Morris tribune., 1912-08-02
ROOSEVELT EXPLAINS.
Why He Invited Sam Gordon
to Oyster Bay.


to Oyster Bay.
In a telegram addressed to Judge
Milton D. Purdy of Minneapolis,
Colonel Roosevelt Monday told the
Minnesota Progressives why he invited
Sam Y. Gordon to lunch with him at
Oy ster Bay and did not invite some of
the other candidates for Governor in
the Gopher State. He said it was
"because the lieutenant governor was
openly for the Progressive national
ticket,'' and that he would "enjoy
seeing any other candidate for Govern
or in Minnesota no is straight out
and open against Mr.. Taft. -
The telegram was in response to
the one sent by Judge Purdy and H.
T. Halbert last Thursday asking the
colonel why he invited only Gordon,
intimating that by this apparent fav-
oritism among the candidates for Gov
ernor he was embarrassing the leaders
of the Progressive movement who were
trying not to take sides in the state
primary scramble. Colonel Roosevelt
does not say who arranged the Gordon
visit further than he was requested
by one of our delegates to Chicago"
to see him.
Colonel Roosevelt's Telegram.
Judge Milton d. Purdy, st. Paul,
Mimi:
~ was requested by on of our dele
gates to Chicago to- see Lieutenant
Governor Gordon because the lieuten-
ant governor was openly for the Pro-
gressive national ticket. / accordingly
asked the governor to Oyster Bay and
greatly enjoyed seeing him. I should
also enjoy seeing any other candidate
for Governor in Minnesota who is
str light out and open against Mr..
Taft and for the Progressive electoral
ticket. To every such can iidate /
should say precisely what l said to
Lieutenant Governor Gordon.
81 shall, of course, in no way at
tempt to influence the choice for gov
ernor in my state nor to dictate the
action Of Progressives in that state
save that / will not consent, SO far
as ! am concerned, to sanction any ar
rangements by which the Progressives
support any candidate for governor or
other important Offices. who is not
himself openly in favor of the national
Progressive movement and who does
not openly support the national Pro-
gressive electoral ticket as against
both Mr.. Taft and Mr.. Wilson.
GAS is inevitable in the beginning
of a new movement like this, the loca!
conditions vary i'll different states
and must be met in different fashion.
There are certain states in which
there is no real Republican party,
and in these states the Progressive
movement must be almost exclusively
in the hands of former Democrats.
There are other states where the
enormous majority of the Republicans
are Progressives and the entire state
organization is in their hands.
eff in these states the Republican
organization chooses to come bodily
into the new party and openly repudi-
ates the Taft electors and to support
the Progressive electors, why of course
l shall not protest against any such ar.
rangement. In most of the states,
as, for instance, in my own State OF
New York, it is necessary to run a
third party ticket from top to bottom
against both tickets, and it would be
folly in these cases for both of US to
go into the primaries of either of the
old parties. / have not tried to die
tate what should be done in Minnesots
nor in any other state, because the
needs must be met in different fash.
ion.
''In certain states have been asked
to give advice and have given it.. but
/ have given no advice as regards
Minnesota and have not stated that
advocated either going into the prim.
aries or running q third ticket, MOI
have l committed myself for Of
against any candidates FOR Governor
who publicly and without qualification
announce that they will support Meth,
.er Mr.. Taft nor Mr.. Wilson. but or
the contrary will he earthly support the
Progressive electoral ticket.
"You are weclome to make this
public. Please show to MIR. Halbert.
"(Signed).
Theodore Roosevelt
|