The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-07-18
ROOSEVELT DENIES THAT HE
BLOCKED OTHER CANDIDATES.

~
Des Moines, Ia.-To put an end
to statements persistently made that
Theodore Roosevelt at Chicago re-
fused to consider any proposition
for a compromise, thus blocking the
candidacy of Senator Cummins, jam
es M. Pierce, editor of the Iowa
Homestead. sent the following tele-
gram to Roosevelt this morning:
Theodore Roosevelt, New York:
The positive statement is being made
here in Des Moines that a PROPOSE
ton was made to you by the Taft
people directly and unequivocally
that if you would withdraw from the
presidential contest Cummins should
be nominated without and conditions
whatever. The further statement is
made that this was put up to you
not once but twice or three times
and that you declined each time the
proposition. What is the truth about
the statement? Wire my expense.
"(Signed) James M. PIERCE"
Roosevelt Makes Reply.
Mr.. Roosevelt's reply to the Pierce
telegram was as follows:
James M. Pierce, Des Moines:
1 IIe Observation-Disclosures VI lit SIdIeulGlIJ
is sufficiently shown by the fact that
the identical claim is made that at
that identical time the same offer
fas made to me in connection with
Governor Hadley. AS a matter OF
fact 40 offer was made to ME by
anyone authorized to speak for the
Taft people on behalf of any third
candidate. Various propositions were
informally made to me under cir
cumstances that did not convince me
that those making them were acting
in good faith or had the power to
carry out their promises, and gener-
ally with assurances that IL l would
accept them l would myself be NOM
mated.
81 answered to them all that /
was interested primarily in the prin-
ciple and only secondarily in myself
or any other possible candidate.
What l insisted upon was purging
the roll. l stated that if any sufficient
number of Taft delegates would join
with us in purging the roll and seat
ing the honestly elected delegates
would gladly abide by whatever the
convention might do. my only reser-
walton being that / would not give
my personal support to Mr.. Taft on
account of his conduct in endeavor-
ing to secure the nomination by inn
proper means
Friends of Senator Cummins and
Governor Hadley came to me at the
same time, each assuring me at that
very moment that the Taft men, or
some of them, were willing to nom
mate both Mr.. Cummins and Mr.,
Hadley, the friends of each being OF
course ignorant that the identical
proposition held out to them was al
the same time being held out to
friends of the other, and as l believe.
to friends of various other men. But
in any event, as l was fighting for q
principle (the principle that the viii.
of the people should be respected anG
therefore that the roll should be
purged) it would have been an act
of imfamy to have acquiesced in the
nomination of anybody until the rol
was purged, and no honest man coult
have expected me to do 80.
II may add hat four-fifths of my
supporters, if / had consented to any
such improper action, would have re
fused to follow me AS you know,
publicly stated that l would not
accept the nomination myself an(
would not support any man who
was nominated unless the roll were
purged. l may add that l was clearly
given to understand that if l would
let my name go before the con
vention l would be nominated any
how, to which 1 answered a statee
above, that ! would not accept the
nomination unless the roll were
purged.
Theodore Roosevelt