The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-03-06
Roosevelt This Afternoon Is
sues a Statement Bitterly
Assailing Supporter of the
President.
HIS OWN AMBITION
NOT AN INCENTIVE
His Candidacy for President
Prompted Solely to Serve
His Country, He Vigorous
ly Explains.
(Nationa1 News Association

MINEOLA, l.. l., March 6.-Fighting
mad at the aspersions cast upon his
candidacy for the presidential nomina.
tion by Secretary Stimson in his Chi
cago speech, Col Theodore Roosevelt
issued long statement hero this after
noon. bitterly assaiiing the supporters
of President Taft, and Mr. Stimson
particularly.
Mr.. Roosevelt put his candidacy up
to the people, saying that he is not
prompted by ambitions, but to serve
his country. The former president at
tackled In particular the method in
promoting the Taft campaign, saying
that the will of the people was being
circumvented through the patronage
club.
Not a Party Wrecker.
Replying to those Of his party who
declare his campaign may wreck the
Republican party. the Colonel warned
his political enemies that they and not
himself were bringing ruin to the or
ganization. While Mr. Roosevelt did
not mention President Taft by name,
he made his remarks palmer than any
other of his recent campaign declara-
tions.
The statement follows: "As regards
Mr. Stimson's statements that against
my original intention am being fore
ed by certain persons into the arena
this year, | may merely say that the
statement is correct only in the sense
that it would be correct to make the
same statement as to my advocacy of
Mr.. Stimson for governor in 1910.
I'm that contest in which / was ex-
ceedingly reluctant to be drawn and
which I entered only on a sense of du-
ty to the people a. whole, l was as
sailed with virtually the same argu-
who are now assailing me.
"If had consulted only nv personal
interest and personal preferences I
l should have kept out of the 1910
campaign and let the machine remain
in control at Saratoga and have seen
the state go Democratic by 5000 ma
jority, and under those circumstances
it certainly would have gone.
Responded to Duty Call.
II went in because I conscientiously
thought it was my duty to take part
in the fight for honest government, for
genuine self-government by the people,
without regard to the consequences to
myself, and l am in this fight on ex~
actly the same basis, and for precisely
the same reason.
Let me add. in view of the ques-
tions of certain friends. tkct neither
Mr.. Stimson nor any other man who
have supported for public Office owes
me gratitude for doing SO. support a
man not to get his gratitude but be-
cause l believe he will render good
service to the people, and I ask moth
ing from any man in return, except
that he render such service to the peo-
pie. and judge him accordingly.
"As for the question concerning who
are forcing me into the arena the ans
wer is easy. Which side is making the
demand for the primaries and which
side Is sitting this demand whenever
possible, refusing to concede to it save
under compulsion. and trusting to the
use of patronage, and such methods as
those tried in the recent Kansas City
congressional convention, and to those
very machine leaders who have turned
a complete somersault as regarding
the president during the past four
years?
These leaders are anaging the
campaign against me and If they were
deliberately trying to wreck the repub-
lican party they would follow precise
ly the same tactics as they have been
following, tactics which made it seem
that they would rather see the Repub-
lican party defeated than to see it re-
stored to what it was under Lincoln,
and see it become again the genuine
party of the people, who stand for the
real popular rule and for the highest
ideals Of social and industrial justice,
to be achieved through popular rule.
I'VE stand for direct presidential
primaries everywhere. in Illinois. in
Massachusetts. in New York (for in
New York the present primary law,
passed by the machine of the two par
ties, is especially designed to prevent
either party from escaping the control
of professional politicians and from
falling under the control Of the peo-
ple.)
"If our opponents wish the people
to have their say let them support real
primary bills. II in open primaries.
without coercion or fraud. without
pressure brought by patronage. or by
the promise of. or by the Withholding
of patronage. the plain people Of the
Republican party declare they do not
wish to be nominated. then most Ger
tainly l do not want the nomination.
II they declare they do want me, not
in my interests but in the interests Of
the people as a whole, then, as l have
already said, l will accept and strive
to serve the people with all Of what
ever power ] possess"
f