Clifford Pinchot
to Governor Stubs. and to certain
other candidates for office. who have
been possessed with an erroneous i'm
preston that because of Colonel
Roosevelt's great popularity as an
American idol, he could pull ticket
more effectively that could
President Taft.
The state journal believes that all
of these people are mistaken. The
great American people are not sacri-
hcing their opinions and their posi-
ton as voters to enable some promi-
nent people to secure revenge, or to
get even with. or to punish President
fl because he would not be tract