Omaha daily bee., 1912-03-05
FULL TEXT OF
LETTER PRINTED
RooseveIt Dravvn on Jury.
Continued from First Page)

4 -
M1NEoLA, l. T., March 4-Refusing
to claim exemption. although under the
law he might have done 50, Colonel
Roosevelt today was elected foreman Oh
jury at the session Of the supreme
court here. He was excused from duty
until Wednesday. on account of engage
ments, but on that day viii return TO
serve out the ordinary time Of juror.
Colonel Roosevelt arrived here by auto
mobile in response to summons. he
was told that he might be excused from
the jury service II he desired.
II am not asking any favors." said he,
II will serve. IL 1t Is desired"
A court officer conducted the colonel
into the chamber Of Justice Putnam. the
presiding Judge. After talking with the
Judge for a few moments, Colonel Roose-
welt re-entered the court room and took
his seat with the other talesmen, sat by
idly for half an hour while the grand
jury was charged and the court calendar
was called. The court then called out
the names OF petit jurors. Several Of
them made excuses TO the judge. but
Colonel Roosevelt took no action Of the
sort
When the first case was called Colonel
Roosevelt came forward and was excused
until Wednesday. He left the court
house at once.
As a juror Colonel Roosevelt will be
paid 81 a day and his mileage from
oyster Bay. He seemed to be delighted at
the prospect and said that he was not
worried about the presidential campaign.
Others, he said. were taking care OF that.
Colonel Roosevelt again commented on
the letter given out at Washington last
night in which he Is said TO have writ
ten that he would not be a candidate for
the nomination in 1912 The colonel plainly
showed his keen displeasure at this turn
In the fight.
ANY man dishonorable enough to pub
Ilsh a private letter." said he. especially
without giving his name. Is dishonorable
enough to publish part Of II apart from
the context"
Roosevelt Leads I'm Oklahoms.
OKLAHOMA CITY. okl.. March a.
Returns from precinct conventions re-
ceived today show that 20 delegates to
the Oklahoma republican state convention
are instructed for Roosevelt and ils In
structed In favor Of Taft. Last night
1t was enormously reported that III dele
gates mad been instructed for Taft.
II appears today that George A.
Priestly OF Bartlesville, Roosevelt sup
porter, is certain % election as national
committeeman.
Noyes was quoted as having got the In
formation from independent sources.
do not know who gave OFT this letter, but
am certain that II was not Mr.. Van
valkenburg, for l know him to be an
honorable man.
ITO aipwho were at that time writing
to me to be a candidate l answered that
would not be. To all who asked whether
would accept II nominated, answered:
Yes, II knew them sufficiently well to
be sure that they would understand me,
otherwise, | said simply that ! would
cross that bridge when ! came TO It. and
In most cases IL the man was at all
close personal friend. told him that
counted on his doing everything possible
to prevent any movement looking 10 my
nomination.
Yields to Peoples Demand.
1T was not until the last three or four
months that ! was finally obliged to come
TO the conclusion that there was real
demand among the people as a whole
for my nomination, which did not come
In any way from any personal friends OF
mine and was neither Inspired nor en-
gineered by them When became con-
WINGED that this popular demand was real
and was considerable and when the gov
ernors OF seven states. increased BY this
time to ten. ! may mention. incidentally,
asked me whether I would accept II nom.
mated, ! answered yes added an ex.
preston OF my wish that wherever pos
sible open preferential presidential pri-
maries might be held, 80 as to find out
who the republican voters wished to have
nominated.
Leaves n 10 Voters,
III the people do not wish me 10 serve
most certainly I do not wish. 10 serve.
IL they do desire me TO undertake In
their interest q great task. shall do 80
and shall perform II with whatever cour-
age and ability possess. Whether there
viii be such an expression Of the popu.
lar viii ] cannot say. as where there are
no preferentiaiy primaries II unfortun-
ateiy seems often TO be the case that the
effort Of the political leaders il not 10
give expression to the popular viii, but
70 tnwart II every way possible"