Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-04
DENIES HE SAID
WOULD HELP TAFT
Text of Letter Written by
Roosevelt Last
Year.
ADDRESSED TO EDITOR
OF NORTH AMERICAN
Declares Story Was Invention and
Press Was Misinformed.
WOULD NOT BE A CANDIDATE
Tells of His Having So Informed
Secretaries Meyer and Stimson
and Others of His
Determination.

NEW YORK, March 4.-The full text
of the letter showing that Col. Roosevelt
gave assurances to Secretary Stimson
and Secretary Meyer and others last June
that he would not be a candidate is in
circulation here today. The letter, ad-
dressed to Managing Editor Van Valken-
burg of the Philadelphia North Ameri-
can read as follows:
June -. 1911.
My Dear Mir. Van Valkenburg:
Il am really obliged to You. Now will
YOU not give Mr.. McClatchy from me
copy of this letter that l am writing to
you and also send copy of the letter to
Mr. Frank 3. Moves? Mr.. McClatchy
states that Mr.. Noyes informed him.
anent the story sent out by the A p
that Mr.. Roosevelt had pledged himself
10 support Taft for second term:
that he tMr. Noyes) had the same infor-
nation from sources entirely independent
of those from which the Associated
Press received the story.
Mr. Moves states that he understood
that / did so express myself to member
of the cabinet and also to an insurgent
senator. and says that he believes that
President Taft thinks that he has assur
ances of support from me. Mir. Moves
adds that he explains my denial on the
theory that / had explained my attitude
confidentially. and felt entitled to deny
il when 1t was given publicity.
No Truth in Statement.
VIII you tell Mr.. McClathy and Mr..
Noyes from me Tor send them copies of
this letter., that Mr.. Moves Is absolutely
and completely misinformed, and that
there is not one particle of truth in the
statements made to him which he thus
repeated to Mr.. McClathy. The only
two members of the cabinet to whom
have recently spoken are Messrs. Meyer
and Stimson
The former wrote me and the later
informed me verbally what in each case
l knew already. that neither of them
had made any such statement to MI
Taft or to any one else, and that both
of them understood perfectly clearly that
l was not going to support any man for
the nomination in 1872, neither Mr.. Tart
nor any one else. The insurgent senator
of whom Mr.. Moves speaks Is as wholly
lister of whom he speaks
.Iie cannot give the name of that In
Surgent senator or find 1t out, Tor he
viii find that his informant will not give
il / made no such statement to any in
surgent senator or to any cabinet minis
Ter. or to any other human being.
Deliberate Invention.
THE simple fact is that these stories
are not misunderstanding. they are delib
crate inventions. Mr.. Noyes is entirely
in error in stating that President Taft
thinks he has assurances of support from
me.
Mr. Taft thinks nothing of the kind.
lie knows he has no assurances of sup
port from me: and neither Mr.. NOyeS nor
any one else has one least little particle
Of ground for the opinion thus expressed.
i at first thought that the story in Gues-
ton was given out from the White House,
bat am now assured that it was gotten
up and given out by the Associated Press
representative ut the White House, and
from Mr.. Moves statement ] should
gather that this was true.
! wish Mr.. Noyes. president OF the
Associated Press, to know that the stcry
Was not misunderstanding. was not
based upon isinformation. but was de-
hbcrate invention. made out OF whole
Cloth. without one particle of basis be-
yond the imagination Of the man who
made it.
Not Candidate.
Il have expressed myself perfectly
freely to large number of men in this
matter. always to the same effect; telling
you, for instance, personally, and those
who were with you at lunch at my house,
and telling Clifford Pnchot, Jim Garfield
and Rep. Madison and Billy Loeb and
Secretary Meyer and Secretary Stimson
all alike, just exactly what ] have said
always that . would not he q candidate
I'm 1912 my self and that I had NO In
trntiOn Of taking any part in the nOmf-
nation for ar against any candidate.
"StncereIy yours,
tSigDedb
"THEODORE ROOSEy ELT.',