The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-02
.ODELL' s BOOK TO
WRECK THE PARTY
Advance Sheets Lay Bare the
Amazing Inside History Of
Political Duplicity.
SAYS PRESIDENT is JEALOUS
Declares Roosevelt Feared Him
As Rival, hen Begged Him
to Squelch Hanna.

Especial to Tho Tinea- Dispatcl)
ALBANY. January 1.-Advance sheets
of what Know About Roosevelt and
Higgins" by former Governor Benjamin
u. odell. Jr.. which are now understood
10 be In private circulation, promise Il
national political bombshell. They lay
bare for the first time the inside history
or the odell-Roosevelt row. and these
heretofore secret details disclose a story
of political jealousy, dupliclty and dicta-
don from Washington and Albany I'M
paraleled since the days of Arthur and
Cornell.
Most amazing Of all these revelations
Is the explicit charge by Mr.. Odell that
the whole Roosevelt war had it's genesis
In the Presidents personal Jealousy Of
himself. This new light on the trouble
will greatly disturb the admirers OF the
President.
1t shows him. shortly after he became
President. bitterly calling Odcll TO ac-
count because. as he imagined, Odell had
not contributed to make Roosevelts i'd
ministration at Albany brilliant regime.
Nor is the reason for this outburst less
Interesting than the accusation Itself
Feared Orell AS a Rival.
Roosevelt feared that the popular ac-
claim which greeted the, first two years
OF the Odel administration would bring
forward the then Governor AZ a formid-
able candidate for the presidential nomi-
nation in 1901.
From the date of that rather heated
talk in the White House until danger
threatened Rooscvelt's ambition his hand
was steadily against the Ex-Governor.
And here We have another chapter of
secret political history of national impor-
lance 1t relates to the late Senator Mar
Gus A. Hanna and his ambition to enter
the White House.
From the Odcll relations 1t appears that
President Roosevelt early in 1904 discov-
cred that Hanna-P Plat move was on
foot to make the senator from Ohio the
presidential nominee. Roosevelt at once
sent for Odcll arranged to bury the
Ratchet and promised him the State
leadership without reserve. Odeil did
his part, and 1t was after Roosevelts
nomination that there began tho long
series OF acts which odell describes as
ungrateful and which led up to tine pres
ent situation.
So mercIless Is the excoriation of the
President and the Governor in the first
draught of the documen, which the for
mer Governor has been framing the past
fortnight. that not only Roosevelt and
Higgins adherents, but his most intimate
poll teal associates. have besought him 10
suppress It for fear that 1t Will reproduce
the party wreck Of 1882. when the State
was surrendered to Grover Cleveland by
two hundred thousand plurality.
Mr.. Odeil was to-day undecided just
when, If at all. he would officially promui-
gate the story OF the causes OF the war.
in which Roosevelt and Higgins have
sought TO exterminate him.
Urged to Keep 1t Secret
He explained that since he began the
nreparat on OF his book he has been
bonbarded by letters and kilograms from
leaders the country over. beseechlng MN
10 sacrifice himself rather than the party
and warning him that II he really teiis
.i,c unvarnshed truth. disasters In the
state next fall and in the nation two
years hence that will put the Repubicans
put OF power for perhaps decade VIII
rertainly ensue. Pending Mr.. Odeils M
dec son as TO spreading broadcast or
temporarily hiding his carefully consio-
,red expose The New York American
rorrcsnondent has obtained very ac-
rurate idea OF what is in his mind 20
n,,hIi sh 90 the world The details are Of
ma .ional interest.
Enl,omized. the book would, as final
Il, delivered to the press, review. chapter
nv chapter, the original quarrel between
Roosevelt and Odell In 1901, when the
former after assuming the mantle OF
William Mckinley. charged Odell with
having deliberately sought TO outshine MS
(Roosevelt's) preceding gubernatorlal adj
ministration by executing popular pro-
iects which he should. as n friend, have
suggested TO him: Roosevelt's secret plot
to defeat Odeil for denomination In 1907;
n refusal, and then grant, OF the state
leadership; broken promises TO turn over
Federal patronage; double dealing IN the
pepew-Black senatorial struggle; tho
seizure OF the New York county macnihe;
the attempt to appropriate the state
repislature-all incidents In a deliberately
calculated and cold-blooded plot to strip
the former Governor OF every yestige OF
political power.
YES, jealousy was the genesis of my
trouble with tho President was Mr..
Odell.s admission to-day. He accused
me soon after he became President OF
concealing from him ideas as to tax
and other reform legislation which be-
came operative under my administration
as Governor. He complained that while
he was Governor it was my duty to fur
nish him with every suggestion could
conceive to aid in making his regime
brilliant replied that had most cor
daily co-operated with him. as l ever
have, and that If he had any fault to find
with my originating popular IDEAS nc
ought to remember that as Governor II
was up to him to conceive them
Tells of Warm Disputes.
"'rhe President and had several rather
warm controversies about this l now
recall them as the real beginning of tho
differences which were followed by the
present attempt to drive me out of poll
ties
Mr.. Odell modcstly declined to give in
detail the list OF measures enacted dur
ing his administration which provoked
the envy of the President