The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-20
Situation In New York State Is Taken Up and Fully
 Discussed
TAFT IS RATHER COOL
 TOWARDS ROOSEVELT
Willingness Is Expressed By Taft To Become q Candidate for the Pres idency Again, But He h Not
 Seeking the Place

i New Haven, Conn, Sept. 19-The President and the former President of the United States had a hurried confer ence in New Haven today on the situa- | tion in New York state. The conference came at Roosevet's request and is in- terpreted as the outcome of a desire for the moral advantages that further evil dence of the Presidents support would bring the Roosevelt leaders in New York state Neither MT. Taft nor MT. Roose- welt would discuss in detail what they had to say to each other, but these re- suits can be given as apparent: First-So far as the situation in New York state goes, where there is war be- tween Colonel Roosevelt and the old | guard, the President stands squarely on his letter of August 20 to Lloyd c. Gris- com, in which he defined his attitude at length.
 Seeond-The shadow of 1912 hung over ! the meeting, which did not appear to be characterized by the old cordiality be- tween the President and the colonel, cent events operating as d bar to any understanding between the two. The l question or the pfeSluency III 1jlz, now ever, was not discussed.
 Third-The President is willing to run again if he is renominated, but he in- tends to leave that to his friends. He is not hunting delegates.
 Fourth-Colone Roosevelt expressed | himself as gratified at a very pleasant | interview and an entirely satisfactory talk" He reiterated with emphasis that he will not run for governor, and that | if the convention is stampeded for him | he will refuse the nomination. | No warning of the conference had been allowed to get out. The colonel left Oyster Bay so early that he eluded the newspaper men and took a fast motor boat for New Haven. The trip was so rough that he had to put in at South | Norwalk instead. Once the colonel asked l the captain:
 l What do you think the chances are of our making it?'
 | About even,' answered the captain.
 Taft Meets Roosevelt
 On Board President Tafts Train, AL
 bany, N. r., September 19.-President
 Taft and Col. Theodore Rooseevlt met
 today at New Haven, Conn.,, for the second time since the former Presidents return from Africa. Colonel Roosevelt I sought the conference with the President. I It was plain from all that transpired be- fore and after the meeting that the colo nel and his close political advisers are not little worried over the situation In New York state, and came to the Presi- | dent for further evidence of his moral | support. This the President was glad to | give. He declared his position in the | New York state fight had been clear from the very first. He said he sympa | thlzed heartily with the fight against | "bossism' being waged by the people Of the state. Mir Taft reiterated the state ments he made in his letter to Lloyd C. | Griscom, president of the New York county republican committee, at the time of the Sherman Roosevelt controversy over the temporary chairmanship. This
 letter, he added, stated his position fully and accurately and he was standing on | 1t absolutely.
 | Direct Primaries
 MT Taft announced to his callers anew what he had said in the Griscom letter. | that he favored direct primaries for the | nomination of congressman and state | legislators. He understands this to be | the purport of the Cobb bill, as amended by the Seth Lowe and Joseph Choate memorial He said he hoped a declara- | ton for such primary law would be written into the republican state platform | and that a candidate for governor in sympathy with this movement would be | nominated. Taft is not ready as yet to admit the advisabity of doing away | with conventions for the nomination of state officers from governor down. MT. | Taft understands that both Governor Hughes and Colonel Roosevelt are prac- tically in accord with his own position, although the governor fought at first for | direct primaries for all offices. President Taft and Colonel Roosevelt did not discuss tho question of the pres idency in 1912 The President has not been advised as to what MT. Roosevelts attitude Is toward that campaign. From | .-af1 there was no occasion to discuss this subject. MT. Tafts position is thi | Taft Is WilllrG | He is willing to run if nominated. If his friends think there is a good chance | for him to be reelected. MT. Taft feels that they will see to his nomination. MT. Taft's political friends say that if the American people want him for second term that not even Colonel Roosevelt can prevent his nomination. If the people, do not appear to want him, MT. Taft will be only too glad to submit to their de- cision.
 | It can be stated that today's meeting at New Haven, while 1t may have been sue cessful in it's scenic effect, and or moral advantage to the Roosevelt leaders | in New York, was absolutely barren Of results as to any better understanding be- twf,n the President and Colonel Roose- Iy,/ as a national issue of their personal Zlations in view of the many recent events.
 | Something in the nature of truce seems to have been arranged regarding the New York situation. After that IS over events will shape themselves. Col onel Roosevelt himself Is said today to have let drop hint that something would be doing after the elections
 MT. Taft is letting 1912 look out for itself. He declared that he has others matters of concern at the moment
 Conference Is Held
 It came out at todays conference, which in addition to the President and Colonel Roosevelt included Lloyd C. | Griscom. Otto Barnard and Secretary Norton, that the administration is to be ndorsed at Saratoga No mention of MT. Taft as a candidate in 1912 will be made. | .It is not the province of state con- vention to nominate any man for Presi- dent two years ahead.' said Mir Ban- nard. ''Connecticut didn't do it, and why should New York;"
 | Tn this connection it became known to- day that President Taft deprecated the action of Ohio republicans in declaring ' ~~-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 AC0NTINUED ON PAGn s.l