Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-03-05
WOULD SIMPLY ACCEPT"
ALL OF HIS GOOD, UNDERSTAND
ING FRIENDS, HE HAS Nj.
WAYS TOLD YVES"
He Asked PREVENTION"
Within the Last Few Months, How
ever, lie Has Come 10 a "COn-
cluslon," According 10 Him.

OYSTER BAY. March 4--Colonel
Roosevelt said today it was perfectly
true that he had said that he would
not be a candidate in 1912.
He had made that statement tO|
many persons, he said, hUt had not de-
clared he would not accept the nomi-
nation II it were rendered him. lie
drew distinction between becoming
candidate and being willing to ac-
cept the nomination.
The colonel made it plain that ho
saw nothing in the Van Nleckenberg
matter, wherein he said he would not
be a candi date In 1912, to conflict With
his recent statement that he would
become the nominee or the party If
his party asked it.
What He Has to Say.
Colonel Roosevelt's position in the
matter is set forth in a statement
which he gave out today, explaining
the circumstances which induced him
to write to Mr.. Van Cleckenberg. This
is the statement:
"At that time persistent efforts had
been made from Washington to con-
vince the progressves that | was real.
ly supporting Mr.. Taft. on this par
tIcular occasion, the statement was
made with the greatest eXplicltness.
l promptly denied the statement, aud
was assured on the one hand that II
had been inspired from the White
House, and assured on the other hand
| that 1t had not been. but was made
purely on the part of the press The
press people assured me that they
We're not responsible for the false
statements, and as it will he seen by
reference to the letter, Mr.. Noyes was
quoted as having gotten the informa-
ton from other sources. l do not
| know who gave out this letter. but !
am certain 1t was not Mr.. Van Week
enberg, for l know him to be an hon.
orable man.
Everything TO "Prevent" II.
ITO all who were at that time writ
Ing to me to be n candidate, | ans
| wered that | would not be. TO all who
| asked whether | would accept If nom-
mated. l answered yes, II knew them
sufficiently well to be sure that they
would understand; otherwise, I said
simply that I would not cross that
bridge until ! came to II. and In most
cases, If the man was at all a close
personal friend l told him that |
counted on his doing everything pos
sible to prevent any movement look
ing to my nomination.
at was not until the last three OF
four months that / was obliged to
come to the conclusion that there was
real demand among the people as
whole for my nomination, which did
not come in anyway from any person.
al friends of mlne, and was neither in.
spired nor engineered by them. When
] became convinced that this popular
demand was real and was consider
able, and when the governors of sew
eral states. Increased by this time 10
ten, l may mention, incidentally, ask
ed me whether l would accept II
nominated. answered yes | added
an expression of my wishes. that /
was sorry 1t was impossible that q
| primary could not be held.
'If the people do not wish me to
serve most certainly do not wish to
serve If they do desire that l under
take in their interest a great task. l
shall do so, and shall perform II with
whatever courage and ability ! pos
sess. Whether there will be such an
exhibition of the people. cannot say
as where there are no preferential
primaries. II seems To often to be the
case that the effort of the political
leaders is not to give expression to the
popular will, but to thwart It in every
way possible