The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-10-01
REFUSES TO INVITE ROOSEVELT.
Mayor Gibbes Says He Does Not Be-
lieYe in Giving Bull Moose a
Boost Over Wilson and Taft.

Columbia, Sept 2S-A complete
statement concerning the invitation
which it had been proposed to extend
to Theodore Roosevelt to speak in CO.
lumbia during the 5th National Corn
Exposition next January has been Is
sued by the exposition management
This statement IS made consequent
upon a statement which appeared tnls
afternoon from Mayor Gibbes and A
Mop. Handy as secretary of the CO.
lumbia chamber Of commerce, IN
which they gave their reasons Tor DE-
clining to endorse the inVitatlep'
which the exposition management was
considering extending to Mr.. Roose-
welt.
In their statements, Mayor Gibbes
and Secretary Handy made the point
that they feared that this invitation
extended at this time would give one
candidate an undue advantage over
his two opponents in the heated presl-
Dental campaign now on.
In view of the fact that these state
ments did not make plain the motive
of the exposition management in such
an invitation to Col Roosevelt, the
following statement has been made by
the management:
Tempest in Teapot.
t'The stir that has been raised about
the. proposed invitation to Col. Roose-
welt is a tempest in teapot very
much to do about nothing. The facts
are as follows: 1T has been the plan
of the National Corn exposition man
agement to invite all three Of the lead
ing candidates for presidents to at
tend the exposition on different occa-
sions. AS president, incumbent during
the exposition, Mr.. Taft would natur-
ally be invited. He attended the eX-
position last held in Columbus, Ohio,
two yea RS ago, as president-elect, after
November's election, Governor Wood
row Wilson would be invited, and 1t
was the confident expectation that he
would be glad to accept such an lnVl-
tation for such an occasion in his old
home town
Was Friend to Gov. Thompson.
"The invitation to Col Roosevelt was
to be extended in a significant way.
For some time it has been planned to
hold in Columbia a reunion of the for
mer pupils Of the late Governor Hugh
S. Thompson, the beloved teacher and
distinguished statesman whose men,
ory is cherished in his native State.
Gentlemen interested in this reunion
proposed to the management of the
corn exposition that it be held during
the exposition in order that, prlmar-
lily, the former pupils of the Thonp-
son school now living in distant States,
might take advantage of the low rates
granted for the corn exposition.
"The exposition management agreed
to the proposition that then was sug-
gested that it would be extremely ap-
probriate to invite Col Roosevelt to at
tend and make an address, since he
and Col. Thompson served together on
the civil service commission and were
warm friends during Governor Thonp-
sons life time.
''It has been suggested that the city
of Columbia and the chamber of COM
merce be asked to join in this invita-
ton. That is all there is to it.
Has Been Entertained Before.
"Col. Roosevelt was entertained in
South Carolina on similar occasion
when he presented the sword, the gift
of South Carolina, to Major Micah
Jenkins, during the Charleston expo
SitiCn President TAFT has Deen enter
tained in the State capitol at Colum-
bia and in Charleston. Governor Will
son has been the guest of South Caro-
LIMA. There is nothing new in invit-
ing any or all of these distinguished
political leaders, and there is no poll
tics in any of the Invitations so far as
the National Corn exposition is con-
cerned." Any fair-minded individual
will understand it that way, certainly
Messrs. Wilson, Taft and Roosevelt
will understand it in that way. While
in order to secure their acceptance it
is necessary to extend the invitations