Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-02
COLONEL HAS FIRM FAITH
IN PATRIOTISM OF PEOPLE
'cJoices In Conviction That 1t Is Not
Strcakcd by boundary Lines
OF States or Sections.
coNTINENT.wIDE IN INTENSITY
Fighting for Certain Great and Vital
Principles. and Delegates to Chi
cago Ought Not to Nominate Him
Unless Prepared to Support Him.
Especial to The Timcs-Dispatch. J

supporters chcered Colonel Roosevelt
as our next President" on his ar
rival at Grand Central Station at $3.50
rom his Chicago triumph. we want
leddy too they shouted. taking up
ne cry which greeted him in the
Middle West. Cheering In his wake,
the crowd followed him to the rum
way, where he entered his motor car
With Mrs. Derby. his daughter. and
was driven away to oyster Bay.
Responding to the cheers OF tho
crowd. the Colonel, shaking hands with
Harry Wright, one OF the rooters,
said
The people are all right. All they
need is to be woke up"
Colonel Roosevelt tonight made the
following statement In response to
questions regarding his trip to Chicago
and Its bearing upon the national
political situation:
Il never returned from "a trip through
The West with nrmer faith or greater
pride in the patriotism Of the people.
what Is necessary is to inform this
patriotism and to rouse IL to deeply
scrious consideration OF our present
national needs. was most deeply i'm
presred by what saw and heard while
In chicago--not only concerning opin-
Central West generally.
Il say in all carnestness and sin
certify that ] return to my home re-
Io'c!nE in tho conviction that our
patriotism is not streaked by tho
boundary lines of States or OF sections.
nor divided along tho lines Of creed
or racial and national origin. but Is
conference.-the and people deep In It's
intensity, It's vigor, its vision and It's
spirit OF national unity.
WARNED TO TONE DOWN
HIS VIEWS IN THE WEST
Many well-meaninE persons had
warned me before left the East that
this was not true, aud that IL wished
20 satisfy the people OF tho Central
West with my speech, would have TO
tone down the views l have been ex-
pressing for many years. and especial.
Is for the past twenty-one months. AS
regards preparedness, national duty
and Americanism untainted by the
hyphcn; and that would have TO
soften the harshncss Of the unpleasant
facts as TO the real condition Of tho
nation
This was rot course l could fol-
low What say TO one portion OF our
people is what ! say to all our people
everywhere. have always spoken.
and shall always speak. on the issues
or tho day as frankly and vigorously
In one part OF the country as In any
nther part
IL know no West. no East, nc South
no section AT all--in presenting to my
rountrymen what regard as the real
need OF our nation TO be prepared TO
make good every word it's governments
at Washington says. and every ideal
for which this nation stands.
Il am not in the slightest degree
concerned with tho political results to
myself or 10 any other man. OF the
Vows express.
Il am concerned only with awaken
inG, before il is too late, the patriotic
spirit that kn.w is deeply rooted
in our people and in bringing il to a
prompt and keen realization of our re-
possibilities ana opportunities as a
nation. Patriotism must he the vital
lcinC and directing force in shaping
the policies OF our government at
WSshinCton II must not he tempered
hy tiInid regard for alleged sectional
difference to our national rights and
dignity. nor by the even more I'M
worthy fear that some Of our people
nut loyalty to the land from which
they or their forcfathcrs sprung above
LOYALTY to our common nag and com
mon country
NEED At WASHINGTON
\ NATIONAL PROGRAM
what we need At Washington is Il
rationa! program, not based vote
letting or vote losing. but relying on
ana having faith In the broad patriot
,sn, OF our people RS a whole. with I
any regard whatever to the section in
which the people live or the creed they
urofcss. or the land from which their
forefathers came.
1T cannot tc said too often that
this is a time of crisis in the nation s
career. We are now laying down the
foundation and the controlling lines OF
a now era OF our history. Everything
can do will be done TO sec that the
people. West and East, realize the facts
and act accordingly.
: icy no act of mine, by no word of
mine, has this grave question been in
yolved In factional politics. In every
state in which the law governs such
matters ! have promptly withdrawn my
name from all factional struggle
In a cable message from Trinidad
on March ] requested and insisted
that my friends in Massachusetts re-
have invoked the law there as / did
in other States il there had been such
a law. In that statement j also said
that ! was not interested in the politi-
cal fortunes either of myself or others.
and I have rcsolutely stuck to that
determination.
\ II have not cXpressed--and don't In
.ttcnd to eXprcss-myself as being for
or against any man rs regards myself.
don't believe that the delegates ought
20 nominate me at Chicago unless they
are prepared Fundamentally and with
out reserve TO make the fight along
The lines above outlined.
FIGHTING FOR CERTAIN GREAT
AND VITAL PRINCIPLES
Il am lighting for certain great and
vital principles. Those who take their
stand in such matter because OF fac
tiOnal or personal prejudice are either