New-York tribune., 1910-08-27
STILL WATTS EXPLANATION |
Discrepancies Exist Between
Statements on Chairmanship.
REVIEW OF CONTROVERSY
Explicit Letter OF President Fails
to Draw Comment from
Sherman or Ward.

That the (IT1SCc1l nOIIlIIldllOu VI iSoi
dent Roosevelt for temporary chairman Of
the Republican State Convention was "a
complete surprise" and President Tafts
statement in his letter to Mr. Griscom that
Vice President Sherman telephoned to him
on August Is that there was proposal TO
oppose Mr. Roosevelts name with that Of
Senator Root.
Thoroughly to understand the various
discrepancies between the statements OF
the "old guard and the Progressives, 1t
is necessary to take the events preceding
and following the state committee meeting
in order.
On August 10 President Griscom of the
New York Republican County Committee
visited President Taft at Beverly. He sug-
gested Mr. Roosevelt as temporary chair
man of the state convention, and the
President acquiesced in that suggestion.
The next day the President sent a tele-
gram to Vice President Sherman asking
him to tell Ward and Woodruff that he
had Just had conference with Griscom,
and urging them 10 confer with Mr. Roose-
Welt before the state committee meeting
On August - Mr. "Griscom saw ex-Presi-
dent Roosevelt at oyster Bay. After his
visit he said:
"Mr. Roosevelt and President Taft
in accord on the New York state situation.
1 have discussed candidates, the platform
and the whole state situation with both of
them, and taeir views coincide"
The "OId Guard" Get Busy.
That same night Vice President Sherman.
State Chairman Woodruff, Speaker Wads
worth and Messrs. Hendricks, Ward and
Barnes met at Sherry's.
Speaker Wadsworth was suggested as the
| "oId guard candidate for temporary
chairman, but declined, saying it you'd be
better politics. to choose Mr.. Sherman
Thereupon, Mr.. Sherman was agreed on
as the 'od guard choice, and a canvass
showed sufficient number of votes and
proxies in the state committee to choose
him
Only that afternoon VIce-President SheT
man had teephoned to President Taft say
ing that Mr.. Roosevelts name was TO be
opposed with that of Senator Root He
said nothing of himself as candidate, and
President Taft knew nothing of that pro-
posal He protested to Mr.. Sherman
against any contest, declined peremptorily
to be drawn into a fight against Mr.. Ropse-
velt and urged that there be prompt and
full personal conference with Mr.. RooSe-
welt before the committee meeting. 30
bring about harmony and party victory.
On the morning OF August 16, the day the
state committee met Mr.. Roosevelt sent
a note to Messrs Barnes and Ward ask
ing them to come to see him. They did not
go until after the committee meeting, at
which Mr.. Sherman was selected and Mr..
Roosevelt rejected as temporary chairman
the 'old guard programme being put
through according TO the agreement of the
previous night.
Subsequently Messrs. Wanmaker, Henkel
and Krulewitch have told friends that Ma
tional Committeeman Ward urged them to
vote for Mr.. Sherman, and they got the
understanding that he wanted them to do
this as an endorsement of the adminis-
ton and because it would please the
President
Roosevelt Understood Why.
After the rejection of Mr.. Roosevelt
Ward and Barnes called on him They had
a hot talk When they departed Mr. Roose-
welt said
Now I understand perfectly why you
| didn't want to come to see me before the
meeting"
| State Chairman Woodruff said after the
meeting:
/ The injection of Mr.. Roosevelt's name
was not ct our doing. AR. Roosevelts S
name was brought in by the astute leader
of New York County, to be used only as
football Well. the cover was torn off the
| ball and the pieces were scattered all over
the field 1t was shame TO use the name
| Of Mr. Roosevelt that way. He is one Of
the biggest men in the country
! After the meeting Mr.. Ward said he
| talked with the President over the tele-
phone on Sunday, the 14th, and told him
| of the proposal to make Mr.. Sherman tenn
porary chairman. Mr.. Taft later said he
never heard of Mr.. Sherman csndi-
! date until he read of his selection in the
papers after the committee meeting.
| on August Il Mr.. Sherman saw the Presi-
dent at Beverly. Mr.. Taft deplored the re-
! suit of the committee meeting, fearing
party defeat unless the break in the party
| thus created were repaired. He urged Mr..
Sherman to 90 to see Mr. Roosevelt to
| make up.
Before leaving Beverly Mr.. Sherman gave
| out an interview, saying he expected to
serve as temporary chairman ''in the in
terest of harmony He said, answering
| questions that he didn't know Mr. Roose-
velt had been rejected; he knew only that
another man was selected. He said there
would be "a clean cut Republican plat
! form not a clean cut progressive plat
| form, as suggested by Mr.. Roosevelt
| He said the direct primary fight had been
/ settled by the Legislature. and accepted
! for his own use a suggestion that that
| element OF the Republican party not salts
| fed with the result was going on the Su
| preme Court bench"
Intimations of a Break.
On August IS MIR. Roosevelt conferred at
| Oyster Bay with Messrs. Griscom, Loeb
and Cocks out of that conference came
| intimations of an absolute break between
President Taft and Mr.. Roosevelt, because
| the ex-Presdent believed his successor had
joined hands with the ''old guard
on August ~ Mr.. Griscom made public a
letter written by President TAFT to him on
against Mr. Roosevelt, denying that he had
favored MI Sherman as a candidate, show
ing how he had urged MeSsrS. Sherman,
Ward and Woodruff to consult Mr. Roose-
velt and declaring again tor direct pri-
maries.
deploring the action of the state commit
tee and expressing willingness TO cooper
ate with upstate men in a fight 10 control
the state convention
On August - Mr.. Barnes gave out long
statement declaring that he would fight to
% State Chairman Woodruff gave out a
similar statement less defiant. Neither an
swered the facts set forth in President
Taft's letter.
Neither Vice President Sherman nor Mr.
Ward has had anything to say since Presi-
! 4 To C lot tor NTG lGlNp 81