The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-15
PERSONAL SAFETY
IS NOT IMPORTANT.
COLONEL ROOSEVELT SAYS HE
FEELS MUCH MORE CONCERN
ABOUT OTHER THINGS.
AHEAD OF THE GAME
THIRD PARTY CANDIDATE MAKES
PRELIMINARY SPEECH BEFORE
sz-=IEtESeHfssss TsTo ADDRESS s@=-
At MILWAUKEE.
AHEAD OF THE CAME

MILWAUKEE. Oct. I4.--Wilen Col
onei Roosevelt faced the great audi
ence at the auditorium tonight a
deathiike stiffness followed the out
burst of cheering that had greeted
him,
The ex-prerident paused a moment
and then as a preface to his set speech
of the evening, made the following re-
markabie address:
Friends, I shall have to ask you
to be as quiet as possible. I do not
know whether you fully understand
that / have Just been shot. but 1t takes
more than that TO kill a Bull Moose
But fortunately / had my manuscript
thoiding manuscript showing an ugly
hole where the bullet had gone
through). so you see / was going to
make you a long speech. And friends,
she hole In 1t Is where the bullet went
through and it probably saved 1t from
going into my heart. The bullet Ia In
me now. so that cannot make a very
long speech But l will try my best.
And now friends, want to take
advantage Of this incident to say a
solemn word of warning, as I know
how. to my fellow Americans. First
OF all want to say this about myself:
II have altogether too many impor-
tant things to think of to pay any
heed or feel any concern over my
own death. Now I would not speak
to you insincereiy within i've min
utes OF being shot. l am telling you
the literal truth when T say my con-
Germ is for many other things II Ia
not in the least for my own life.
want you to understand that / arp
ahead of the game any way. No mat
ever had happier life than / have
had. happier life in every way.
have been able to do certain things
that I wished to do. and am inter-
ested in doing other things. I can
tell you with absolute truthfulness that
am very much uninterested In wheth-
er I am shot or not. It was just as
when / was colonel Of my regiment
always felt that private was to be
excused for feeling at times some
pangs of anxiety about his personal
safety, but I cannot understand q
man At to be colonel who can pay
any heed to his personal safety when
he Is occupied as he ought to be &C.
cupied with the absorbing desire to
do his duty.
Roosevelt left at midnight for Chi
cago on hts special tratu.- As ne left
he declared he was feeling bully"
The colonel insisted on getting to the
leaving time, explaining he wanted to
get shave before it departed.
Roosevelt retired Immediately after
getting to his train. A large crowd
gathered at the depot at midnight to
catch a glimpse Of him. Roosevelt
walked steadily to the train from his
automobile. and bowed a cordial &C
acknowledgements to yoIley of cheers
that went up.
Nov think I am entitled to
sleep he remarked. as he got to the
stateroom OF his car. His last act to-
night was ia send q telegram from
the train assuring his wife he was
all right.
In spite OF the reassuring bulletins
issued by the surgeons who attended
the colonel. the fact that the bullet
remains lodged in him makes his con-
dition one that gives the surgeons
some concern. The bullet will prob
ably be prohed for in Chicago. Owing
to the coloneps rugged condition Of
health II Ia believed he will pull safe
ly through the operation unless blood
poisoning develops.
AS to this the surgeons say they
are hopeful. That the colonel will
do little campaigning from now on =
extremely doubtful The X-ray pho
tographs taken by DR.. T. 8. Jameson.
at the hospital. showed that the bull
let lodged In the front OF the abdome-
nal wall. The surgeons fear may make
the operation . difficult one. DIR. jan
nessen accompanied the cniunei I'm the
train to Chicago.
Il am in this cause with my whole
heart and soul: believe In the pro-
grassive movements movement for
the betterment OF mankind, the move
ment for making life . little easier
for all our people. . movement to try
to take the burdens on tho man and
especially the woman In this country
who IT, most oppressed W s.ss4 ga d
Il am absorbed in the success Of
that movement. feel uncommcny
proud In belonging TO that movement.
Friends, ask you now This even
Scsaiianst M IA Paxtkl