Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1910-08-19
NEW YORK TURNS
ROOSEVELT DOWN
Republican Committee Votes
Against Him for Chairman.
JAMES S. SHERMAN CHOSEN
Snub Administered by "OId Guard" on
Alleged Ground That Former
President Tried to Dictate
Party's Fortunes.

New York Theodore Roose-
Welt suffered a sharp defeat in his
home state when the Republican
state committee, by vote of 20 to Is,
rejected resolution naming him as
temporary chairman of the state con-
vention to be neld at Saratoga Septem-
Der II. Vice-President Sherman was
chosen unanimously to act as temper
airy presiding officer.
Led by State Chairman Woodruff
and William Barnes, Jr., of Albany, the
"Old Guard" encompassed the defeat
of Colonel Roosevelt, whom several of
the state leaders charged with attempt
ing to dictate the fortunes of the party
In the state
After the meeting had been called
to order and the time and place of the
state convention had been decided,
William Barnes, Jr., offered a resolu-
ton presenting the name of Vice-Presi-
dent Sherman for temporary chairman
Of the convention. Lloyd G. Griscom
moved to substitute the name of Col
onel Roosevelt and moved also that
the vote be postponed.
After much debate the motion to
postpone was defeated by a vote Of II
to 90. Tie resolution to make Colonel
Roosevelt temporary chairman then
was lost by 20 to Is, following which
Vice-President Sherman was unani-
mously chosen for temporary presiding
officer. Mr.. Griscom and Henry Mack
of New York not voting.
The state committee adjourned to
meet September 26 at Saratoga.
Commenting upon the action OF the
committee In rejecting the name of
Mr.. Roosevelt, Mr. Griscom said:
II presented the name of the former
president after consulting him. The
place of the temporary chairman was
obviously his, not only by virtue of his
having been president of the United
States, but because of the signal serv-
ices rendered by him to the Republi-
can party in New York state Mr.
Roosevelt was anxious to engage in
the political campaign in this state,
and his name at the head of the con-
yention would have lent extraordinary
prestige to the meeting and would
have been Of incalculable value to the
party throughout the state
The action foreshadows many pri-
mary contests, as it is obvious that
those voting to deny him the office of
temporary chairman will have to &C
count to the enrolled Republicans of
their respective districts for their &C
ton
There was no question of indorsing
or not indorsing the administration. If
an effort is made to show that the
choice of Vice-President Sherman is
an Endorsement, whereas the choice of
Colonel Roosevelt would not have
been, 1t must Of necessity fail, as Mr.
Roosevelt's views regarding the con-
duct of public affairs by his successor
are well known"
AS soon as Colonel Roosevelt heard
the news he issued the following state
ment:
ITO the various persons who asked
me whether 1 would accept the posi-
ton of temporary chairman of the
state convention I said that I would
do SO only if they were sure, after
knowing my attitude, that they de-
sired me, because my speech would
be Of such a character that it might
help If the convention nominated the
right kind of man an a clean cut pro-
gressive platform; but that it would
hurt if neither the right kind of
man were nominated, nor the right
kind Of a platform adopted"