The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1916-06-30
ROOSEVELT Will
NOT MAKE RACE

Chicago, June 27.-Theodore Roose
velt's refusal to run for president was
read at the meeting of the national
committee Of the Progressive party
here.
He says lie will strongly support
Mr. Hughes and urges all Progress
sjves to follow his lead.
He says the German-American al
liances are also strongly supporting
Mr.. Hughes, but that their attitude is
due solely to their antagonism to
me-" He expresses stern reprobation
of this professional German-American
element" but says he feels sure that
the endorsement of Mr.. Hughes by
"tbe politico-racial hyphen' will not
affect Mr.. Hughes public actions.
Colonel Roosevelt said, in part:
IN accordance with the message |
sent to the Progressive national con-
vention | now communicate to you my
reasons for declining the nomination
for president which l so deeply appre
ciate.
THE 1912 platform was much the
most important public document since
the death of Abraham Lincoln. 1t
represented the first effort on a large
scale to translate abstract formulas
of economic and social justice into
concrete American nationalism.
Offered Only Alternative.
Events have shown that the Pro.
gressive party in 1912 offered the only
alternative to the triumph of the
Democratic party. Moreover, these
events have shown that the applica-
tion of the principles which we then
advocated is even more necessary to
this nation than we at the time sup.
posed.
yet it has become entirely evident
that the people under existing condi-
tions are not prepared to accept new
party.
sit is impossible for us Progressives
to abandon our convictions. But we
are faced with the fact that as things
actually are the Progressive national
organization no longer offers the
means whereby we can make these
convictions effective in our national
life. Under such circumstances our
duty is to do the best we can and not
to sulk because our leadership is re-
jected.
"The present administration, during
it's three wears of life. has been guilty
of shortcomings more signal than
those of any administration since the
days of Buchanan. From the stand
point of national honor and interest
it stood on an even lower level than
the administration of Buchanan. No
aGn inistration in our history had done
more to relax the spring of the ma
tional will and to deaden the national
conscience.
Conflicting Forces at Work.
within the Republican party con-
ficting forces were at work. There
were men among the organization
leaders who advocated a course Of ac-
ticn such as offered no improvement
upon the Democratic position and ad-
yocated the nomination of candidates
whose election would have represent
ed no improvement upon the continu-
ance in Office of Mr. Wilson.
"If such course were followed it
would obviously become our duty to
run a third ticket. But it was plainly
our duty to do everything honorable
in order to prevent such necessity;
to DO everything short of sacrificing
our most sacred convictions in order
to secure the alignment under one
leadership of the forces opposed to the
continuance in power of Mr.. Wilson
and the Democratic party.
I'm my Judgment, the nomination OF
Mr.. Hughes meets the conditions set
forth in the statement of the Progress,
sive national committee, issued last
January, and in my own statements.
Tnfer existing conditions the nomina-
ticn of third ticket would, in my
-u5 gment be merely a move in the in
te7est of the election of Mr.. Wilson.
Praises Justice Hughes.
81 regard Mr.. Hughes as man
whose public record is guarantee
that he will not merely stand for
program of clean cut, straight out
Americanism before election. but will
resolutely and in good faith put it
through II elected He is beyond all
comparison better fitted to be presi-
dent than Mr.. Wilson. lie would be a
grave detriment to the country to re.
elect Mr.. Wilson.
81 shall, therefore. strongly support
Mr.. Hughes. Such being the case II
is unnecessary to say that I cannot
accept the nomination on a third
ticket. do not believe that there
shonld be third ticket.
1T is urged against Mr.. Hughes
thaf ho WAS Sunnartad hx tho xar;o,aa