ROOSEVELT, THEODORE. (1858-1919). Twenty-sixth president of the United States. TLS. (“Theodore Roosevelt”). 1p. 4to. New York, July 10, 1912. On Outlook letterhead to REV. DR. JUDSON SMITH (died 1921), General Secretary of the American Tract Society.
“I appreciate your letter and thank you for it. You are quite right about the platform. Each plank – and that includes the tariff plank as well – must state precisely what we, if we are returned to power, will attempt to do, and it must state no more than what we intend to carry out if we are able to. The one thing that I have always insisted upon is that we should never make any promises on the stump that we are not ready to carry out in practice as soon as we have the power. The reason that some of my opponents have been so bitter in their denunciation of me, is that they know that if I am returned to power, I will use every endeavor to carry out in practice what I have advocated in my speeches and addresses. Whereas, they know very well that they can support with safety many of our opponents, who make all kinds of impossible promises, without the slightest intention of ever trying to carry them out in practice. Faithfully yours…”

Theodore Roosevelt