The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-06

| case where the language would not be ac- l cepted at it's exact face value and inevi-
 tably would be given a false construc' 1 ton, and this being so it seems to be l wise not to use the language.
 Let me illustrate. what I mean by re- 1 ferring you to the language in which after l the election of 1904 I announced that
 would not be a candidate for renomina-
 ton. At the time good friends of mine 1 suggested that I should use some such l formula stating that l would not be a
 candidate in 1908 because of the custom l that had grown up not to elect nan as President for third consecutive term: l but on thinking it over I became con 1 vinced that if I used such language II would inevitably. be taken as an an
 nouncement that I would be a candidate
 for election in 1912, and this in spite of the fact, of course. that the language, if
 taken literally, would only have referred ] to 1908 and have had no more bearing on 1 1912 than on 1916 or 194s. s{t
 Explains Words
 l Accordingly, I used language which simply stated that I paid heed to the | essence and not the form of the wise the third term, the essence, of course, meaning that the precedent applied to l the term I was filling out for my pre- I cedent as if it had been an elective term | and that on the other hand it had no ] application whateyers to the candidacy of a man who was not at the time In | office, whether he had or had not been
 President before Yet, even as 1t was,
 men at once began to ask me whether | my refusal was to be held to apply I to 1912 or to 1916; to which l. or course responded that 1t would be pre- posterous to answer any such question | one way or the other. By the way, l | n k1.e m n which are now bowling to have me make some public statement are the ones which. four and five years ago, when had made a definite public state ment, were continually bowling that l should make an additional statement. These people, such as the editors above applies to, are not after the truth, and to pay any heed to their demands
 would be worse than foolish. If at present spoke as you at present think ought to speak, they would merely substitute a worse set of >misstatements for the set to which they are now giy- ing currency.
 Refers to Lincoln
 Now. my dear sir, as to what you say as to the desirability. no matter what the result, of my being frank and tell ing the whole public what I feel with out regard to whether or not 1t can be misrepresented. let me refer you to Lincoln. Surely there was never a more straightforward nor more sincere man than Lincoln, nor man who more un- hesitating1y, whenever the fit occasion arose. took the public fully and freely into his confidence. But he consistently declined to make statements which. though true. would give opportunities for misrepresentations. He sometimes made denials of false and scandalous accusa- tions when he deemed 1t necessary; but again and again he refused to do so when he thought the denial would mere ly do additional harm. When accused of having accepted money for a politi- cal speech, he wrote frankly to a cor respondent, who made inquiry, stating exactly what had happened, but adding, I have made this explanation to you as friend but I wish no explanation made to our enemies. What they want Is a squabble and fuss and they can have if we explain; and they can not have it if we do not
 Later when nominated. he received, he says, large number of letters asking that he declare his opinions on certain political points and a large number of
 letters beseeching him to write nothing upon those political points, and to all alike he answered that his position had already been taken, and that he had noth- ing to add or to take from it. He did
 
 know nothing lodge He wrote to his correspondent saying that the accusation was false but added: Now a word of caution Our adversaries think they would gain point if they would force me open ly to deny the charge.
 'In one of his letters he replies to the suggestion that he deny publicly some accusation, that he will not do so as 1t will do no good. Those who will not read heed what I have already pub licly said would not read or heed a repe- tition of it.
 Statement Useless
 Now, my dear sir, it seems to me that the homely common sense with which Lincoln spoke in these letters which I have quoted can be applied now. Nothing I could say. no statement or explanation by me would avail to prevent deliberate misrepresentation by bad men, designed to puzzle and mislead good men, who, from the nature of the case, could not be expected to have first hand information. They now misrepresent my position de- slgnedly and purposely. They would m1s- represent it more effectively If I should at this time make the statement you de- sire. It may be that in the end it will be necessary to make such a statement or some other public statement, but the time is not now. I am well aware of the disadvantage of not making such a state ment, but I think the disadvantage of making it would be greater The position Is a hard one. It Is hard for me; it is in some ways harder for disinterested men like yourself who believe that I could do service as President and who naturally feel indignant that do not come forward in way which, as they think, would en- able them to make me President (and, of course. the fact that I do not make it amply warrants you, thinking as you do, to support any other man instead of mel. Attitude Not Pose
 "If my position were only a pose, should certainly act differently from the way l am acting, for 1 am well aware that the way l am acting is not the way in which to act if desire to be made Pres ident. But my attitude is not pose, I am acting as I do because according to my lights, l am endeavoring, in a not too early position, to do what l believe the interests of the people demand. From this standpoint l am convinced that al- though it is entirely proper for other men to seek the presidency. it is neither wise nor proper for me to do so, the conditions
 being what they actually are.
 Il have been President; I was President | for nearly eight years: I am well known to the American people: I am to be judged, not by words, but by my acts;
 and whether the people like me or dislike me. they have these acts all before them | for their decision, and nobody, my dear
 sir, has helped more than you have helped, | to put these acts clearly before them. My usefulness in the presidency as conditions now are would depend not merely upon 1 the people wishing me to be President,
 but upon their having good reason to be- | lieve that I was President because of