The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-08-19

OYSTER BAY, N. Y, Aug. 10. =
Theodore Roosevelt spent yesterday
In what was probably the most i'm
portant 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
are strained to the breaking point
William Loeb. Jr., collector OF the
port OF New York; Lloyd C. Griscom,
chairman of the New York Republican
county committee; Representative
William Calder, Of Brooklyn; Fred.
erick ]. H. Kracke, of Brooklyn, and
Representative W. W. Cox; of Colonel
Roosevelt's home district, took part in
the conference. From what was said
by some Of the visitors It was learned
that the ex-president and his friends
have agreed on plan OF action which
will hold until the situation. shapes
itself more clearly. Briefly stated, 1t
is this:
Plan of Action.
Colonel 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 RESPONSE
bility for the conduct and result Of
the campaign. He is neither to en-
dorse nor to criticise the Taft admin
istration. He is to keep out all around
II he can"
Through some of the visitors II
was learned why the colonel had de
cided to keep his hands of. He feels
that the Republican state committee
in refusing to endorse him for tenn
lporary chairman of the Saratoga con
vention acted in manner that would
make further activity on his part looi
as II he were leading factional fight
against the administration. 1t was
said that Colonel Roosevelt does moi
deem It either wise or proper to per
NIT himself to become involved II
such factional fight, and that his
present decision is that he will not sc
to the convention or, take any par
which would render him responsible
He has como to no definite conclusion
however.
Will Defend Policies.
One important provision was empha
sized at the conference. Those witt
whom he talked were made to under
stand clearly that Colonel Roosevelt
reserves to himself the right to entel
the thick of the fight at any time II HI
believes that the policies OF which HI
is exponent are in serious jeopardy
But he let 1t be known that he woult
do so with extreme reluctance, for h,
feels that in suIh a contingency h,
might be led inevitably into a con
: troversy with the Taft administration
From what was said after the cor
ference 1t was gathered that Colone
Roosevelt believes the present att
tude of men who are influential in tn
national administration is hostile t
him and that an open rupture. may re
suit. In such case the colonel feel
that he may be compelled at som
juncture to exert his influence agains
the administration.
May Be Candidate.
Those who are closest to the e1
president believe that he will do eN
erything in his power to avoid such
crisis during the fall campaign. 1t
their opinion that If he should decid
to fight, he prefers to postpone tn
struggle until the 1912 campaign
when the question OF the nations po
icy for the next four years is to b
brought before the entire country an
when successor to William H. Ia
is TO be elected. Should such an i
sue between Colonel Roosevelt an
the administration present Itself
that time 1t is the firm belief that h
will be in the fight to the end; tina b
will stake his own future on the ou
come. and again become a candidat
for the presidency. It is believe,
however, that Colonel Roosevelt r
CARDS such a situation as remot
contingency which is not to receil
serious attention at the present tim
His associates helieev that the on
reason which might lead him to CO
slider becoming a candidate for ii
l,.a,tdon.ja1 ,ap,Ipottop would ha II