The Marshall republican., 1912-10-25

Attempting to speak, Just after
would-be assassin had fired a bull
let into his body, this is what Thee
dore Roosevelt said in Milwaukee
He said It with possible death
awaiting the result of his wound
How well he expressed not merely
the spirit animating him person
ally but the spirit of the Progress
sive party. Here are his words;
Friends, I shall have to ask
you to be as quiet as possible. ]
do not know whether you fully
understand that I have just been
shot, but IL takes more than that
to kill a Bull Moose. But for
tunately ] had my manuscript,
holding up manuscript, shown
audience where bullet had gone
through so you g I was going
to make a long speech.
"And, friends, the hole in Il 4,
that that the bullet went through,
and II probably saved II from
going into my heart.
"The bullet Is In me now, so
that ! cannot make a very long
speech. But I will try my best.
"And now, friends, I want to
take advantage OF this incident TO
say as solemn a word OF warning
as l know how to my fellow Amer
leans.
"First OF all, I want to say this
about myself: I have altogether
too many important things TO
think OF to pay any heed or feel
any concern over my own death.
snow ] would not speak to you
insincerely within five minutes Of
being shot. ] am telling you
the literal truth when I say that
my concern Is for many other
things. II Is not In the least for
my own life.
VI want you to understand that
l am ahead OF the game anyway.
No man has had a happier life
than / have had-a happier life
in every way.
~ have been able to do certain
things that / greatly wished to
do, and / am interested In doing
other things.
~ a tell you with absolute
truthfulness that I am very much
uninterested In whether / am
shot or not.
ut was just as when I was
colonel OF my regiment, I always
felt that a private was to be ex-|
cused for feeling at times some
pangs OF anxiety about his person.
al safety, but I cannot understand
a man fit to- be colonel who can
pay any heed to his personal safei
ty when he Is occupied, az he
ought 10 be occupied, with the abb
sorbing desire to do his duty.
II am In this cause with nv
heart and soul; I believe in
the Progressive movement al
movement for the betterment Of
mankind, movement for making
life a little easier for all our
people, a movement to try tol
the burdens off the man and
especially the woman In this coun-
try who is' most oppressed. |,
NJ am absorbed In the success
of that movement. ] feel uni
proud in belonging to
hat movement.
Friends, I ask you now this
evening to accept what ! am saw
ng as absolute truth when I teul'
1ou i am not thinking of nv
'wn success. ! am not thinking OIL
my own life OF OF anything conf,
iected with me personally. L
II am saying this by way ofla
Introduction because I want to
something very serious TO our :
people, and especially to the news !
II don't know who the man was l
rho shot me tonight. He was 4
eized by one OF my stenograph- !
Mr.. Martin, and ! suppose is l
n the hands OF the police now. :
"He shot to kill me. He shot the 1
nllet' ! am just going to show !
Col. Roosevelt then unbuttonedv
'oat and vest and showed his I
,hite shirt badly stained with i
hood. 7
snow friends ! am going TO be !
2 quiet az possible" Col. Roose-s
'elt continued, seven II / am not h
bic 20 give the challenge OF the 1
~ moose quite AZ leudly.n !
Mesdames Infie Jacksosn 81 - Z