New-York tribune., 1912-03-04
WILL NOT DISCUSS LETTER
Roosevelt Says Probably Lam
guage Is Not Correctly Given"
:. r.,.oro,,, oa,o Tribrne1

Roosevelt, when shown tonight dis
patches from Washington containing a
letter of the coloners dated June p. 1911
quoting him as having no intention OF
being a Presidential candidate in 1872
made the following statement;
will say nothing, unless the name OF
the recipient Of tho letter is given and
the letter published in full. Probably
the language is not correctly given. Ger
tainly all the context in which ! said
would not refuse the nomination is sup
pressed. The letter published in a Chi.
oaeo evening paper one month ago con-
tans substantially all ! said in these let.
ters. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The letter referred TO as published in
The Chicago Daily News was copy
of a letter which Colonel Roosevelt sent
10 Frank A. Munsey explaining his po-
sition.
Mr.. Roosevelt said too day there was
surprising lack Of appreciation among
the people generally Of the Importance of
the issues before the public. Conservative
Republicans particularly, he thinks, are
blind to the drift of public affairs. The
popular wishes must be worked out TO a
clear and definite conclusion, he said.
Accepted in spirit Of Service"
That is one and perhaps the uppermost
reason why he listened to the call and
felt bound to assume the leadership Of
the popular movement. The burden has
been lifted to his shoulders and will be
carried up to the time of the national
convention and perhaps on beyond
through D long and arduous campaign.
But. mind you, the lifting was done in
q cpirit Of service, on demand and ac-
ccrding to no other formula" That
might be taken as the general purport
of Colonel Roosevelts Sunday declara-
ton.
He was replying to queries as to how
he felt the progressive wing Of the Re-
publican party was spreading itself. He
followed up his why and wherefore by
discussing to some extent the situation
in various states at present. Pennsyl-
IA vania was mentioned, and he was sure
VI that state would send a majority of pro-
gressive delegates to Chicago.
I'm sure I've got Pennsylvania he
said and added, commenting on some of
the other Republican Northern states,
that with the exception of Delaware and
Utah all would be for him in the express
sion of a popular vote. Coming to
Indiana, he admitted that the Hoosier
state was one Of the weakest that pop
ulsr vote might place in the Roosevelt
column. or course. there is no prefer
entail primary in Indiana this year. but
she might pull through in favor of the
progressives by a close shave, he
thought
Though tidings from most of the states
have been brought TO Sycamore Hill,
Indiana was seriously and humorously
discussed to-day for the first time at
the Roosevelt home since the preliminary
campaign opened. Ex-senator Albert j.
Beveridge and Frederick Lands. once
Representative in Congress from that
state. were among Colonel Roosevelts
guests to-day. Mr.. Beveridge was shy
about being quoted. but he did let it be
understood that every district in Indiana
had been organized for Roosevelt and
was confident that if the Roosevelt sem
timent got choice of expression it
would show a majority.
Thinks Straw Votes Accurate.
The attention of Roosevelt was also
directed to-day TO the result Of several
polls which had been taken by papers.
or associations in various parts of the
country A poll in the Middle West
gave Roosevelt 30454 and 1916 for
Taft, and other polls showed the Roose-
welt vote far in the lead. He thought
that about represented the situation.
He was not surprised. he said, at a straw
vote in New England purporting to give
him 2,422 votes. as against 2,2S1 for
President Taft.
The ex-President walked to church
and back this morning, the distance of
q mile or more from Sycamore Hill
Just as he reached the gate at the en-
trance of Sycamore Hill ex-senator
Beveridge caught up with him in an au-
ton1obile and invited him to ride up the
hill, which he did. There were several
other Sunday guests at the house among
them being Benjamin Ide Wheeler,
president of the University of Califor-
MIA; Jack" Greenway, famous Yale
football player and Rough Rider, who
IS leading the Roosevelt movement in
Arizona. Amos Pinchot, of the Insur-
gents Club in New York; John Bass.
brother of the Governor of New Hamp
shire, and Douglas Robinson, Colonel
Roosevelts brother-in-law, whose son,
Theodore Douglas Robinson has an
ncunced himself as a candidate for
Roosevelt delegate TO the Chicago con-
vention.
Colonel Roosevelt will not have to
serve as juror at Mineola in answer to
the summons which Constable "Scotty"
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