Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-04-23

w hen was the question OF your en-
gibility for the governorship brough.
up?"
My remembrance is that Mr.. Root
was present during the first discussion
of that question"
WAS Mr.. Root asked to advocate
your nomination and asked to justify
your eligibility"
Il think he was"
Was Mr.. Choate asked to- do the
same thing?'
Il do not recall. Ny memory is that
was told Mr.. Choate had said was
not eligible"
Had you learned that Louis Payne
and Governor Black had also said you
were not eligible?"
Il think heard that"
do you remember a discussion be-
tween all these gentlemen about your
eligibility"
Il do. Mr.. Odell was there, too"
do YOU remember Mr.. Odell asking
the lawyers there who could raise the
question of your eligibility il you were
elected"
No. l do not remember that. I be-
eral alone could"
Did some one ask what difference
that made, as if you were elected the
whole ticket. including an attorney
general would be elected"
Not just that. 1t was said no one
would ever question the eligibility aft
er my election.
Did you and Mr.. Root get up the
matter he presented at the convention
regarding your eligibility?'
Il gave him my books of letters to
look over
You remember he advocated your
nomination, don't you?"
"Oh, yes
Question Of Taxes
Mr.. WINS returned to the question Of
taxes. Col. Roosevelt said:
After / returned from the Spanish
war in 1898 1 found that my taxes had
not been paid. My uncle. James A
Roosevelt, was supposed to pay them.
but he died before he had the oppor-
tunity. When l got back from Cuba
the books had been closed, so / could
not pay the taxes
DO you remember writing to your
cousin, John, in New York in 1898,
asking him whether you had to pay
these general taxes if you were a
resident Of Washington and not Of
New York;"
4 do the Colonel replied.
The letter was read. In it Colonel
Roosevelt said:
L do not want to seem to sneak out
Of anything, so rather than lose my
vote I'll pay the penalty"
What Gid you mean by paying the
penalty" asked Mr.. WINS.
Il meant that the tax commissioners
had taken advantage Of me and under
ordinary circumstances ] would have
contested the assessment. l was very
busy when l wrote that letter. The Maine
had been blown up and l was busy as
sisting in preparing the navy for war;
Mr.. WINS referred again to Col. Roose-
velts commission as a lieutenant colonel.
THE only thing 1 swore to in that"
said the colonel, was that 1 would be
loyal to the United States government.
The statement there about my being
resident of Washington was written by
some clerk. They knew 1 was assistant
secretary of the navy and was living in
Washington. l never saw the mention
Of Washington in that paper before to-
day."
Did you intend to stand by Platt and
Odell when the Republican machine nom
mated your"
Laughter Greets Remarks
Yes, as long as they went straight.
They knew / would stand by everybody
as long as they were honest They knew
I would stand for no dishonesty
The colonel said this with great en-
phasis. The crowd laughed.
DO you stand for righteousness with
due regard for opportunism?"
Il do not. I stand for righteousness
and always have"
Does that apply to Mr.. Barnes?"
"Oh, yes"
Not in 1912
Did it in 1922"
1T did not" thundered the colonel in
reply. The crowd roared with laughter
and 1t was some time before order was
restored.
Letters to Plat
After few more questions Mr. WINS
produced series of letters between Sen
ator Plat and Col. Roosevelt. The first
was from Senator Plat, dated May 6,
1899, and was addressed to My dear Gov
ernor." Following are excerpts from it:
Il did have a little mite of apprehension
at what has been called your impulsive
nature But it seemed to me that the
element of danger there could not be
very great. reminded myself of the fact
that you had gone through a great many
different political experiences and that
however large may have been the fund of
impulse with which you started out you
must by this time have realized the fact
that 1t is not himself only who is COM
mitted and rendered responsible by the
act of a party executive.
Il had heard from a great many
sources that you were little loose on
the relations of capital and labor, on
trusts and combinations, and indeed on
those numerous questions which have re-
Gently arisen in politics affecting the Sc
CURLY of earnings and the right Of a man
to run his own business in his own way,
with due respect, Of course, to the Ten
Commandments
You argued in favor of franchise
tax bill. I opposed it. My belief was
that franchise tax bill taken by itself
is inopportune, that radical legislation of
that sort was bound to strike the con-
Seryatiye business con,,,up;ty x,,h;o,, 4,