The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-04-12
Gov. Osborn VIII Not Be Candidate.

Lansing, April S.-To the People
of Michigan:
Twill not be a candidate this yeaI
for governor. 1t seems necessary
and proper to make this statemen,
at this time. This Is my reply tc
hundreds of letters, personal re.
quests, inquiries of delegations and
endorsements of counties. / confess
that I am personally gratified by the
active insistence of SO many that
should become a candidate. =
] do not desire Office. / have at
no time thought Of going or have
spoken voluntarily to anybody OF
going as delegate to the Republi-
can National Convention. / have al
no time thought of being candidate
for the vice-presidency In other
words, am In exactly the same
frame of mind that l was in on De-
cember 8, 1910, when announced
that would not be candidate for a
second term.
knew at that time practically
what my program Of endeavor would
be. / have already succeeded in do
ing moro than ever hoped to accom-
plish. The greatest service that |
expect to be able to perform is to
convince the people of the state Of
Michigan that We are nearing the
threshold of new era, wherein
citizens will have a higher idea of
their duties and unselfish service
will .be their chiefest reward end
happiness, and when they will do
things without any thought of ac-
quiring issues with which they may
be perpetuated in Office and power.
have been most intemperarely
criticised. For the most part those
who have opposed me have teen
honest, l think. They have known
only the habits and methods of yes
terday, when it was common for men
to hold office for the purpose Of
satisfying lust for Office AMI for
serving the few for profit rather than
the many for patriotism. This led
to general doubling of men IN pub
lie office. When / stated that I would
be candidate for only one torn
great cartoonist drew a picture of
previous governors arising in their
graves with such violence as 70 0ver-
turn their headstones. ! do not wish
them to arise again and cry out
"False alarm!"
DO not know whether can COM
vey my thoughts to you or not, bot
believe there are many men now. and
there will be an increasing number
in every part of our nation, who Will
find their greatest happiness in I'm
selfish service. Rich men are slowly
admitting, but more generally than
ever before, that the pursuit of The
jack o. lantern of wealth does not
lead to contentment or Joy. They
must turn elsewhere. new and
better spirit is developing in many of
the departments of life. The
preacher and priest work fer the
very love of their work, for love of
their Master and of mankind. The
doctor enlists in the same spirit, and
his Hippocratian oath of service Is
superbly ideal. Teachers are at
tached to their profession by love of
service. Scientists are always striv-
ing for the public good. The lawyer
in tune with the higher ethics of Ills
profession feels the same way. This
spirit is contagious and is attacking
the political sphere.
Theodore Roosevelt enlistcl for
life at twenty in the service of the
people for either war ur peace.
Woodrow Wilson told me few
months ago that he proposed TO give
up his life to public service. These
are two particularly notable cX-
amples. There are many more At
this point / am going to ask YOU to
permit me to break in with tie
statement that 1 hope the Republi-
cans will nominate Theodore Roose-
welt and that the Democrats WI.
nominate Woodrow Wilson. Which
ever then is elected will insure On
administration in fullest sympathy
with the highest welfare of all the
people.
Men build their political charac-
ter, whether they always realize it
or not, much as they do their finan-
cial credit. My own political char
acter is not so finished and secure as
to permit doing anything that might
be permanently misinterpreted or
misunderstood. 1t may be argued,
and is by great many who wish me
to become a candidate, that my own
welfare is not in the balance /
thing that is true. think the in
CONTINUED on page two.)