Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-10-18
COL. RoosEvELTs SPEECH
Unconeerned Over Attempt on Life,
Says Colonel.

COL. hOOSEVEIlS SPEECH
Uneoneerned Over Attempt on Life,
Says Colonel.
Milwaukee, Wis, October 15.-T
do not care rap about being si,vt,
not rap" said Col. Roosevelt in his
speech here last night, shortly after
his life was attempted.
Friends" he began, II shall have
TO ask you to be as quiet as possible.
l don't know whether you fully under
stand that have been shot, but 1t
takes more than that to kill a Bull
Moose. But fortunately I had my
manuscript, (holding up his manu-
script showing where the bullet had
gone through) so you see / was going
/ 10 make long speech. And, friends,
| the hole in 1t Is where the bullet went
through and 1t probably saved the
bullet from going into my heart. The
bullet Is In me now, so that I cannot
make a very long speech. But I will
try my best. And, now, my friends.
want to take advantage Of this in
] cldent to say as solemn q word of
| warning as I know how to my fell
low Americans. First Of all, I want
TO say this about myself. 1 have al
| together too many important things
to think Of to pay any heed or feel
any concern over my own death. Now
would not speak to you insincerely
within five minutes Of being shot.
am telling you the literal truth when
say my concern is for many other
things. 1t Is not in the least for my
own life.
"Ahead Of the Game, Anyway"
Il want you to understand that I
L NJ fI,A
man has had happier life than have
had, happier life in every way. ]
have been able to do certain things
that l greatly wished to do and am
interested in doing other things. I can
tell you with absolute truthfulness
that am very much uninterested In
whether am shot or not. It was Just
as when was colonel Of my regiment.
l always felt that a private was to be
excused for feeling at times some
pangs of anxiety owing to his personal
safety, but cannot understand q man
mt 70 be colonel, who can pay any heed
to his personal safety when he is oc-
cupied as he ought to be occupied with
the absorbing desire to do his duty.
Il am in this cause with my whole
heart and soul. ! believe in the Pro-
gressive movements movement for
the betterment Of mankind, q move
ment for making life little easier for
| all people, movement to try to take
the burdens Of the man and especial
ly the women in the country who is
most oppressed. I am absofbed in
the success Of that movement. I feel
uncommonly proud In belonging to that
movement. Friends, ask you to now
accept what l am saying as absolute
truth when l tell you am not think
ing Of my own success am not think
ing Of my life or any connected with
me personally.
Exhibits BIoodstains
| II am saying this by way Of intro
duction, because I want to say some
thing very serious to our people, and
especially to the newspapers. I didn't
know who the man was who shot me
tonight. He was seized by one Of my
stenographers, Mr.. Martin, and I sup
pose Is in the hands Of the police now.
He shot to kill me. I am just going
| to show you. (Col. Roosevelt then un-
buttoned his coat and vest and showed
his white shirt badly stained with
bloody Now, friends, am going 10
be as quiet as possible even II am not
able to give the challenge Of the Bull
Moose quite as loudly. Now, I don't
know who he Is or what party he rep
/ VI.
in the darkness in the crowd around
the automobile, and when they cheer
| ed and when got UP to bow, he step
ped forward and shot me In the breast.
"It is a very natural thing that
weak and vicious minds should be in
| f1uenced to acts Of violence by the
kind Of foul mendacity and abuse that
have been heaped upon me for the
last three months by papers in the in
terests, not only Of Mr.. Debs, but Mr..
Wilson and Mr. Taft. Friends, will
| disown and repudiate any man Of any
party who attacks with such vile, foul
| any other party.
Says Only Ono Experience.
Now, wish to say seriously to the
speakers and to the newspapers rep
resenting, both the Republican and
Democratic and Socialist parties, that
they cannot make the kind Of SANDER
Gus, bitter and malevolent assaults
| that they have made and not expect
that brutal and violent characters,
especially when the brutality is ac-
| companied by a not too strong mind,
they cannot expect that such natures
will be unaffected by 1t. / am not
| speaking for myself at all, I give you
| my word don't care a rap about be-
ing shot, not rap. I have had a good
many experiences in my time and
| this Is only one Of them. What I do
care for is my country. I wish were
able to impress on our people the
duty to feel strongly but to speak
truthfully Of their opponents. I say
| now, I have never said on the stump
one word against any opponent that I
could not substantiate and nothing
| ought not to have said, nothing that,
looking back, I would not say again.
1 am all right"