Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1912-02-02
WILL RUN IF CALL is CLEAR
Roosevelt Says He Would Refuse
Nomination Got by Trickery.
Especial to The Boston Herald.)


Chicago, Jan. 81 am not and
shall not be a candidate. l shall not
seek the nomination, nor will / accept
if it comes to me as the result of an
intrigue. But will not tie my hands
by statement which would make it
difficult or impossible for me to serve
the public by undertaking great task.
If the people as whole seemed def
nitely to come to the conclusion that l
ought to do that task"
This statement is printed tonight in
the Chicago Evening Post in the shape
of a special dispatch from its New York
correspondent.
These actual words are being said by
Theodore Roosevelt today, says the dis
patch, in letters and interviews, in
statements to those whom he deems
"sincere and honest supporters, or sin
cere and honest opponents. They are
part of remarkable definition of his
exact personal position that has been
known to his personal friends for some
time.
In summary, the colonel declares him
self willing to take the Republican
nomination, although he might have
much to lose and little to gain in repu-
tation by so doing, if the people unmis-
takably declare their belief that he is
the man to do the big jobs that face the
nation.
He makes no attack on Mr.. Taft, in
deed, in one statement he is known to
have called the latter's nomination
probable. And he is making it clear
ly evident that he will countenance
neither trickery nor abuse against his
successor. If the nomination is to come
to himself he wants it to come with
"clean hands.
AS to the third term argument. Mr..
Roosevelt is saying that he stands by
his declaration that the second elective
term talk is a bubble. But he adds
that when man once leaves the presi-
dency the third term rule does not op-
crate against his running again.
The colonel's own words are:
AS far as in me lies | am endeavor-
ing to look at this matter purely from
the standpoint. of the people as whole,
and not in the least from my own stand
point.
eff l should consult only my own
pleasure and interest, / should most en-
phatically and Immediately announce
that would under no circumstances
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 very much to lose.
If, as | deem probable, Mr.. Taft is
nominated and my name continues to
be mentioned, my opponents will all say
that | secretly or openly strove for the
nomination and was defeated. If Mr..
La Toilette is nominated the same thing
will be said.
"If the utterly unexpected happens,
and l am nominated, l may very proba-
bly, be defeated, in which case | shall be
not only assailed, but derided. If won,
| should take Office carrying a burden
for which l am not responsible and fac
ing conditions such as to make it almost
certain not only that l should not be
able to accomplish all that would like
to accomplish, but that should be Sc
verely condemned, probably by con-
siderable majority of the people, for
failure to accomplish what it would
probably be beyond the power of any
human being to accomplish.
Six Governors Unite in Boom for