New-York tribune., 1910-08-24

stance
That's not my bailiwick," he replied
That's for the Republicans there to de
eide"
The New York County leader declined
to discuss the primary campaign or &c
consider the question of candidates fol
a moment.
! Collin H. Woodward leader Of the 23C
District and vice president of the county
| committee, sounded the note mo, com
/ promise as loudly as Mr.. Barnes and
the other "old guard leaders.
President Tafts letter was a great
thing for our party in this state said
Mr. Woodward "It assured the public
beyond peradventure that the President
stood with the Progressives here and
was for direct nominations. and we Pro-
gressives believe that in a Progressive
platform and Progressive candidates lie
the only chance of party success this
fan"
Wadhans Hits the "Oid Guard
William III. Wadhams. president of the
Direct Primaries Association, expressed
similar sentiments. He said he consid-
cred the prospect for party success good
now, with the President making it plain
that the ''old guard" wasn't fooling him.
There can't be much mistake about
the sentiment of Republicans on the
Progressive issues. either" said he.
president Taft, ex-President Roosevelt,
Governor Hughes, Senator Root and a
majority of the Republican legislators in
both houses favored a direct nonina-
tions law. and the only way the old
guard could defeat that reform was by
a Tammany combine in the Legislature
and trickery and deceit in the state com
mittee.'
\ good bit of inside history" of the
Sherman and Roosevelt candidates. was
told yesterday by both sides. The ''old
guard" version was distinctly interest
ing. Woodruff. Wadsworth Ward
Barnes and the other oIdtimers, it seems
came down here the day before the
meeting determined to put through Il
programme which should show their con-
troll of the situation and their determi-
nation to Show Roosevelt his place"
Barnes. it seems, wanted Speaker
Wadsworth to be temporary chairman
of the convention. He urged Wadsworth
as a candidate on the ground that his
worth as a fighter was proved; he had
ruled the Assembly long enough and Sc
vereIy enough so that nobody would be
able to stampede" him as presiding Of
ficer, and, most of all, he was opposed TO
IL Il nd
ed on to make a powerful Keynote
speech against that "populistic doctrine
Wadsworth Suggested Sherman.
Wadsworth's candidacy was popular
very popuIar-with everybody but the
young Speaker. He didn't seem over
keen to take the job, although he was
willing to do so if the state committee
men-meaning the "old guard element
in control-wanted him to do so. It was
he, though, who suggested Mr.. Sher
mans name first
Passed the buck to Sherman" is the
way one irreverent spirit phrased it.
The Speaker thought that it would be
much better politics" to have the Vice
President, high o.-icer of the federal
administration, act as presiding officer.
The "old guard was quick to get his
point and decided to elect Mr.. Sherman
The Vice President sat in these con-
ferences and acduiesced in this decision,
though he couldn't stay on the job to
see the actual work, as an important
business matter called him back to
Utica that night.
Vigorous denial was entered by "old
guardsmen to the declarations of some
of the Progressives that Mr.. Sherman
was put forward as Mr.. Taft's candi-
date and votes We're solicited for him on
that basis.
There isn't member Of the state
committee who viii say with truth that
he was asked to vote for Mr. Sherman
because President Taft wanted him
chosen" said one "oId guard" leader.
What had the President to do with it?
The state committee was electing Mr.
sherman: we were responsible for what
we did. He's elected Do you suppose
he'll back out now? What do you think
he is?"
Roosevelt's Name a Surprise.
The "old guard" didn't expect Mr.
Roosevelt's name to be presented at the
committee meeting. Some of its MEM
bers say the presentation of any name
in opposition to Mr.. Sherman's at the
convention will be rank, suicidal folly,
from the partys point of view.
Nevertheless, the Progressives in this
city. and. according to information here.
in some Of the upstate counties, are
going ahead calmly with preparations to
fight, and. if possible, to control the
convention. They say frankly that the
"old guard" at last realizes that Pres-
dent Taft hasn't been humbugged by
Woodruff, Ward and Barnes, and is des-
perate.
An interesting tale of the events lead
ing up to the Taft letter was related
yesterday by one of the Progressive
leaders. He said that the "oId guard
the Wadsworth- Barnes Woodruff Ward
about the time of the ef-
fort to depose Woodruff as state chair
man that it had lost whatever portion
of President Taft's confidence it had
held. Thereupon. when ex-President
returned to this country, ef-
forts were made by the "old guard" |
leaders to get him into their fold Re- |
ports were spread around that he Was