The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-08-19
RUMORS OF BREAK
WITH TAFT FROM
OYSTER BAY
Former President COnfers with
Political Friends
OUT OF STATE CAMPAIGN
Roosevelt Feels That Administration
is Hostile and Will Not Attend
State Convention

oyster Bay, n. Y, Aug. 19.-Theo-
dore Roosevelt spent. yesterday in
what was probably the most import
ant political conference he has held
since he left the White House. He
gathered about him group of his
close friends and talked over with
them the situation which Is best ex-
pressed in the reports that relations
between President Taft and himself
Iare strained to the breaking point
William Loeb Jr, collector of the
port Of New York; Lloyd c. Griscom,
chairman of the New York republi-
can county committee; Representa-
tive William II. Calder of Brooklyn
Frederick J. II. Kracke of Brooklyn,
and Representative w. w. Cocks of
Col Roosevelts home district, took
part in the conference.
J From what was said by some of the
4 visitors it was learned that the ex-
president and his friends have agreed
on a plan Of action which will hold
until the situation shapes itself more
clearly. Briefly stated, it is this:
Col Roosevelt is to stand aside in the
New York state campaign and let the
old guard fight its own fight and
thus shoulder all the responsibility
7 for the conduct and result of the cam.
align. He is neither to indorse nor
criticise the Taft administration. He
is to keep out all around If he can.
Through some of yesterdays visi
fttg IA.
onel has decided to keep his hands
of. He feels that the republican
state committee in refusing to in
dorse him for temporary chairman o.
The Saratoga convention, a position
he had agreed to accept much agains
I his will with the knowledge that h,
| would be held responsible for election
resulis-acted in a manner that woult
make further activity on his part lool
as If he were leading factiona
| light against the administration. !
was said that Col Roosevelt does no
deem II either wise or proper to per
nit himself TO become involved II
such a factional fight and that hi
present decision is that he will no
20 to the convention or take an,
part which would render him respon
sible. He has come to no definite
conclusion, however.
one important proviso was empha
sized at yesterdays conference
Those with whom he talked wer
made to understand clearly that Co
Roosevelt reserves to himself tn
right to jump into the thick OF tn
light at any time II he believes tina
the policies OF which he Is the expon
ent are in serious jeopardy. But h
let II be known that he would do 81
with extreme reluctance for he feel
that in such a contingency he Nigh
be led inevitably into controyers
with the Taft administration.
From what was said after the cor
terence II was gathered that Co
Roosevelt believes, the present att
tude OF men who are influential in tn
national administration Is hostile [
Nun, and that an open rupture ma
result In such case the colonel feel
that he may be compelled az som
/ luncture TO exert his influence agains
/ the administration. Those who ar
closer to the ex.presldent believe tina
/ he Will do everything In his power I
avert such crisis during the fall car
paign. II Is their opinion that N h
should decide TO fight. he prefers /
postpone the struggle until the 1877
campaign, when the question of IN
nations policy for the next four yeal
is to be brought before the entlr
country, and when successor
President Taft Is to be elected.