The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-04-06
SOMBRERO OF SAN
JUAN HILL AGAIN
IN The RING
ROuSeyeIt'S Position Relating to
Nomination for President
COLONEL WILL NOT "pUSSYF0Ol"
Tells Prospective Delegates to Chicago
Convention Where He Stands on
National Issues

Oyster Bay, l.. l., April 5.-Colonel
Theodore Roosevelt is again out in the
open as a candidate for the Republican
nomination FOR President of the United
States.
He made known his attitude to a Wis
itor from a nearby State who expects
to 20 to the Republican National Con
yention as delegate. There were 1--WE
men present in the big trophy room at
Sycamore Hill who heard the conyer-
sation
The Colonel with his characteristic
vehemence had been talking of Mexico
and other international problems when
the visitor broke in.
you know Colonel" he said, Il
may make up my mind that we will
have to nominate you
Like a flash the Colonel turned to
his visitor.
We'll, now, let me give you piece
of advice he said, pounding the chair
arm. IF you have any doubt on the
subject do not nominate me. Get it
perfectly clear in your head that If
you nominate me it mustn't be because
you think it is in my interest, but be-
cause you think it is in your interest
Int ~ tho Dnnnhl-pan
Party, and because you think it to the
interest of the United States to do
So
The Colonel hesitated moment to
collect his thoughts, and then burst
out again. RE put into his utterances
all OF the vehemence he would have
used in a campaign speech, apparently
obliyious OF the fact that he was talk
ing to little group OF men in his
home and not to a great throng in
some huge auditorium.
And more than that, don't you do it
if you expect me to pussy-foot on any
single Issue | have raised he con-
tinued Don't be for me unless you
are prepared to say that every citizen
OF this country has got to be pro-
United States, first, last and all the
time. and no pro-anything else at all,
and that we stand for every good
| American everywhere, whatever his
| birthplace or creed, and wherever he
now lives and that in return We de-
mand that he be an American and
nothing else, with no hyphen about
| him.
Every American citizen must be for
! America first and for no other coun-
| try even second, and he hasn't any
right to be in the United States at all
if he has any divided loyalty between
this country and any other.
81 don't care rap for the mans
creed or birthplace or national origin,
so long as he is straight United States.
| | am for him if he is straight United
States, and if he isn't l am against
! him. And don't you nominate me un-
less you are prepared TO take the posi-
ton that Uncle Sam is to be strong
| enough to defend his rights and to de
fend every one of his people where
ever those people are, and he can't be
strong enough unless he prepares in
| advance,
81 am not for war; on the contrary
| abhor an Unjust or a wanton Var, and
| would use every honorable expedi
ent to avoid even a just war. But
feel with all my heart that you don't
the long run. avoid war by making
other people believe that you are
afraid to fight for your own rights,
Uncle Sam must never wrong the
weak; he must never insult any one OF
wantonly give cause of olfense tC
either the weak or the strong, and the
squarest possible way to enable hin
to keep the peace and to keep it OF
terms that will enable Americans {,
hold their heads high and not hans
; them in shame is for him to he so pre-
pared in advance-and [ mean pre-
pared in his own soul as well as Will
his army and navy--that when he say
anything the rest Of the world viii
know that he means it, and that he cal
70 make it good.
Don't you try TO nominate me un
. less you think that is the policy tha
= ought to be followed out, and followed
= out for your sake as much as for mine
= and for the sake of the rest OF us her
in the United States, and don't forge
that isn't course that provokes war
it is the only course that, in the lon
:, run, prevents war, and secures nation
+ al self-respect and guarantees tn
e honor of this country, and the right
y of It's citizens wherever they ma
t be"
/, The conversation between the Co
;, onel and his visitors came as a logica
l. sequence to the Roosevelt-Root.Lod
? luncheon last Friday at the home q
:, Robert Bacon in New York, whic
d gave such mighty impetus to tn
boom which Rooseyelts follower