The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-01-04
THURSDAY, JAN. 4. 1912.
ROOSEVELT FOR PRESIDENT.


ROOSEVELT FOR PRESIDENT.
Some time since tn" Times stated
that sn far as Nh" presidential rrl-
mary preference" was concerned. me
mntt"r Was settled in North Dakota
~, that time aud that III" sentiment
was overwhelmingly for Senator La
Toilette. We stated in the same cdi-
tori.i that, tho Times would hr an
earnest supporter of Senator i-af"'-
lc;tc if nominated. As we saw INC
situation then the sentiment oil mo
Republicans of the state WAS FOR La
Toilette. hut witt, little chance Of his
nomination Ivy tho n%aii"nal c"nNcn-
tinn. AZ ~ m,nttcr nf 'h"'r" IN IN"
primary between Senator l.hFoll"tt"
and President Taft Nurth 1pakntans
were fur I.aI'"llc1tn, but MS II choice
hctwrcn president Taft and any Dem
CORA; il,n, could he named hN that
party. we would HAY" NO h"sitAn'y
in taking Taft, and that d"spit" any
mistakes he may have mndc would
he safer and better for the country
ON !, Republican platform than a
Democrat, un Il Democratic platform
which would not only includ" the
principles of Canadian reciprocity but
free trade in every other farm pro-
du"rd article.
l:ut since the editorial referred to
was printed. Now conditions hhN"
arisen Within ,h" Republican party
which deserve serious th"ugll! Ivy cN-
cry citiAcI of the state "f North Ia
kota because Democratic success will
lniurr them moro than il will tn"
people of amy state in the union. tn"
rf thesr conditions is the serious talk
nf %J'hcodur" hnnsnvolt rs; ;, possible
nominee "f the Republican par
ty. What he intends I" do
is n secret which is closely
guarded and known only I" him
self. We can only draw conclusions
from the events which llaN" seemingly
had n foundation in his candidacy.
Those who do not desire his candi-
dacy fall back on the statement made
repeatedly 10y him that N" is not n
candidates. I!l, H.. has never said h"
would moi accept "A nomination if ten
derc,l him by the national conN rn'ion
without his asking for it. To be II
candidate" mcan To seek delegations
i'm tn" convention. Col. Roosevelt is
not srckin. delegations and will not
do So. In that sense h" is not n cam
dida:c and "" believe that is all that
he himself has mean; 10y the state
mont referred 10.
When tho national Republican
committee met i'm Washington early
in las, December, AN actual am
nnunrcmrnt "f the plan 4" nominate
Col. Roosevelt was made. II was not
done. SO far AS known. at his suE-
ccstion ar with his knowlcdSc. but
il Was made by mon of such rcputa-
tiuns both i'm private life and in poll
ties that its sincerity could not he
doubted. i,id Col. ROOSEVELT not i'm
tend to acccpt the nomination if ton
dcrr,l him, he could only have been
true T." himself and homes, with tho
public two things for which he is
notcd-LN 81 stating. Eu1 tho,lrh a
month has passed and he has
been pointcdly asked to make
such II statement OF TO say
has remained silent. knowing Roos-
cvclt's character and integrity. this
silcnc" certainly indicates tina he is
not putting himself outsid" tho pale
should his acceptance of tho nomina-
fion he necessary to harmonic the
two factions of the party and guar
antcc the election of :; Republican
president and 81 Republican majority
in the house. now Democratic. both
of which would he certain under his
leadership.
Tho publication of the Sheldon lot
ter concerning the alleged contribu-
ton Of Il. II. Hartman to the Re
publican campaign fund i'm 1901 when
Roosevelt was "a candidate has all
the carmarks of Roosevelt methods of
exposing a falsehood while the public
mind Is calm rather thar waiting for
the Democrats + distort II into a
live issue in the excitement of "a cam
paign. The matter was seven years
old and il Col. Roosevelt did not cx-
pect IL tn effect him otherwise thar
as 81 private citizen he would hardly
have dug it up at this time. 1t looks
like clearing the front for action by
destroying tho enemy's ammunition
before he got to it.
Within n few days after the first
talk of his candidacy ut the Wash
ington gathering. Col. Roosevclt's
name was fled in Nebraska as a can
didate In the primary and he made
no protest nor asked to have II with
drawn. When the prngressivcs OF
Ohio me at the close Of Senator LA
Follctte's campaign in that state Git
ford Pinchot and James r. Garfield,
two of Senator La Follette's closest
personal and. political friends prevent
ed the endorsement Of LaFollette's
candidacy by the convention, though
-AA 90 g.