Miss Jane Addams,
Chicago Ills.
Esteemed Lady: --
I found the enclosed clipping in my paper, and while I am an ardent and firm believer in and supporter of Women Suffrage, am sorry to learn that you are lending your influence in behalf of that old blooming hypocrite who is now leading the Bull Moose party. I feel thus because the man is utterly unworthy of any such aid and support as the Womens movement can, and most likely will give to him Just think how hypocritical this party has acted all along; a few years ago he came out in a lame way for Women Suffrage, then turned his coat and said it was of no importance etc. Now he is only an apparent [convert] and for policies sake, because he realizes that to carry [through] his vain, selfish, devilish ambitions, he needs all possible available aid etc., so becomes an eleventh hour convert again, but that in a very lame way, so that the [enemies] of the movement can read between the lines that he does not [mean] it. No, it is all a shallow pretense, all blatant [hypocrisy], just to fool the good ladies into line for his personal interests, his selfish purposes.
Just think how he has contradicted himself all along. Less than three months ago, he [warmly] endorsed the Taft administration, the Canadian reciprocity deal, now that he got it into his big noodle to be president again, he rips, roars and howls about "Bosses, Special Interests, Thieves, crooks etc. etc.," Does not that show plainly what it all amounts to? Now the G.O.P. is all at once bad and rotten clean to the core, whereas had he gotten what he wanted at Chicago, [been] nominated instead of Taft, it would have been the good old party of Progress moral ideas etc., etc., in fact just all O.K. No [it's] all a big lying, bunco game for self-aggrandizement, notoriety, fame and power, and most of all the green stuff. At heart he is no more in favor of women suffrage than old Nero was; with him it is simply a stunt to gain his ends.
He makes a big ado about his policies etc., when in fact all that he advocates in nothing new, but simply what he has stolen from other parties, and they have advocated long ago, especially the socialist party; now that he finds that these things take with the people, he [steals] their thunder and claims it as his.
I say this, and am not a member of the Socialist party.
Another thing, he never intends to do even what he pretends, but he is simply after something else; [beside] of his own personal ambitions, the Wall Street push [page 2] is back of him. He could not attempt anything like this new move, the [formation] of a new party had he not some big business, and money back of him. These big moneyed concerns were in dread and fear that such a man as Pollette might get to power, and that is what they did not want, for they could not have monkeyed, or worked him, so when there was danger, this old demagogue had to be pushed to the front to head off the game. But more than all, it is his own vain, selfish ambitions that have prompted him to break forth again; He had it all figured out that Taft being weak, and on the whole, and unpopular man, he could stampede the country for himself, and thus make himself famous etc.
This is purely the true status of the whole game, and fort this reason I am grieved to see that so many good people are swallowing his lying dope and falling for his detestable game.
If he had the good and welfare of the people, the nation at heart as he would make us believe he has, he had the most glorious chance to do something for the people during the two terms he has disgraced the white house, but the plain God's fact of it is that instead of doing something for the common people, he helped the big guys [illegible] their deal, for [illegible words] he was closeted with the Morgan crowd and lent them every assistance to put the [shackles] on a competing concern, and thus be able to set down the thumb screws just a little harder. Still he grunts, bawls, and blats about busting the trusts etc. Never was there a bigger sham, a bigger game of fake etc.
He is so drunk, so intoxicated with ideas of his own greatness, superiority etc. and desire for fame etc. that he is bound to have his way at all hazards, and no means and methods are too low and vile for him to resort to in order to gain his vain and selfish ends. All that is not for him is foul, crooked, vile, damnable etc. had he the power he would trample under foot, step into the wire all and every body not kneeling before him in the dust, yet he would be the biggest old despot the world has yet seen, end should be get to be president again, the country will have a dandy old time to get him out of the white house again. It would take more than half a dozen Texas mules to drag him forth again.
No my dear, unknown Madam, there are plenty other good men, men far above T.R. in every respect, men that we could feel proud of the have them as presidents besides this old selfish mountebank and demagogue. I am not a Democrat, but Prohibitionist, but Wilson would make us a fine president, and think I will vote for him, he advocates end stands for every good measure the old ex-cowpuncher possibly could possibly could stand for, only he does not make such a gun-fire of words as does this old bull [page 3]
In conclusion will only say: Just watch this old hypocrite and see how much, or rather how little he will say about Women Suffrage in his rip-roarings; and should he touch upon it at all, it will be in so double faced a fashion that while to good ladies might think wonders what they will get, opponents of the cause will grin, feel wise and say: 'there Teddy slipped over a nice one on the old women fogies etc.' Mark my word lady and watch the [program].
Much more might I add, but will not. This is no criticism or dictation, every person is his own master, but if it could, or would serve as a gentle hint, or a little eye-opener, something that would convince you and cause you to withdraw [your] valuable aid from this so unworthy party and his selfish cause, and rally to the support of some other real good, manly and worthy man, thy humble servant would feel very amply repaid for the time spent in wording this little message, a friendly, well meaning message, for such it is. The womens cause could not have a more staunch and honest supporter than it has in the writer of these words; for a goodly number of years I came to see the gross injustice of the present status of this game, how unfair it was that only the men should vote, while the good and noble women were supposed to fully carry their burdens in every way, but be slighted and wronged here.
A believer in Women Suffrage.
Would like to have given my name, but in running off this, have made use of a few harsh terms, and [although] I have no scruples of conscience at all, they would be technically against me, hence must remain unknown.
One can scarcely observe these dirty, crooked, foxy political games, and the [craftiness] and foxiness of the old politicians, especially certain ones, without getting to feel rather aroused, indignant over the whole dirty, mean, selfish game, especially when so many good people are being fooled, and lead to give their support to these nest things.
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