Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-06
BIC STICK SWINGS
IN THE FIGHT To
CRUSH BALLINGER
Roosevelt Is Backing Poindexter
for Senate as an AvoWed
Enemy of Secretary
GOES sQUARELY ON RECORD
Dips Into Washington Politics to
Defeat Supporter of Taft
Cabinet Member
Associated Pressl

ASSOCIATED Pressl
OYSTER BAY, July 5.-Theodore
Roosevelt made it clear today, not by
direct statement but by implication so
strong that it admits of no misinter-
probation, that he will support Repre-
sentative Miles Poindexter in his fight
for a seat in the United States senate
from the state of Washington.
They had luncheon together and a
conference at Sycamore Hill today, and
Mr.. PoindeXter departed jubilant.
In indorsing Poindexter for the sem
ate, Col. Roosevelt places himself
squarely in opposition to Richard A.
Ballinger, secretary of the interior
whom President Taft has so warmly
defended.
1t is the only stand he has taken
bearing directly or indirectly on the
Ballinger- -Pinchot controversy.
Mr.. Poindexter is opposed to Secre-
tary Ballinger from first to last, and
hopes to unseat Senator Piles of Wash
ington, who has been identified with
the Ballinger wing of the Republican
party in that state. The secretary and
Mr.. PoindeXter are from the same
Seattle district.
Leaving oyster Bay after the con-
ference Mr.. PoindeXter said:
Il found Col. Roosevelt. He and I
have worked together always, and he
assured we that we always will work
together. L am delighted with the re-
suit of the visit"
OPENLY AGAINST BAI.LINGER
Col. Roosevelt looked happy when he
received the intervivewers a little later.
He was dressed in the crash riding suit
which he wears most of the time he is
at home. Seated in his library he spoke
of his talk with Mr.. PoindeXter in a
manner that showed plainly the pleas
ure the meeting had given him. This is
what he said:
Representative Poindexter and
went over the political situation in the
northwest. He assured me he was in
hearty sympathy with my conserva-
tion policy.
Mr.. PoindeXter is a candidate for
the United States senate and is politi-
cally opposed to that wing of the party
headed by Mr.. Ballinger, secretary of
the interior"
That was all the colonel wanted to
have put in quotation marks. What he
said otherwise made it rather clear
he ha given assurance to Mr. Poindex-
ter that he would support him in his
attempt to succeed Senator Piles.
Coincidentally Secretary Ballinger
and President Taft held conference
at Beverly today in which they dis
cussed the reclamation service. There,
Mr.. Ballinger denied with emphasis the
rumor that he was to resign.
Il am not a quitter and never have
BEEN" he said.
POINDEXTER is INSURGENT
Miles Poindexter IS an out and out
insurgent elected by the people of
Washington on a radical platform. He
has been a firm supporter of Roose-
velt policies, especially as they relate
to conservation. They were the basis
of his platform when he ran for con-
n LDrrr
the noon train and was recognized at
once as an insurgent. But he had the
same pleased smile that shone on the
faces of Senator BriStow and Repre-
sentatives Murdock and Madison of
Kansas when they came here last
Saturday.
The insurgents arrived smiling but
excited. Presently they returned from
Sycamore hill with the smile still there,
but with the excitement replaced by
placid confidence. 1t was so with the
Washington man. At lunch they dis
cussed the Ballinger-Pinchot occur
renee in detail in the course of their talk
on the political status of the northwest.
While the general opinion here is that
Col Roosevelt is still feeling his
way" as regards his ultimate attitude
toward the Taft administration, his
stand today is considered the most
striking indication of his political
frame of mind. And that he will still
fight hard for the conservation move
ment he made plain to ipterviewers
when Mr.. Poindexter had gone.
MORE INSURGENTS COMING
There have been two important in
surgents' conferences at Sycamore Hill
sgince the colonePs return; but more
are coming.
One of the most potential of these is
arranged for Thursday next. On that
day five of the best known and weight
lest of the insurgents are coming to
have a talk with the eX-president, but
Mr.. Roosevelt declined to give out
their names.
Governor Hughes had been expected
tomorrow but he telegraphed he would
attend the funeral of Chief Justice
Fuller at Bar Harbor. He will come
to Oyster bay Tn rsday or Friday.
Bobert Bacon, ambassador to France,
and ellison Gardner, a magazine writ
er, were the other guests at luncheon
at Sa ,amore Hill today.
The colonel and the ambassador
fought it out today on the tennis court
at Sycamore Hill as they used to do
on the White rrouse court. The colonel
is going to his editorial offices in New
York in the morning and will return to
his home le in the day.