Democratic messenger., 1910-08-27
TAFT DID NOT
OPPOSE 7. R.
In Letter TO GTiSCom Denies
Charge Of Plotting,
HIS COUNSEL TO SHERMAN
Declares He Favored Roosevelt For
Temporary Chairman In New York
and Suggested Concessions to In.
sufgents

Temporary Chairman N new YORK
and Suggested Concessions TO In.
sutgents
President Taft not only had no
hand in the trickcfy At the meeting
OF The New York Republican state
committee. whereby Billy Ward. Tim
Woodruff. Billy Barnes and Jimmy
Wadsworth succeeded In having mo
tion ADOPTED naming Vice President
Sherman as the temporary chairman
o. the Republican state convention in
place OF Mr. Roosevelt but in letter
which was received by Chairman Girls.
com. OF the Republican county com
mittee II was made plain that Mr..
Taft insisted that before any choice
was made by the committee Mr..
Roosevelt should be consulted. Mr..
Roosevelt was not consulted.
Mr. Griscom after the meeting stated
that Mr. Taft had told him that he
would do nothing that would seem to
apply antagonism to Mr. Roosevelt.
and Mr. Griscom states further that
by Mr Woodruff Mr. Barnes and the
others who led the movement for the
choice OF Mr. Sherman. that their ac.
ton had been sanctioned by Mr.. Taft.
was entirely without foundation When
Mr.. Woodruff was told what Mr. Girls
com had said the state chairman in.
sinuated that Mr. Griscom ought to be
enrolled as member OF the Ananias
club He said that Mr.. Sherman. with
whom he had long talk the night be.
fore. had spoken with Mr.. Taft over
the telephone. as had also Mr.. Ward.
and that both had been assured by the
president that II would be announced
at the meeting that the selection OF
Mr.. Sherman had his approval
So far from Mr.. Taft sending any
such message to either OF these men.
he sent telegram to Mr.. Sherman in.
sisting that before any action was
taken by the committee Mr.. Roosevelt
should be consulted with and that II
there was need. reasonable conces.
sions should be made with the pro.
gressives. both with regard to platform
and candidates.
The letter from President Taft to
Mr.. Griscom does away altogether with
the wild stories which have been fioat-
ing around to the effect that there IL
break between Mr.. TAFT and Mr..
Roosevelt As this letter shows. the
president had nothing to do with the
turning down OF Roosevelt by the state
committee and that It was In fact his
hope that there should he harmony at
the meeting When the news OF the re.
suit of the meeting reached the presi.
dent he was told that Mr. Roosevelt
was inclined to blame him for what oc.
Cured and Mr.. Taft was advised by
some of his closest friends To come out
with a statement showing that so far
from doing anything which might split
the Republican party in this state. he
had on the contrary advised that moth.
ing should he done which would tend
TO show that there was even sem
blance OF a possibility OF a break he
tween himself and the former presi.
dent Mr. Taft told friends that to do
so would put him in the light Of TAX.
ing an active interest in the party al.
fairs of this state.
Until about Friday or Saturday last
Mr.. Taft intended to stick to this pol.
icy. but in response To suggestions
made TO him that II the idea should
be allowed to continue that he was
even indirectly responsible for the re
lection Of Mr.. Roosevelt as temporary
chairman of the state convention the
result would be that the Republican
party would be in an even worse con
dition when the campaign opened than
II Is now.
II was then that Mr. Taft consented
to make II clear that he had never
raised so much as n finger TO defeat
Mr.. Roosevelt for the temporary
Craftsmanship OF the convention. that
he had always been opposed TO any
suggestion OF contest at the meeting
OF the state committee against Mr..
Roosevelt: that he had made this plain
to Mr. Sherman: that Mr. Sherman in
the presence Of Representative Mich.
olas I.ongworth had promised him that
nothing would he done with regard to
the selection or rejection Of Mr.. Roose.
welt until in the interest Of harmony
Mr. Roosevelt had been consulted. Mr.
Taft in his letter to Mr.. Griscom states
that Mr. sherman agreed to this stip
ulation. but. according To Mr.. Roose.
welt and Mr. Griscom. the promise was
never carried out