The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1912-12-13
MISQUOTED AGAIN.

A defeated bull moose candidate for
governor of one of the down eastern
states announced the other day that
Colonel Roosevelt recently declared
that 'he would not be a candidate for
president again in 1916" We don't
believe the colonel said anything of
the kind. The gentleman who made
the announcement either misunder-
stood Mr.. Roosevelt or else he DELHI
erately misquoted him. In fact we
are prepared to authOratively deny
that the former president employed
the language attributed to him. In
fairness to Mr.. Roosevelt and to the
American people as well as for the
sake of eternal truth we give the ex-
act words used by the colonel rela-
tive to his attitude in 1916, which all
must understand will be precisely the
same as it was throughout the cam
paign of 1912. Instead of saying that
''he would not be a candidate for pres
ident again in 1916" Mr.. Roosevelt
said that "he will not be a candidate
for president in 1916" Note the en-
phatic difference. Do not permit your
selves to get confused about the real
meaning of those words and do the
colonel the greviOus injustice that he
labored under throughout the recent
campaign. Remember that above all
things else 4. r. is consistent. Never
once did he change his position from
the time of his earliest public state
ment in 1911 about his attitude to-
wards the presidential nomination in
1912. He said that he would not be a
candidate, and when he tossed his hat
into the ring he made 1t plain that he
was not candidate, but that he would
accept the nomination il it were
thrust upon him. He maintained this
position throughout the following
months with the strictest consistency.
Never once did he vary from the
course he SO plainly marked for him
self. The campaign that he waged SO
actively was not for the nomination
or election but for the principles that
he had so long cherished. Thus it can
be seen how absurdly or else mali
ciously was he misquoted when he
was made to say that ''he would not
be candidate for president again in
1916" Why, that would be giving the
lie to his whole course during the
campaign just closed, and everybody
knows that the colonel never crosses
his trail in that way. Above all else
he is man of his word, and when 1t
comes to dealing with the American
people, he is the last person in these
United States who can honestly be
charged with practicing chicanery and
deceit
Let us now resolve to clear away
all chance of doubt or misapprehen-
sion and also relieve dear old DR..
Abbott of the necessity of drinking a
fourth cup Of coffee by way of demon
stration. Be 1t understood now and
henceforth without equivocation or
reservation that Colonel Roosevelt
said that "he will not be a candidate
for president in 1916" Just that and
nothing more. 1t Is as straightfor-
ward as European politics. and as def
mite as the democratic tariff policy.
We know now that MIR. Roosevelt will
not be candidate for the presidency
in 1916 any more than he was in 1912,
and also that he will accept both the
nomination and the Office in 1915 If
they are thrust upon him, just as he
endeavOred to make us understand
that he was willing to do in this year
of grace.
Remember this always. Never be-
lieve anything you see or hear quoted
from Colonel Roosevelt, and when the
Colonel, himself, speaks don't try to
reach conclusion as to his meaning
until he interprets his language into
performance. Even then it is wise to
keep your fingers crossed. jr