The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-17
QUOTES LINCOLN.
Col. Roosevelt Says, SLOW Can a
Man Refuse
"That Which Has Not Been Of
fered to Him.

Oyster Bay, n. Y, Jan. 17.-"How can
a man refuse that which has not been
offered?''
In these equivocal words Col. Roose-
velt replied to the blunt question Oh
his return from a day at his editorial
offices in New York as to whether he
would consent to a denomination for
the presidency if the Chicago conven-
ton next June should offer it to him.
On the way from New York the col
Onel talkeo with correspondent of
the recent Roosevelt boom and insisted
once again that he had nothing to do
with any such move.
Il have already quoted President Lin
coin in speaking of all this talk re
marked the colonel.
This is a bridge that justly L can
not be asked to cross until have come
to it, is what Lincoln said. There is
another author whose words come to
me-"
Then the ex-president uttered the ex-
preston respecting the possibility of
accepting anything that had not been
offered. That is all 1 can say muir
INJURED the colonel.
Mr.. Roosevelt was asked about ru-
mors from indianapolis conveying in
formation that George W. Perkins,
partner of J. 2. Morgan, was definitely
known to be the financial hacker Of a
Wall street boom for Roosevelt's nomi-
nation. The colonel became serious.
Mr.. Perkins has always been my
friend" he replied. 1T has been a
pure friendship. The fact is that Mr.
Perkins never asked me for anything
and I never asked him for anything
1 have no actual knowledge of his pres
cnt activities. AS to Mr.. EerkinS
financing any campaign for me, I can
only repeat what I said in New York
1 have no time nor disposition to dis
cuss pipe dreams from Indianapolis OF
anywhere else. There are some depths
of tomfoolery to which L cannot go "
Another Pipe Dream.
The colonel, in discussing the Perkins
story, recalled his comment upon Whar-
ton Barker'S testimony before the steel
trust inquisitors in Washington re-
Gently, when Barker declared that a
prominent railroad man had told him
that Roosevelt, before his election to
the presidency in 1904, had promised TO
be lenient with the railroads. At that
time the colonel remarked:
4 would as soon discuss a pipe dream
of a patient of Bedlam as to talk of
this
4 can say the same about this Per
kins affair." he observed
Postmaster General Hitchcocks de-
claration for government ownership of
the telegraph lines, was broached-
L have not seen Mr.. Hitchcock in
some months" said Col. Roosevelt.
During that time I have not heard
from him that I recall. All the reports
that I re eeived of a disagreement be-
tween 4lHl cAAI L1NSAACAL Cit 1AcN z
come through the newspapers. 1 do
not care to discuss them"
1T is suggested that Mr.. Hitchcock
will get out of the cabinet to manage
a campaign for you,' was ventured.
"Oh, I'll not discuss any such thing
as that" replied the colonel impa-
tiently.
Situation in the West
The talk drifted to the situation in
the west. Mr.. Roosevelt was asked if
he would take advantage of the Ne
braska law, which permits any one
withdrawing his name from the ballots
for expression Of presidential prefer
ence at the spring primaries, in the
event that his name is printed on the
ballots.
Il have not one thing to say about
that" was his reply II have taken no
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