The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-28
Opposition Is Badly Beaten
 for Temporary Chair /, manshIp
PROGRESS|VES CONTROL
 AFTER BITTER FIGHT
Timothy Woodruff Tries to Secure Tens porary Craftsmanship for Sher- man But His Forces Are
 Badly Beaten

Saratoga, September 27.-Col. Theo- dore Roosevelt rode today on the top wave of victory, defeating Vice Pres ident Sherman for temporary chairman of the republican state convention and bowling over the old guard in the first engagement of series of conflicts that are to come.
 Colonel Roosevelt was in his element. After he had named the members of three important committees and the | convention had adjourned to meet to- morrow the colonel turned to the news- paper men and remarked: T said frazzled, you may recall. You may quote me on that" | At Troy yesterday the former Presi- dent said he would beat his opponents to a frazzle. There were 1912 votes cast in the convention today of which Roosevelt received 567 and Vice Presi- dent Sherman 445, thus eecting the leader of the progressives by a ma jority of 112.
 Colonel Roosevelt spoke feelingly of what President Taft had accomplished In his administration In his speech as temporary chairman, saying that ths laws passed reflect high credit on all who succeeded in putting them in their present shape upon the statute books. They represent an earnest of the achievement which is to come, and the | beneficience and far-reaching import ance of this work done for the whole people because the credit which Is rightly due to the Congress and to l our able, upright and distinguished President, w. H. Taft."
 Direct Primary Plank l The spectators and many of the dele- gates warmly applauded the declaration of Colonel Roosevelt for a direct pri- mary plank.
 Colonel Roosevelt bitterly assafled the "bosses." declaring that the dif- ference between a boss and a leader is that the leader leads and the boss drives.
 The difference is that the leader holds his place by firing the conscience and appealing to the reason of his fol- lowers and that the boss holds his place by crooked and underhand manipula- tion," he said.
 Thunders of applause greeted the colonel as he was escorted to the speak CTS stand by Vice President sherman and Cornelius V. Collins. and it was some time before he could proceed with his speech. Thanking the delegates for the honor they had conferred the col oneI caused the greatest enthusiasm when he said:
 "You shall not have cause now nor hereafter to regret what you have done"
 It was a day of oratory. 1t was day of bitter and acrimonious speech. With the opening of the convention State Chairman Woodruff defined the position of the old guard and announced that Vice President sherman had been chosen as temporary chairman by the state committee.
 Thereafter the fight was on.
 Woodruff's Statement
 MT. Woodruff made the following state ment:
 T have been instructed by the repub- lican state committee to recommend to this convention a temporary chairman, and in doing so I ask your indulgence for a moment.
 The election of a temporary chairman of this convention is a crucial act and calls for the most careful consideration by every man who Is about. to vote on 1t.
 President Taft deeply desired that his party here in convention assembled. rep resenting the largest and most potent republican constituency of the United States. should unequivocally indorse his administration.
 This know from personal knowledge as the result of visit made two weeks ago before the meeting of the state com mittee to the summer capitol at Bev- erly. There he made known not only his desires but also his apprehensions.
 ITO allay these apprehensions. what more than natural than the selection to make the keynote speech as temporary chairman of him who has been sent to speak for the administration to all parts of the country. even into the Presidents own state of Ohio. the Vice President of the United States. James s. Sherman?
 ''who also, indeed. could by the state. unless actuated by some unusual motive. have been thought of to speak for the national administratio in this his own state which with unanimity and enthu- siasm presented him two years ago at Chicago as the choice for the second highest office in the gift of the peoplef
 Precedent for Action
 "A precedent for the designation of the Vice President as temporary chairman of the convention by the state committee at It's meeting last month," MT. Wood ruff added, was wisely established two years ago, when Senator Root was se- U mittee held a month before the conven- tion.'
 "As chairman of the republican state committee" MT. Woodruffs statement continued, mo one had ever suggested to me or, as far as l know. to any other member of the committee, the nar Q of any other person than the Vice President as temporary chairman until MT. Gris- com, sitting In the committee as a proxy. moved to substitute another narne for that of Vice President Sherman, after the Iatter's name had been properly pre- sented What was the object of this action?
 "The correspondence between MT. Roosevelt and myself, just afteh the meeting of the state committee, shows more clearly than can otherwise be pre- sented that his opposition to the selection of Vice President Sherman was not based on any personal grounds, but because he desired an opportunity to preaenf hiu