New-York tribune., 1910-08-23
PRESIDENT SATISFIED
Continued from first page

putting him in a false light before the
country.
These stories were anonymous, it is
true. but there is feeling in Beverly
that a statement of facts as understood
by some of the leaders in New York
might have changed the situation.
MIR. Cocks's Statement.
Congressman Cocks declared here to-
day in this connection that he was pres
ent at most OF the recent conferences
held at Oyster Bay. especially the ones
immediately preceding and following the
action OF the state committee.
Nothing was said or done by any
one present at these conferences to JUS
tify the statements that were made In
the press at the time said Mr.. Cocks.
There certainly was no intimation from
Mr.. Roosevelt or any one else OF
break in the relations between the ex-
President and the President
Neither was there the slightest foun-
dation for any reference to 1912 and
what Mr.. Roosevelt might do at that
time
Stick to Taft, He Told Them.
Il want to say further" Mr.. Cocks
continued. that when Colonel Roosevelt
was about to leave the White House he
called a number of us up there and told
us he wanted us to work as hard as we
could to make President Taft's admins
tration a success and wanted us TO stick
TO Mr. Taft, no matter what happened.
Not by word or suggestion has he at
any time changed from this attitude"
Mr.. Cocks deeply resented a newspa-
per insinuation that the friends of Roose-
Welt could not be the friends of Taft. and
vice versa.
He declared there were many people
who would like to see trouble between
Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr. Taft, but he did
not think their selfish wish would be
gratified."
What State Fight Means.
Mr.. Cocks said further that the fight
IL New York state was not one OF the
regulars" ana insurgents" according
It was a fight, he declared. between the
advocates of clean government on the
one side and the 'old gang rule" and
machine politics on the other. He SAID
he never had a doubt of the Presidents
attitude in such a struggle
It was intimated here to-day that an
effort to foment trouble between MI
Roosevelt and Governor Hughes had
also been made, but that it had been
thwarted. as was the attempt to estrange
the President and the ex-President
As TO the stories that a split might
come between Mr.. Taft and Mr.. Roose-
Welt on the subject of Secretary Bal
lfnger. Mr.. Cocks declared that while ne
did not think Mr.. Roosevelt was IN SYM
natrv with some of Mr.. Ballingers
noIicies. he also did not believe that
Mr.. Roosevelt thought any wrongdoing
had been proved against the Secretary
of the Interior.
President Demanded Harmony.
= Vice-President Sherman and William
/, Ward, the Republican national COM
nitteeman for New York State, came to
see the President a long time ago Ihey
were the first of the New York leaders
10 come here. They talked in gneral
way of the campaign, but did not come
down to a question of candidates either
for convention offices or state Offices
The President told them that he wanted
harmony. and wanted it before the con-
vention met.
Next came Mr.. Griscom on his first
visit some weeks ago. He and the Presi-
dent talked over the temporary chair
manship in q general way. There was
no suggestion at that time that Mr..
Roosevelt would be a delegate to the
state convention.
Nr. Taft suggested that Senator Root,
a close friend both to Mr.. Roosevelt and
himself. might be A good man. The
President told Mr. Griscom that above
all things he wanted harmony in the
party before the convention met.
What Woodruff Heard.
Then came Timothy L. Woodruff lir.
Woodruff, it is reported here tonight,
told the President that he was sure the
radical wing of the party was going to
make a big apti-administration demon
stration in the state convention"
Mr.. Taft. it is said, waved this aside
He told Mr.. Woodruff that he wanted
the factions to get together if possible
and to harmonic their differences before
the convention met.
Mr.. Woodruff, a representative Of the
old guard" Immediately after leaving
the Presidents home. declared that con-
ditions might arise to make him fight to
retain his place as state chairman.
Next in sequence came Mr. Grscom's
second visit, the one of August 13. He
reported to the President that Mr. Root
was not available, and suggested for the
first time that Mr. Roosevelt would serve.
Mr.. Taft enthusiastically took up this
suggestion, and it was because of his
former talks with Sherman and Ward
that he sent the telegram to the Vice
President requesting him to see Mr..
Roosevelt before the state committee