The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-08-18
Roosevelt Has Been Beaten But He Is Ready for the
 Fight of His Life BOSSES" IN NEW YORK
 AFRAID OF ROOSEVELT
Party Leaders Are Worried Over the Situation for There Is Trouble Ahead no Matter Which
 Faction Wins
BY wATTERsoN sTEALEY

Washington, August 17.-tSpecial )-- That Theodore Roosevelt will finally be the victor in the warfare made upon him by the "old guard" in the state of New York and that the machine bosses" will pay dearly for their re- fusal of yesterday to recommend him as temporary chairman of the state convention, are the two things which are predicted by politicians in Wash ington.
 They believe that republicanism in New York will be involved in one of the most bitter fights known to the have gone to defiance as their city of refuge and have practically served notice on Roosevelt that they do not accept him as the counsellor in chief of the party.
 That Roosevelt will fight to the bit ter end, because he realizes he must win a dominating place in the organ ization of the state in order to amount to anything practically is confidently as- serted by those who know the colonei.
 It is pointed out that the rebuke he
  ing gun in his real struggle to make himself a commanding figure in repup- lican affairs. Should he lose out his influence will not only be reduced to nothingness in the state for the time being but will also be cut down in other parts of the country.
 The State Convention
  tember 27 at Saratoga ana between now and then delegates will be elect ed to the convention in the primaries. They in the end, will select the tempor- ary chairman, as the meeting of the state. committee merely srecommend- ed' Vice President Sherman instead of Roosevelt for the position. The actual selection will be made by the votes of the delegates. Consequently for more than a month Roosevelt will have an opportunity to fight throughout the state to have elected delegates who will make him temporary chairman.
 But, according to the politicians here, such a fight will tear the party to pieces and hand over the fall elections to the democrats.
 still greater menace is seen in the situation. Should Roosevelt make his fight along strongly progressive lines, as he hinted in his short state- ment of yesterday the fighting Tn the open in the state may spread over the country and split irrevocably the party into the Roosevelt and Taft factions.
 The prophets in Washington regard the political field as due for one of the most spectacular battles possible with fulminations. fireworks and heavy dam- age looming In the distance.
 In New York the bosses are frankly out with the tacit declaration that they, and not Roosevelt, will run the party. Roosevelt says, in effect, the bosses do not suit him.
 Republicans Weakened
 Already the republicans are dogged by factionalism and weakened Dy dis cord. For months there have been strenuous but futile attempts to bring some measure of peace out of the storm. The administration has even taken a hand without avail. And now comes the crushing blow of absolute and admitted hostility between the machine" and the former president, who Is regarded as the most popular man in public life today. The result can be nothing short of chaotic so Tar as the fall elections are concerned. Once before the bosses" took a slap at Roosevelt. That was when they re- fused to pass the direct primaries bill which he so strongly recommended This last defeat emphasizes the fact that they are fighting for their pol,t- ical lives and that they believe their preservation lies in the elimination of Roosevelt
 But the colonel is not strong man for self-elimination and he puts on his hghtfng clothes when anybody else tries to eliminate him.
 Thus 1t Is stated that the state of New York is confronted today. accord ing to the politicians, with pictur- esQue light which will wreck republi- canism there for the present and will necessarily weaken the party in other states.
 At best the outlook for the fall cleo tons was not brilliant and now tho future of republicanism seems decked with the sable plumes of mourning