New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-24
OLD GUARD NOT HOPEFUL
Barnes, Woodruff and Payne
Arrive at Saratoga.
PLAN FIGHT ON PLATFORM
Real Battle Will Probab bly, Be in
the Committee on
Resolutions.
tsy Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

tsy Telegraph to The Tribune.l
| Saratoga Springs, n. Y. Sept. 23.-Redoub
ling their assurances that ice-Presiden
Sherman will be elected temporary chair
man OF the Republican State Convention
the leaders OF the 'old guard" came her
to-day to line up their forces for the biz
fight next week. While they preserved 20
the public an air of confidence, privatel,
/ they were far less certain that they coult
elect Mr.. Sherman over Theodore Roose
welt. Publicly and privately they main
tanned that. whatever happened in the mi
tiai sxirTnish. the real battle over the plat
form would be a fight to the finish.
AS the "old guard" sees the prospect, TIT
existence of the Republican party is a
stake. Such experienced leaders Of the con
servatives. as they term themselves, al
! William Barnes. 1r.. Of Albany, and Lot
| Payn, of Columbia County, declared TO
night that if the Progressives won 1t would
mean defeat and downfall for what now /;
| considered Republicanism. They say they
will fight to the end to protect the public
from fits own madness, madness to which,
| they declare. Theodore Roosevelt and his
ilk have excited the populace
Just how the "old guard will go about
It to fight the ex-President and his Pro
gressive allies has not been decided yet.
The details will be worked out tomorrow.
when some of the other leaders reach the
battlefield. As the general campaign looks
now. there will be a big fight in the state
committee meeting on Monday night. an
other over the elegtion of the temporary
chairman and big and decisive fight over
the platform in the committee on resolu'
tons.
Barnes First on the Scene.
Mr. Barnes, first OF the big men on the
scene, drove over here from Albany this
afternoon with Mayor McEwan, of his city,
in an automobile. State Chairman WOOD
ruff. Secretary Lafayette B. Gleason OF
the state committee and a group Of Kings
County men came this evening in a special
car. Barnes and Woodruff foregathered at
once, and discussed the general situation
at dinner and late into the evening.
Mr.. Woodruff had no comment to make
on the Roosevelt statement that the ex-
President would have a margin OF one
hundred delegates In the convention.
ct don't want to seem to sit In judgment
on ANYTHING Colonel Roosevelt may say,
said the state chairman. 'T will say THIS
though. I have received letters and tele-
grams from many delegates saying that
they now intend to vote for Eice-Presldeht
Sherman, although they would not have
done so if he hadn't been defeated in his
own district They seem to feel that that
was an unwarranted and uncalied for at
tack on the Vice-President-
Mr. Barnes had no predictions 10 make
about the number Of delegates either side
would have on Tuesday. He said he wash
allowing himself TO be drawn into con-
troversy over what at best was com
paratively minor matter-the temporary
craftsmanship of the convention.
THE real point at issue" said MI
Barnes, lis the platform. That will decide,
when the convention has adopted It,
whether the Republican party is to die as
the party of conservatism and be handed
over TO radicalism, or whether il is TO con-
tinue to be the splendid representative Of
sanity it has been since its foundation.
THE very language Of the platform will
determine whether the Republican party
shall stand for progress without disturb
ance, or disturbance merely in the name Of
progress. The conservative is a man who
says that what is Is right. although 1t
might be made better. The radical declares
everything Is bad. and must be changed i'm
rnediately That IS the constant condition of
his mind. regardless OF what progress is
made"
Speeches Called lnfianmatory.
The speeches Of Mr.. Roosevelt, Mr..
Barnes maintained. had inflamed the mind
of the public 70 such an extent that 1t was
willing to tear the roof off the house.
Feed. a man whiskey long enough and
he'll get the tremens,' remarked the over
lord Of Albany County
Lou Payn, the venerable leader OF Co
lumtia County, who in and out of Office had
his fights with Theodore Roosevelt years
ago, came here this evening. In quiet,
henignant fashion he declared himself
ready TO die with his boots on fighting
Roosevelt on the issues before the conven-
ton.
eff Il were a mere question OF Candi-
dates" said Mr.. Psyu, there might easily
be a compromise. But here it's question
OF principle, and no compromise is possible.
The issue which will come before US first
is whether the unanimous decision Of the
state committee shall = set aside. I've
never known II to be, and seldom, indeed,
has there been any attempt TO question il.
Il am for Sherman, just as my proxy
was az the state committee meeting. It's
no question Of affection with me-Im not
Sherman man, and didn't support him for
Vice President at Chicago. It's merely my
Judgment that Theodore Roosevelt should
not be put into this situation by his friends,
II is most injudicious and very Unkind of
them TO do it I will go so far even as TO
say that Mr.. Roosevelt should have pre-
vented them from presenting HIS name.
eff this fight IS carried through to the
end it means great disaster for the party.
I Judge from conditions in my own district
when l say that the state ticket would be
lost, fully half the Republican Congress
candidates would be defeated and the As
sembly would so Democratic, and perhaps
even the Senate.
~ received political education IN the
campaign of 1856. I'm an oId-fashioned In
dividuaL The kind of Republicanism which
has given this state splendid government
for years IS good enough for me. I don't
care to take up any new tangled notions of
direct primaries and other fads.''
Bracket Wears Lusubrious Smile.
Senator Edgar Truman Bracket, who is
in Saratoga Springs even when conventions
are not, walked solemnly into the United
States Hotel this afternoon. wearing his
most lugubrious smile and seeming to re-
frain from shedding tears only by the
hardest effort. He rebuked his pet spaniel
harshly because the intelligent dog. sensing