Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-23
ROUT WILL CLOSE
OLD GUARD FIGHT,
SAYS ROOSEVELT
Former President Predicts Quick
Disaster for Opponents at
Convention in Saratoga
EXPECTS HUNDRED MAJORITY
Honor of Temporary Chairman
ship Almost Certain to Be
Conferred on Colonel
EXPECTS HUNDRED MAJORITY
Associated Pressl

OYSTER BAY, N. Y, Sept. 22-The
utter rout of the old guard by Theo-
dore Roosevelt at the Republican state
convention in Saratoga was predicted
today by Col. Roosevelt himself. At
the conclusion of long conference
with half q dozen of his lieutenants,
Col. Roosevelt said:
1T think may be reasonably safe In
saying we shall have 100 majority"
Reports from all parts of the state
were received at Sycamore Hill today.
Otto 7. Barnard of New York; Lloyd
c. Griscom, president of the New York
county Republican committees; F. ].
Krack of Brooklyn, naval officer OF the
port; Representative w. M. Calder of
Brooklyn, Controller w. A. Pendergast
of New York city, and Herbert Parsons,
Mr.. Griscom's predecessor, motored
down from New York late in the after
noon for final survey of the field OF
battle.
COLONEL FEELS CONFIDENT
All through the fight which began
with the Sherman incident, the colonel
has refused to express any opinion as
to the outcome, and none was ex-
pected from him today, but the reports
here this evening convinced him that 1t
was all over but the shouting. Unless
some unexpected reversal should be
met, he was positive the Republican
organization would be forced to give
ground before the progressives when
the test came at Saratoga next week.
His estimate of 100 majority is con-
Cured in by the others who attended
the conference.
The attitude of the Roosevelt forces
toward the Taft administration was
outlined bU Mr. PanTard.
I'm my opinion" said he, "the Sara
toga convention will adopt a resolu-
ton strongly indorsing the administra-
ton of President Taft. In accordance
with the presidents expressed wish, no
mention will be made of 1912. No op-
position to an Endorsement Of the ad
ministration will come from delegates
friendly to Mr.. Roosevelt"
Mr.. Bannard's statement, coming d.
rectly after the conference, was taken
as plain indication that Mr.. Roose-
welt had agreed with the others on this
plan. Mr.. Griscom said he had brought
good news to Sycamore Hill.
t. r.. TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN
'T reported to Mr.. Roosevelt" he
said, that there had been several ac
cessions~ to our ranks among delegates
from Duchess and Montgomery coun-
ties. There may be more. Mr.. Roose-
Welt will be temporary chairman.
There is no question about that. We
shall have a majority Of more than
100 delegates"
Mr.. Roosevelt said the names of sew
era1 candidates were gone over once
more, but that no agreement of any
kind on any Of them had been reached
The platform also had been discussed,
but 1t had not even been tentatively
outlined outside of the understanding
that 1t would be progressive.
Colonel Roosevelt feels that no def
mite action can be taken until the
upstate men have been heard from
at Saratoga He understands that his
forces plan to go to Saratoga with
out a glate, to find out what a ma
jority Of the delegates want, and to
settle on candidates and act in &C
cordance with these wishes.
Colonel Roosevelt said that from
the beginning he had been trying to
find out what the people wanted. He
disclaimed any idea of attempting to
force his own ideas on the convention.
In his speech at Syracuse last week
he outlined in a general way his own
ideas as to the program. What should
be the nature OF the plank on di-
rect nomination. he had no idea, but
he felt that such plank would be
placed in the platform. What form 1t
would take would depend upon the
desires Of the delegates.
ROLL CALL ON DELEGATES
Mr.. Parsons said an effort would be
made to force a roll call on every del
egate to the convention in the vote
for temporary chairman. He explained
that it was proposed to put every man
on record "for all time" either for
or against Colonel Roosevelt.
BY this method, he believed, Roose-
velt's majority would gain from the
ranks of the trimmers. When the cor
respondence with Archbishop Ireland
given out yesterday by Mrs. Bellamy
Storer was mentioned, Colonel .Roose-
welt said he did not intend to be
drawn into a renewal of that contro-
versy. He declined to make any ex-
tended reply to Mrs. Storer, and con-
fined himself to this comment
-Four years ago, when I was presi-
sent and BeIlamy Storer was ambas-
sador to Austria, all the letters from
me to the Storers and from them to
me were published. The letters must
speak for themselves"
In his opinion, he added, the corre-
spondence formed record against
which no recollection Of verbal con-
versations could stand and that there
fore the question Of veracity could not
be entertained.