The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-17
Under No Conditions s
Would He Consider
Presidency.
FLAT DECLARATION
NJ ADE IN SENATE
Final Remuneration of Future Po-
litical Preferment Accepted as
Notice That He Will Not
Be Candidate to Succeed
Himself When Term
Expires.
Especial to The Times-Dlspatch

Especial to The Times -Dispatch.1
Washington. December l6.-Senator
Elihu Root to-day put aside tho prof
fcred crown. IIe declared that under
no circumstances would nc consider
tho presidency
Il would not accept the nomination.
and could not accept the o,iice," said
he in his final rcnunciation Of future
political prcferment.
Ills fiat declaration of his purpose
10 retire from public life was accepted
AS public notice that he would not be
"A candidate 10 succeed himself in the
senate when his term expires March
B. 1915. Twice before Senator Root
has made statements TO the effect that
he Intended &c retire, but not until to-
day were his friends finally convinced
that this was his determined rcsolu-
tion.
Tho speech OF Senator Root in the
afternoon was due TO criticisms in tho
senate last night by Senators John
Sharp Williams and Reed that the
eNtravagant statements because of the
"presdcntial bee" that he heard buz-
zng.
II was Andrew Carnegie at tho
White House last week who first s,R-
pested Mr.. Root as an available candi-
date Of the Republican party Senator
Gallingcr. Immediately after the con-
ciusion of Mr Roots speech on satur-
day last. issued n statement in which
he Endorsed Mr.. Root as the logical
candidate in 1916
tttrncts Grcnt Attention.
II was while discussing certain
amendments that Mr. Root took UP the
presidency and made the few remarks
that attracted vastly more attention
than any currency speech made during
the day. Referring To several replies
that We're made yesterday to his
sreech of saturday on the possibilities
o! imitation. Mr.. Root said:
/ am going 10 depart from the GUS
tom to which my feeling ordinarily
holds me, and make remark regard
ing some personal ailus!ons which oc-
CURED IN the speeches OF two, perhaps
three. OF the Senator'S who replied TO
me These Senators saw At TO iutl.
mate that my motive in making the
argument did make was not merely
the desire 10 contribute what | could
To the fair and Intelligent discussion
OF the merits OF this bill. but that
there was also a motive OF personal
ambition coloring my judgment and
anecung my uttcrances.
That is not very cogcnt argu-
ment in itself. for what Il Senator saws
here is 10 be Judged by the weight of
what Is said rather than by any motive
he may have in saying it. Nevcrthe-
less, | have this TO say about il. and I
should not say II were il not for tho
iact that public statement has an
peared coming from the senior Sena-
tor from New Hampshire (Mr. Gal
Nngcr). and that public statement has
been commented upon in this chamber
ana in the public press. the substance
of the statement being that under somc
10, u
Tor the presidency OF the United States
] shall always he grateful for the
friendship and the good opinion of the
Senator from New Hampshire and for
the too partial friendship. which has
led other gentlemen to express agree
ment with him; but i ask my friends
upon the other side. who do not agree
with him, and in whose minds n sus-
picion of personal ambition upon nv
part may detract from the weight OF
my utteranccs, to remember the fact
that before this administration comes
to a close. and the next here shall have
been inauGurated. shall have reached
the age of sevcnty-two years Before
the next administration comes to a
close, l shall have passed the age OF
seVenty-SiX.
Could Not Accept.
ut is manifcstly impossible sir. that
SHOULD be the President of the United
States. 1 could not render the ser
wee would not undertake il.
would not accept the nomination
could not accept the Office.
Such suggestions are and can be
merely graphic way OF expressing the
feeling Of friendship and approval. My
political career and my public career
are drawing TO Il close. No political
ambition whatever finds n place in the
horizon for my future.
Il look with sympathy and interest
upon the young and more vigorous men
around me, who might fully cherish
ambition for place ana usefulness OF
service for our country, but have no
part in them"
Senator GallinEer. replying briefly.
corrected the statement of Senator
CONTINUED on Ninth Pags)