Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-03-11
HOOVER TALKS LIKE
A FINE CANDIDATE

New York, March 1O-Herbert
e. Hoover, former Fedearl Food
Administrator, in letter received
| by Ralph arnold, OF Los Angeles,
Cal, New York representative of
the Make Hoover President
| Club, of California, declared taht
he was not seeking public office,
and that his ambition was to re-
main a common citizen, but that
he believed that he, Give every
other citizen" always should be
ready for service when really
called upon"
Mr.. Hoover's letter followed
the action of group of Califor-
mans residing in this city in ap-
pontlnent of a committee to go to
Washington to ask Mr.. Hoover to
make known his position. The
committee included Mark Requa,
Federal Oil Administrator, during
the world war.
| Asserting that while such 'pro-
lposalS indeed are great honor, |
feel that | cannot alter the atti-
tude that | consistently have pre-
served." Mr.. Hoover's letter con-
tinned:
First, | am an independent pro-
pressive in the issues before us to-
day. think that at this time the
tissues before the country trans
cend partisanship.
ct is we'll known that I was a
Progressive Republican before
the war, and, | think rightly, a
non-partisan during my war ser
vice. The issues confronting us
are new, and the alignment upon
them has not been made yet by
the. great parties. | still object
as much to the reactionary group
in the republican party as do to
the radical group in the Demo-
cratic party.
~ YSeeond, [ am not seeking pub
llic office, and. consulting my own
personal inclinations, | do not de-
sire public office. l cannot pre-
vent any citizen or group of citi-
zens agitating that | should take
public office, but | cannot partici-
pate conscientiously in any organ
= ization to that end.
81 belong to group which
= think that the American citizens
should elect their own officials, at
their own initiation and volition
land that resents the manufacture
of officials by machine methods.
81 feel sure that if I entered the
\ race for the nomination for the
ri Presidency, and undertook to So
illicit and spend the propaganda
&c and organization, this in itselt
\ would be a negation of the right
American instinct, because of the
obligations that it all implies.
. believe thoroughly that |. like any
e. other citizen, always should BIZ
| ready for service when really call
GU uJOli, Dut W 81 Oul diiu u u
! persuade the public to call me il
| opposed to my every instinct.
I Third, I hope to have the at
] lection of my countrymen, but my
| ambition is to remain common
| citizen, ready to engage in team
! play with any organization ano
! leadership that has for its objec
| tive the contamination and main
I tenance of great issues and re
! forms that | believe to be for thu
| public interest. l believe, o
! course, in party organization, bu
!! it must be for the protection of is
! sues, not of men.
I 81 am not a straddler of any is
| sue. I pass most of my time ag
{: itating for issue in which I be
| lieve.
I ct is the privilege of all of IL
/! to hold our own views, and it i
+; Our duty to express them whel
| called upon to do so, but no mai
! can be so arrogant as to assum,
! that he can dictate the issue to tn
| American voters or to the grea
/; parties that they support.
! Fourth, you and your friend
have urged that I should under