Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-16
chairman OF the state convention were
in their purpose.
Not Willing to Submit to Roosevelt.

Not Willing to Submit to Roosevelt.
The committeeman, together with prom
inent republican leaders from upstate
began to drift in yesterday and last
night
The talk of these men in their confans
showed only too plainly the defiant and.
II might be said, desperate attitude OF
the two factions Of the republican party
in New York state.
1t boded i'll for harmony in the cam
paign. unless some compromiser and
composer OF differences endowed with
almost divine power can bring magic
into play.
1t was not expected that the committees
action today would disclose the rift in
the lutte. No issue was brought before
the meeting. the purpose of which is as
stated above.
] am writing only of what the parties
say "out of court"
Two Factions of Party.
TIE two factions in the committee rep
resent the two factions in the republican
ranks of the state. The old guard are
the men who fought Hughes. dislike
Roosevelt and resent the talk of alliance
between Hughes and Roosevelt. The pro
gressiNe republicans are in line with
Hughes. Taft and Roosevelt
There Is a collateral factional interest
in Woodruff's chairmanship Of the state
committee. In a measure 1t Is not on
all fours with the sharp division between
the progressives and the old guard.
Chairman Woodruff has declined to be
put out of the state chairmanship, as has
been explained SO often. He probab y
VIII retire when the committee is r
organized after the state convention He
will not retire now, and under fire.
President Taft has recently shown that
he is not anxious to see Mr.. Woodruff
put out. IL Mr.. Woodruff wants to remain
IN. President Taft and Col. Roosevelt are
in accord on New York state policies and
platforms. Yet Col. Roosevelt thinks
Woodward ought to go.
Irritation Against Roosevelt.
The old guard are irritated at Col.
Roosevelt's interest in state politics. 1t
happens that he Is a resident of the state.
has once been governor. has been titular
head OF the party in the nation. Yet now
that he undertakes to maintain his con-
nection with the party the old guard calls
it interference"
The old guard also resent the activity
OF Lloyd Griscom, chairman of the county
committee, because of his alleged alien
origin. They say he immigrated from
Philadelphia. and hardly has earned vot-
ing residence
But. back of it all. the real grievance of
the old guard is the effort TO liberalize the
republican party In New York state, to
divide and dissfpate the power Of the
petty bosses and machine rule and the
substitution OF direct nominations, all of
which is hateful IN the extreme to the old
guard.
attitude Of Old Guard.
In advance OF the assembly OF the
state committee at noon, a member of
the committee, who is a personal friend
of mine. made the following clear state
ment of the attitude of the Old Guard:
1T ought to be clear to any one,'' he
said. that the old guard, SO called
are not nghting President Taft. AS a
primary political proposition It would
seem plain that the republican state
when 1t acts, must give a
straightforward. unequivocal and en-
thusiastic Endorsement Of President Taft,
his administration and the work of Con-
gress.
IF the republicans fail to do that. they
might as well shut up shop and not go
into the campaign at all. Well. isn't
that what President Taft wants? Isn't
that what the old guard insist he shall
have? Then. how can we be said to be
lined up against Taft, and Hughes, and
Roosevelt?
I'VE do differ from Hughes on the di-
rect nominations scheme. But President
Taft himself Is willing to meet us half
way on that proposition, and have the
form of partial direct nominations, with
q state convention also, such as we pro-
posed. as a compromise I'm the legisla-
ture."
This man went on to explain that
there was undoubtedly irritation among
the old guard over the activity of
Lloyd Griscom. chairman. and his ex-
pressed Intention to try to make Col.
Roosevelt either temporary or perma-
nent chairman of the state convention
when il meets in September
He pointed out that IL Is not part OF
a county chairman's prerogative to die
tate the organization of the convention.
That Is left to the state committee the
night before the convention meets.
The rumor that Mr. Griscom might at
todays meeting try to get a declara-
tion in favor of his plan for Roosevelt
aroused the old guard. Mr.. Griscom is
not even a member OF the state COM
mittee. but is going into the meeting
today with a proxy.
Before the meeting he was advised
not TO try to force a resolution rec
ommending Roosevelt for presiding Of
ficer of the state convention. He was
told that this had been tried but once,
and had failed. N. o. NJ.
HOOPER FOR GOVERNOR.