The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-08-19
ROOSEVELT TO KEEP
OUT Of POLITICS

'f'NecNSN spent IOuuy IN wUat WdS
probably the most important political
conference he has had since ne left
tie white house. He gathered about
him group oI hls close friends and
;nlkod over with them thu situation
which 10 best expressed In the re-.
ports that relations between Presi.
dent Taft and himself are strained to
the breaking point
William Loeb, 1f., collector Of The
port of New York; Lloyd G. Griscom.
chairman Of the New York Republic
Eli county committee. Representative
William Calder of Brooklyn, Frede-
rlIk ]. krnke oil Brooklyn. and Rep.
fesentativc ". w Cocks OF Colonel
Roosevelt's home district took part In
the conference.
From what was said by some OF the
visitors 1t wns learned that the colo
mel and HIS friends have agreed on a
plan of action which will hold until
tie situation shapes itself more clear
ly
Roosevelt 10 Stand Aside.
Briefly stated, II is this;
Colonel Roosevelt Is to stand aside
In the New York state campaign and
lei the "old guard fight its own fight
and thus shoulder all the responsible
itt for the conduct and result Of the
campaign He is neither TO indorse
nor criticlse the Taft administration
Re Is to keep out all around If be
can,
Through some oil today's visitors 1t
was learned why the colonel has de-
cided to keep his hands off He feels
hai 81 ttpn
in refusing TO iDdorse him for tenn
porary chairman OF the Saratoga con-
vention, position he had agreed 10
accept, much against his Will, with
the knowledge that he would be held
responsible for election results act
el In a manner that would make fur
ther activities on his part look as IL
he was leading a factional fight
against the administration.
VIII Not Become Involved.
IL was said that Colonel Roosevelt
does not deem 1t either wise or prop
er to permit himself TO become In
volved In such factlonal fight and
that his present decision Is that he
Will not go TO the convention or take
any part which would render him re.
sponsible. He has come to no def
mite conclusion, however.
One important provision was en-
Thasized at today's conference Those
with whom he talked were made to
clearly that Colonel
Roosevelt reserves to himself the
right to enter the thick of the fight
at any time. # he believes that the
policies Of which he is the exponent
are 10 jeopardy But he let IL be
known that he would do so with much
reluctance for he feels that in such
a contingency he might be led inev'
itably into n controversy with the
Taft administration From what was
said after the conference i, was gath
cred that Colonel Roosevelt believes
the present attitude OF men who are
in the national administra-
ton Is hostile TO him and that an
open rupture may be the result In
such case the colonel feels that he /
uay be compelled a. some Juncture
% exert his influence against the
administration.
Try to Avort a Crisis.
Those who are closest to the col |
onel believe he will do everything In |
his power to avert such a crisis dur |
ing the fall campaign, It is their |
opinion that If he should decide 20 |
fght he prefers TO postpone the strug |
gle until the 1872 campaign When |
he question OF the nations policy for |
or the next four years is TO be |
before the country and when /
, successor TO w. H. Taft Is to be
elected
Should such an issue between Col. |
Roosevelt and the administration pre-
sent itself at that time. IL is the be- |
ief of the colonels intimate asSoci- |
,tes that he Will be in the fight TO
he end That he will stake his own
uture on the outcome and again be
come a candidate for the presidency
Il is believed, however, that Colonel !
Roosevelt regards such a decision as
/ remote contingency which is not 10
.sceive serious attention at the pres
mt time.
is Not Candidate for Any Office.
He has told his friends that he is |
candidate for no Office and he can |
of no circumstances which |
would lead him to accept the gube1-
latorlal or seat in the United
states senate
His associates believe the only rea-
son which might lead him to consid- !
Pr becoming a candidate for the pres
dental nomination would be the con-
yiction that he must seek another
Term In order to successfully carry
on the work he began white presi.
dent
The conference broke up late to-
gay without any definite agreement
as to when another will be held. Col.
Roosevelt is TO start for the west on
and probably there Will be
no more consultations OF this nature
IHtll after Col Roosevelt returns.
Most of the time today was given to
the consideration OF the New York |
situation, which is regarded as the
one thing which may develop in such
Q way as to force Col Roosevelt to
make the fight within the party.
Deeply Affected by Action,
From an uuQuestioned source, 1t is
known that he has taken deeply %
heart what he considers TO be the
I ostllIty of men close to the admins
tratIon and he regards the selection
OF Vice President Sherman for the
temporary Craftsmanship OF the Re
publican state convention as the re-
suit of this attitude.
He recalled TO his visitors that he
had spoken no word of criticism OF
the administration and made them
understand that 1T was his plan not
10 do so. adding that he would con
fine himself solely to a policy of al
hrmation Of the doctrines which he
considers TO be the best interests OF
the nation looking 10 the future and