Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-05-25
von l.. Meyer, Heading Delega-
ton at Oyster Bay, Tells
Roosevelt He Is the Man Need
ed to Reunite the G. o. p.
COLONEL NOT D|SPLEASED
Welcomes the Support and Prin-
ciples Overwhelmingly for
the Principles, He Says, and
''Only Secondarily for My.
SELF" He Adds.

Oyster Bay. N. Y. May z2-In reply
10 George Won L. Meyer, former secre-
tary of the navy. who to-day officially
notified him that the Roosevelt republic
can committee with membership in 30
states had been organized to work for
his nomination for the presidency by the
Republican party, Col Theodore Roosc-
Welt enumerated the principles for which
he declared he fighting, adding
They are the principles YOU are on
ganizing to support, and with all my
heart / welcome such support"
Mr.. Meyer headed a delegation of .
members of the committee. In his speech
of notification he told Mr.. Roosevelt that
one of the purposes of the committee was
to laid the Republican party in going
before the country reunited and in full
strength with a candidate who is listened
to and trusted by the great mass of the
people" group Of oyster Bay pro-
gressives were visitors at the Roosevelt
home and witnessed the notification.
Colonel Roosevelt's reply to the dele
cation follows:
II am naturally very deeply touched
and pleased by your action. | accept it
absolutely in the spirit which you have
taken It, You are for me because you
regard me as representing and embody-
ing the aggressive movement for the
thoroughGoing Americanism and thor
oughgoing preparedness. Your devotion
is to the cause and to the man only
insofar as he for the time being en-
bodies the cause. This is precisely the
attitude ! took in my Trinidad state
ment I now hold and shall continue
to hold this great time of crisis in
our country's history because 1t is a
great crisis in the history of the world.
If we are unprepared, If we are split
and sundered by rivalries or creed, OF
section and national origin: if our coun-
try's action is to be conditioned by
helplessness without and the hyphenate
within, the career of the United States
as a great factor in the worlds civil
zation is at an end
There is no use Of being for hal
measures Of Americanism and prepar
edness. Still less is it Of any use 70,
any public man to announce himself in
vague general terms as in favor of
Americanism and preparedness, unless
his whole course of action in public life
has made it evident, and now makes il
evident, that he means just exactly
what he says.
UNLESS, if he Is in office. or has been
in office, his career has been such as
in fullest measure to warrant the be-
lief that he is a man of deeds and not
Of words in this matter, and unless ir
every crisis, whether he be in or out OF
office, he frankly and fully takes posi-.
ton on the concrete facts which are ur
for decision, and applies the abstra c'
statement directly to these concrete
facts
General professions are utterly worth,
less unless, in the first place. the mar
making them is ready to Immediately APP
ply them to every concrete case "a /
actually arises, and unless, in the SECOND
place, when he has the opportunity, he
at once turns his words into deeds.
II am fighting for these principles
They are the principles you are organic
ing to support. and with all my heart
welcome such support, accepting it n.
given primarily to the principles anC
only secondarily for myself
ANY man at this time of crisis who i.
not aggressive, openly and specifically 70
these principles is against them, and ever,
patriotic man should treat our public ser
wants on this basis"