The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-08-23
TAFT WRITES
A LETTER
Denies That He Knew Any
thing of Plot
AGAINST ROOSEVELT
Claims He Urged the Former Presidents
Wishes Be Learned and Consulted.
Did Not Know Sherman Was
Being Considered.
AGAINST ROOSEVELT

New York, Aug. %. President Taf,
not only had no part in any plot to de-
feat Theodore Roosevelt for temporary
chairman Of the Republican state con.
vention at Saratoga If there was such
a plot but he did not even know that
Vice President Sherman was to be
named or considered for the place.
The president made this clear in a very
explicit letter which he sent today 70
Lloyd q Griscom president Of the New
York county Republican committee in
response to telegram from Mr.. Girls
com, which told the president bluntIy
that "the absence Of any authoritative
information as 70 your attitude is SER
iously misleading many Republicans"
President Taft in his letter Of reply
declared that so far from desiring to
disregard Boosevelt's wishes, he explicit,
" urged that the former presidents
wishes lie learned and consulted, and that
when he first learned from the vice.
president Of a plan 10 oppose Roosevelt,
he "peremptorily declined to be drawn
into a fight with Mr.. Roosevelt and again
renewed my urgent advice that there
be personal conference with him.
Mr.. Roosevelt when shown the lettsr
last night, said that he was pleased
with It.
The letter follows;
Beverly. Mass, Aug 20, 1910
my Dear Mr.. Grscom.-
"As you know from your telephone
conversations with my Office. ! have
steadily refused 70 admit the propriety
or necessity Of the presidents replying
to newspaper statements which are not
based on any act or authorized word
Of his and have no sponsor. ! am en-
tirely willing, however, to reply cate
gorieally to your telegram Of August 10,
which has just arrived.
~The suggestion that have ever ex.
pressed wish to defeat Mr.. Roosevelt
for the temporary Craftsmanship Of the
convention or have eyRr taken the slight
est step to do 20 is wholly untrue. 7
never heard Mr.. sherman's name stg-
gested as temporary chairman Of the
state convention until saw in the news
papers Of August l6 that he had been
selected at the meeting Of the commit.
tee. When you called at my house Sat.
urday evening, August 10, you told me
that Mr.. Roosevelt intended TO go to
the convention as delegate and you
suggested incidentally bis being made
temporary chairman suggestion in
which / acquiesed II did not occur
to me that any one would oppose it.
This was the first time the subject Of
the temporary craftsmanship was men
toned to me by anyone. You did not
ask me to take any action whatever
with respect to it. After full discus
sion Of the New York state situations
drafted in your presence the follow
ing telegram and sent it to Mr.. Sher-
man on August IA:
ePlsase say to Ward and Woodruff
that / have had long conference with
Griseom. He confirms my Judgment all
ready expressed to you that the whole
situation in New York may be saved
without humiliation to any one and with
victory for the party BY full conference
with MIR. Roosevelt and reasonable con-
cessions with reference to platform and
candidates.
ION the afternoon Of Monday, August
10, Mr.. Sherman telephoned me from
New York, and for the first time ap.
praised me Of the fact that there was
proposal to oppose Mr.. Roosevelt for
the temporary chairmanchip, and that
with Mr.. Roots name. No other name
then Mr.. Roots was mentioned I pro-
tested against the idea Of contest OH
such matter, peremptorily declined to.
be drawn into fight against Mr.. Roose-
welt; and again renewed my urgent adj
vice that there be prompt and full per-
sonal conference with Mr. Roosevelt be
fore the committee meeting, with a view
to securing harmony and victory for the
party.
Mr. Sherman called upon me here on
the 18th instant to meet an engagement
Of 4 weeks standing made with him and
Mr.. LoudensIager to discuss the Con-
gressional campaign text book Mr..
Loudenslager was prevented from COM
ing by an illness During the conference
with Mr.. Sherman I told him that de-
plored the result Of the meeting Of the
New York state committee, because UNI
less the break were repaired, it meant
division between New York Republicans
and probable defeat. Upon leaving me,
Mr.. Sherman agreed to 90 into a con
ference with Mr.. Roosevelt, provided he
were invited to do 50, with view to ad
jugting the situation if possible, even
at that late date. Nicholas Longworth
was present and said he would send d
telegram to bring about conference.
What the result has been do not know.
Finally, in your telegram, received