Evening star., 1915-12-24
ROOT NOT IN RACE
T0LEAD HIS PARTY
Has No Intention of Seeking
Republican Presidential
Nomination.
REFUSES TOILET NAME GO
ON MINNESOTA BALLOT
Action Believed to Be Wise Move,
Owing to Early Primaries
There.

Elihu Root is not in the race for the
republican nomination for President, and
does not intend to get into the race. ac-
cording to a newspaper dispatch received
in Washington today from Minneapolis
This dispatch is to the effect that Mr..
Root has written to the republican state
central committee that he is not a can
didate.
''If my name is put on the ballot
shall be compelled to insist upon its
being withdrawn" the letter says. ac-
cording to the report.
This report created no little interest
at the Capitol today. The talk of Root
for the nomination has been persistent
in many parts of the country. 1t re-
ceived setback when the voters Of
state constitution, which was framed
with Root as chairman of the constitu-
tional convention, and largely under
his direction. But in many quarters it
has continued strong even up to to-
day. There are many old line republic
cans who would prefer to see Root
nominated and elected than any of the
other proposed candidates.
But the cry has gone forth that the
progressive wing of the party will not
him desirable to many. but his work
as corporation lawyer before he be-
came a member of Roosevelt's cabinet
and firmly intrenched in political life
is held up against him.
Cites Advanced Age.
When Mr.. Root was still member
of the Senate during the last session of
Congress his nomination as the repub-
lican candidate in 1916 was suggested
on the floor of the Senate by Senator
Col Of II Nv
made a speech in the Senate, declaring
that he had no intention of being
candidate for the presidency. At that
time he reminded the senators that
February Is, 1916 he would be seventy
one years old. and that even if NOM
mated and elected he would be seven
ty-two years old before he took Office,
and seeventy-six years old before his
term expired.
His reported statement to the Mime
sofa republican central committee is of
considerable interest in view of the
fact that those republicans in Minne-
sofa who are opposed to the nomina-
tion of Senator Cummins of Iowa were
centering their support upon Root.
With Root off the slate, however, the
so-called stand-p pat republicans in Min
nesota must turn their attentions to
some other candidate, or else support
Cummins, who is strong throughout
the middle west. II was suggested to-
udN tudl tuSy might SWluS 10
of Ohio.
Has No Favorite Son.
The Minnesota pIimories come early;
in fact, they are second only to Indiana
primaries, which are scheduled for
March Z. In Indiana it is considered
a foregone conclusion that the nomina-
tion will be to former Vice President
Ea irhapkS Minnesota therefore will
offer the first opportunity to judge of
the strength of the candidates for the
nomination in a. state which has no
"favorite son..
In some quarters the refusal of Sena-
tor Root to allow his name to appear
on the ballot in the Minnesota pri-
maries is believed to be a wise move.
1t is pointed out that he probably
would not be successful in Minnesota,
and it might have a bad effect on his
chances in the future. Mr.. Root, it was
said, has made it clear in the past that
he is not an active candidate for the
nomination. But 1t has also been in
dicated that should a call come to him
he would not refuse.