The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-14
Split in Republican Party in
New York Threatened.
Root Has Been Trying to Unite
Warning Factions.
STATE MAY BE LOST
To Democrats if the Present
Condition Continue.
Many Eyes Turn Toward ROOse-
velt as a Leader.

New York. March 14.-With the de-
parture of Senator Root today for
Washington to inform President Taft
of the result of his conference with
State Chairman Woodruff and the To-
cal Republican leaders on the question
of Woodruff's retirement from the
Craftsmanship xlooms a POLITICAL situa-
tion which, in its larger mea1fng, bears
directly not only on the coming state
campaign next fall. but on the national
campaign of 1912.
The administration, through Sena-
tor Root. has made it clear to the
party leaders in this state that New
York must not be lost to the Demo-
Gratis in the gubernatorial elections,
for such defeat would endanger the
party's success two years later. To
this end Senator Root informed Chair
man Woodruff that the opposition to
Governor Hughes and his measures
must cease and the suggestion. is said
to have been. directly made that the
federal power would be used to thwart
such opposition if it continued
Whether Senator Root sought to force
Mr.. Woodruff from the state chair
manship as an initial step to removal
from the control of the so-caIled "ma-
chine" leaders was the subject of much
conjecture at Republican state head
quarters today.
Woodruff Will Stick.
Woodruff today and then made it evil
dent that he would at least continue as
chairman until the end of his term.
There's much more than the chair
manship of the state committee in
volved in this NATTER said an up
state leader today.
President Taft and his friends are
setting the stage for the national cam
paign of 1912, and the administration
feels that unless the present. organi-
zatiOn joins with Governor Hughes a
party split will follow that will give
the state to the Democrats next No
vember and seriously Jeopardize the
partys chance of capturing New.
York's SO electoral votes for the Re-
publican presidential nominee.
Woodruff win remain chairman and
the opposition to Governor Hughes will,
in a large measure, Cease SO that no
split may occur if the Root plan is car
ried out; but the election of Senator
Cobb as president pro TEN of the SEN
ate has SO strengthened the hands of
Woodruff and his friends in the organ
ization that they may elect to advance
such legislation as they please at AL
bany, and so doing will split the party
wide open. 4.
Roosevelt Looms Large
Then our hope lies, in that event,
in Theodore Roosevelt, who will be ask
ed to assume the leadership of the party
and his return is only three months
away"
The Woodruff adherents assert that
the efforts of the administration in the
present situation constitutes an inva-
sion of the rights of the state politi-
cal control. Chairman Woodruff indi-
Gated today that the Aids case would
be judged solely on its merit and in
formed his callers he had not even been
able to learn how the Brooklyn sena-
tors stood in the matter. A close ad-
wiser of Mr.. woodruff said at the head
quarters this afternoon:
1.-THE situation is thoroughly under
stood by Senator Root and theI chair
man. The telephone and telegraph
will be placed under the public service
commission but probably under the up
state department of the commission.
THE Hinman-Green bill for direct
I tnlinations won't go through but the
bill drawn by the special committee,
which is a modification of the Hinman-
Green measure. will be accepted. Chair
man Woodruff tells me that the stories
told by certain congressman in Wash
ington. that Senator Aids is to be
WhiteWashed. have no basis, in fact and
that the case will be fairly passed on"