The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-06-08
GLAD TO SPEAK 4;
# CALLED : A
Colonel Roosevelt Would
Hustle to Chicago if Re-
pubicans Invited
Him.
SITUATION VERY GRAVE
He Says That Selection Of a candi.
date to Oppose Wilson, is
Crisis In American
History.
SITUATION VERY GRAVE

" Io oA ~. june o.-Noi-
onel Roosevelt replied today as fol-
lows to William P. Jackson, of Mary
land, who invited him to address the
answer to your telegram, I can only
publican convention and that if the
convention desires me to address 1t, l
shall be glad to do so. very earnest
ly hope republicans and progressives
assembled at Chicago will keep
steadily in mind the gravity Of this
crisis, not only for America but for
the world and the need that their ac-
tion in dignity, foresight and patriot
ism shall rise to the level of the crisis.
l hope that the aim will be not mere
ly to nominate man who can be
elected next November, but man Of
such power, character, steadfast con-
viction and proved ability that if elect
ed he will again place this nation
where it belongs by making it true
to itself and therefore true to all
mankind.
President Wilson. however, ami
able his intentions, has rendered to
this people the most evil service that
can be rendered to a great democ-
racy by it's chosen leader. He has
dulled the national conscience and re-
laxed the spring of lofty, national
motives, by teaching our people to
accept high sounding words as tho
Offset and atonement for shabby
deeds, and to use words which mean
nothing in order to draw all meaning
from those which have a meaning. 1t
will be no easy task to arouse the
austere self-respect which has been
Iulled to slumber by these means. To
this task we should bend our united
energy, in the spirit of washington
and Lincoln, the spirit Of genuine
democratic leadership, the spirit
which sets the standard to which the
nation ought to rise and then with
confident hope appeal to the soul Of
the people so that they may in fact
support the standard thus raised.
"The differences that have divided,
not merely republicans and progress
sives but good Americans of all
shades of political beliefs, from cne
another, IN the past, sink into moth
ing when compared with the issues
now demanding decision-for these
issues are vital to the national life
they are issues Of unified American
ism and of national preparedness. If
we are not all of us Americans and
nothing else, scorninG to divide along
the lines section, creed or Of national
origin, then the nation itself will
crumble into dust.
'.If We are not thoroughly prepared,
If we have net developed a strength
which respects the rights Of others
but which is ready to enofrce from
others respect for its own rights, then
sooner or later We shall have to sub
nit to the will of an alien conquer
or.
"These questions are not IN the
realm of abstract thought. They
must be taken out Of the world Of
cloudy promise and vague phrasing
into the world of performances and
fact. They are today in concrete
form before you and your fellows for
your decision. For two years, in the
face of an awful world cataclysm, this
nation has stood supine and helpless
and has not in the smallest degree
itself to ward off the danger.
No promise, no excuse now made by
those responsible for this fnaction is
worth consideration. 1t is for you and
your assistants to show the people
that they have a worthy alternative
tc which to turn.
"The professional German-Ameri-
cans, acting through various agencies,
incIding so called German-American
alliances, are at this moment serving
notice on the members of your con-
vention that your action must be TAX
en- with view to the interest, not Of
the United States but of Germany,
and Of that section of the German
vote, which is anti-American to the
core.
Il believe with all my heart that
the action of these sinister German
Americans will be repudiated with
contempt by the great mass of our
fellow citizens who are in whole or
in part of German blood, and who are
as we'll know, unsurpassed in rug
ged and whole-souled Americanism by
other citizens of our land
"But the professional GermanAm-
ericans are seeking to terrorize our