Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-28
Mr.. WoodrufFs Speech.

Hon. Timothy Woodruffs speech
follows:
Fellow delegates of this. the most
important and far reaching conven-
ton of the Republican party which
any one of us have ever attended:
II have been instructed by the Re-
publican state committee to recon-
mend to this convention a temporary
chairman and in doing so | ask your
Indulgence for moment
THE election of a temporary chair
man Of this convention is crucial
act and calls for the most careful
consideration by every man who is
about to vote on it.
President Taft deeply desired that
his party here in convention as
sembled. representing the largest and
most potent Republican constituency
Of the United States. should I'M
equivocally endorse his administra-
ton. This I know from personal
knowledge as the result of a visit
made two weeks before the meeting
of the state committee to the sum-
mer capital at Beverly. There he made
known not only his desires but also
his apprchensions.
ITO allay these apprehensions what
more natural than the selection to
make the keynote speech as Temporal
~ chairman. of him who has been
sent to speak for the administration
to all parts Of the country. even in
to. the Presidents own state of Ohio.
the Vice President of the United
States. James S Sherman
Whom else indeed could the state
committee. Unless by actuated some
Interior motive even have thought
OF to speak for the national admins
tration in this. his own state. which
with unanimity and enthusiasm pre-
scented him two years ago at Chicago
as the choice for the second highest
office in the gift of the people, a Sc
lection sanctioned and supported by
the very men who are now, it is al
ieEeo. opposing him for the position
OF temporary chairman of this conven-
ton.
l want to make clear once for all why
the Vice President was selected and also
TO indicate the propriety and indeed the
necessity of the selection by the state
committee of the temporary chairman at
the meeting for fixing the time and place
OF the convention. This precedent was es-
taoiished two years ago when Senator
Root, then premier of the then national
administration. was selected at the meet
ing of the state committee held a month
before the convention. Such course
was and is necessary for the proper and
oignfhed conduct of our conventions As
chairman of the Republican state COM
mittee no one had suggested to me or as
1ar as know. to any other member of
the committee the name of any other per-
son than the Vice President as tempo
fary chairman until Mr.. Griscom. sitting
IN the committee as a proxy. moved to
substitute another name for that of Vice
President Sherman. after the latter's
name had been properly presented. What
was the object of this action?
The correspondence between Colonel
Roosevelt and myself just after the
meeting of the state committee shows
more clearly than can otherwise be pre-
scented that his opposition to the selec-
ton of Vice President Sherman was not
based on any personal grounds, but be-
cause he desired an opportunity to pre-
sent his views as to the policies which
should hereafter guide the destinies of the
Republican party.
Perhaps l had better read my letter
to him and his letter to me:
Augusta q. 1910.
Col Theodore Roosevelt. Oyster Bay,
L. I.
MY Dear Col. Roosevelt: 1t cannot be
possible that 1t is necessary for me TO
tel Jon that the action Of the state COM