The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-06
Not a Candidate" but
Feels He Is Repub-
lie an Moses.
EAGERLY READY
70 R SACRIFICE
Colonel Is Hurt at Cruel Attacks
of His Enen,ies-Pictures Him
self as Noble Patriot, Ready
to Die for His Oppressed
/. People-Will Die for
Country.

New York. March so clear VI
conflicting statements as to what h
mad said in the past in regard TO tn
nomination, Colonel Roose
welt to-day made public a letter whic
he wrote last January to Frank ;,
the publisher. Colonel Roose
velts object in giving out the con,
he said, was to refute tn
charge that he was breaking promis
In agreeing to accept the nominatio
If 1t were offered to him. Hc Gale
attention to passage |
the letter in which. while stating tina
he would not be candidate, he de
clared that ne would not 20 on recor
as being unwilling to accept the nomi
nation
TO every man talked to-" sal
Colonel Roosevelt, 81 made In sub
stance that same statement, and
made it in literally hundreds OF let
tcrs.''
Tho portion of the Munsey letter t
which the Colonel called particular al
tention follows:
The Letter.
II entirely agree with you as
to the fact that my situation is
deliberately misrepresented by my
enemies, with the purpose OF con-
tusng good people and getting
them to take a wrong view; and,
moreover. ] entirely agree with
YOU that this purpose Is at least
partly achieved. The trouble is
that. as SO often happens. this is a
case where any course pursued
would lead to Just such misrepre-
sentation; just such misJudgment:
Just such puzzli1g of the minds Of
good people. Personally. I think
that any other course than the
one 1 am adopting would lead TO
moro MISREPRESENTATION and mis-
Judgment than actually exist. AS
have again and again said, am
delighted to state my hion
fully and frankly. not only 10 any
sincere and honest supporter, but
to any sincere and honest oppo-
nent. What I have said to YOU,
and am about to say to you. have.
for instance, said not only to other
friends who think 1 ought to be
nominated. but to friends (and
even foes). who think ought not
to be nominated. provided only 1
could trust their sincerity, intel
ligence and truthfulness.
Son-in-Lar for Taft.
For instance. have said
the same things to Secretary
stimson. Secretary Meyer and
Congressman Longworth, who arc
supporting Taft; to Mr.. Pinchot
and Congressman Lenroot and
Kent. who arc supporting La Fol
letter. have said them to editors
like MT. Nelson. Mr.. Van Valken-
burg and Mr.. Wright: l practically
said Them TO the entire Aldine
Club. Democrats, Republicans.
every one. ! am not and shall not
be 8. candidate. I shall not seek
the Nomination, nor would I accept
it IL II came to me as the result
of an intrigue But | Will not tic
my hands by a statement which
would make II difficult or impoS-
sihle for me TO serve the public by
undertaking great task IL the
people 8 whole seemed definite
~ to come 10 the conclusion tbs
ought TO do that task. In 9th,
words. as far as in me lies l am
endeavorins TO look at this matter
purely from the standpoint of the
public interest. or the interest of
the people as whole, and not in
the least from my own standpoint.
Utterly Abhorrcnt to Him.
IF should consult only my own
pleasure and interest should
most emphatically and Immediately
announce that | would under no
circumstances run. have had all
the honor that any man can have
from holding the office of Presi-
dent From every personal stand
point 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.
II shall not follow this course.
because I an sincerely endcavor-
ing TO look at the matter only
from the standpoint OF the popular
interest. 1t is not only necessary
for the people 10 have the right
instrument. tho right tool. with
which to work in any given emer-
gency. but it Is necessary that
they themselves shall choose, and
shall believe In the sumciency
OF that Instrument. If. at this
particular crisis, with the par
ticular problems ahead OF us at
this particular time. the people
feel that ! am the one man in
sight TO do the job. then ! should
regard myself as Sinking plain
duty II ! refused to do It,
Willing TO Die Politically.
What am interested In. re-
member. is not in the least holding
the office. b'it doing Il Job that il
actually worth doing; this is the
position that to the beet of my
belief have always taken and
always shall take. If the people
should feel that | was the Instru-
ment to be used at this time, l
should accept even, although /
knew that ! should be broken and
cast aside in the using. The right
motto for any man is spend and
be spent. and II, in order to do n
Job worth dolns from the public
standpoint; he must pay with his