The Topeka state journal., 1916-05-16
Roosevelt Sends Message of
Confidence to Middle West.
EDISON ON ADVISORY BOARD
Famous Inventor in Politics for
the First Time.
Largest Contribution to League
Came From Kansas.

Roosevelt Monday night sent a mes
sage of greeting and confidence to the
voters of the middle west. In this lat
est message Mr.. Roosevelt makes
clearer than ever the fact that he is
openly a candidate for the presiden-
tial nomination on the terms which he
has heretofore outlined.
Informed by Edwin C. Larned that
western headquarters of the Roosevelt
Nonpartisan league have been opened
at No. 26 East Monroe street, Chicago,
the colonel sent the following dispatch
to Mr.. Larned, who will be in charge
of the leagues work in the west:
Il thank you for your kind tele-
gram. I appreciate the opening of the
Roosevelt Nonpartisan league head
quarters in Chicago. You have doubt
less already seen my letter to the
league.
Surely the great middle west, the
west which Abraham Lincoln and
Ulysses S. Grant typified in the Civil
war, will now take the lead in the
movement for genuine Americanism
and for national preparedness. with
out which Americanism would be an
empty boast
(Signed)
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
Following his declaration in favor
of Roosevelt for president last week,
Thomas A. Edison accepted position
on the advisory board of the Roosevelt
Nonpartisan league.
Colonel Roosevelt was informed of
this active participation of Mr.. Edison
in n campaign for his nomination by
Guy Emerson, secretary, and Thomas
c. Desmond, treasurer of the league,
who called on him Monday afternoon.
Mr.. Emerson brought with him the
original letter of Mr.. Edison endorsing
Roosevelt which the colonel desires to
hand down to his family.
The two league officials also
brought enthusiastic reports of the
progress of the leagues work.
$500 From Kansas.
LAS an Illustration of what we are
accomplishing" said Mr.. Emerson,
'today's mail brought US the names of
1881 new members, of whom 719 are
contributors to the cause. Contribu
tions amounting to $3,0S9 were also
received in the same mail, the largest
single contribution being check for
$500 which came from Kansas. This
is one days mail of the league, which
has been in operation now brief FIVE
weeks
"Jr addition to Mr.. Edison, whose
letter endorsing Colonel Roosevelt was
the first public political declaration he
ever made and who is actively en-
gagged in political work now for the
first time in his life, We have also
added to our advisory committee the
name OF A. II. ETSklHey pIcSiQcilI VI
the Studebaker company, of South
Bend, Ind. Up to now Mr.. ErskIne has
been Democrat
Every state Organized.
Every state in the Union is now
organized in the interests of the
league which was organized to give
voters other than Republicans an op-
portunity to make concrete their be-
lief that Roosevelt is the man of the
hour. Colonel Roosevelt, having re-
fused to give the voters an opportunity
| to express their sentiments in his favor
through the primaries, we have de-
vised this means of enabling them to
give expression to their views Just
/ now we are warking for Colonel
Roosevelts nomination at Chicago and
we are going about this by giving the
widest publicity to Colonel Roosevelt's
record and principles We started
| this movement without assistance
| from anyone and have carried it for
| ward on voluntary subscriptions from
| the rank and file who are in sym
| pathy with the cause. We are hear
| ing every day from the advertisement
we had in the current Saturday Even
| ing Post for which we got credit, and
$4,000 toward paying for which we
| have already collected in addition to
| paying all our current expenses
Messages to Delegates.
particular attention is being given
by the league to elected delegates to
the Republican national convention
who are being flooded with literature
expressive of the popular desire that
Roosevelt shall be nominated.
| Mr. Emerson, who is the active head
! of the league, was federal office
holder in the Taft administration and
in 1912 was an active worker for Mr..
| Taft's reelection. The national head
| quarters of the league are in New
] York In addition to the western
i headquarters opened in Chicago last
night branch headquarters were also
| opened simultaneously at 1887 Walnut
! street, Philadelphia, and 81 Federal
/ street. Boston