Volume 14 , Issue 9

100 Years Ago Today February 27, 1912

It was a Tuesday, February 27, 1912, when the headlines in the New-York Tribune had some of the following headlines: "Roosevelt Says He Will Support His party's Choice, Roosevelt's Polices Drive Many From Him, Brandt Remanded To Await Trial, Taft Indorsed In Kentucky, Meteor Almost Hit Liner, and Arrest of F. J. Gardner."

This week let us look closer at the headlines that read, "Roosevelt Says He Will Support His Party's Choice," where he declares he will abide by the decision of the convention, though his own candidacy failed. Roosevelt also denied breaking pledge and asserts "Third Term" statement meant Third consecutive term and is happy because a "fight for Principle" is on."

Boston, Feb. 26 (1912) -- "Colonel Theodore Roosevelt plunged into the thick of the fight for the Presidential nomination today. He said unequivocally that he was in the fight to the end and was glad of it. He replied to the charge that he would be breaking his third term pledge if he accepted another nomination, and asserted that whether or not he should be the choice of his party at the Chicago convention he would abide by its decision. Roosevelt was quoted as saying, "I am perfectly happy now because I am making a straight out fight for a principle. The issue is in no way a personal one." When asked if he intended support the Republican nominee, Col. Roosevelt replied with, "Of course I shall."

Colonel Roosevelt pointed to his speeches in columbus, Ohio, the week before and before the Massachusetts House February 26, 1912, in response to inquiries as to the principle for which he is fighting. Col. Roosevelt defended his proposal for limited recall of judicial decisions and championed the right of popular opinion to control the machinery of government.

Col. Roosevelt's position in regard to the "third term" was explained to a number of his callers, "My position is perfectly simple. I stated it as clearly as i could in 1904, and reiterated it in 1907. I said that I would not accept a nomination for a third term under any circumstances, meaning, of course, a third consecutive term."

Roosevelt goes on to say, "I could not have said less at the time, nor could I have said more. Of course, I could not then know whether or not there would be a demand for me to accept a nomination at some future time. And believing, as I do, that the selection of candidates for the presidency rests entirely with the people, I could not say that at no time in my life would I accept another nomination.

"It must be clear to any reasonable man that the precedent which forbids a third term has reference only to a third consecutive term. It grew out of the fact that a President of the United States, under the present convention system of electing delegates, can, if he knows how to use the machinery at his disposal, renominate himself, even though the majority of his party is against him. But after he has been out of office for a term he has lost control of that machinery. He is in the position absolutely of any private citizen. The machinery is then in the hands of the man occupying the office of President."

Colonel Roosevelt devoted a large part of the day to conferring with the men who are forming the Roosevelt organization in Massachusetts. He told them that he would not identify himself actively, for the present at least, with the organization. He also talked for some time with Governor Robert Bass of New Hampshire, whom he is to meet again tomorrow. After taking lunch with Mrs. Robert Wolcott, widow of a Governor of Massachusetts, and Margaret Deland, the novelist, he went to the State House and thence to the home of Speaker Grafton Cushing, with whom he spent the night. Tomorrow the colonel is to pay another visit to Harvard and will also meet a few more politicians.

The news article mentioned that Colonel Roosevelt promised to send a letter to be read at a Roosevelt rally, which would be held on Saturday night by the Progressive Republican League. Governor Stubbs of Kansas, ex-Governor Fort of New Jersey and Senator Clapp, of Minnesota, were expected to speak.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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