Imperial Valley press., 1910-08-20
Colonel Trying to Keep Out of a Fight UntilI Next
 National Campaign.
May Jump Into the Arena to Defend His Policies if Necessary, and if ls- sue Is Forced He May Be Candidate for Presidency Again.

to be trying hard to keep out of a fight, but their efforts to postpone the Inevitable open conflict are thwarted by the activity of faction politicians in stirring up trouble. Boss Bill Barnes, of Albany, and his "old guard" adherents tipped the fat into the fire when they turned the Colonel down for temporary chairman of the New York convention after he had been persuaded by Taft's friends to agree to take the place. It is believed in New York that relations between Roosevelt and Taft became chilly just after Taft's election, when the Presi- dent-elect, in letter to Roosevelt, gave the chief credit for his own suc- cess to Brother Charles.
 A dispatch from Oyster Bay, dated Aug. IS, says,
 Theodore Roosevelt spent the day in what was. probably the most i'm portant political conference he has had 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.
 From what was said by some of the visitors, it was learned that the colonel and his friends have agreed OH plan of action which will hold until the situation shapes itself more clearly. 1 Briefly stated, it is this: Colonel 1 Roosevelt is to stand aside in the New York State campaign and let the "Old Guard" fight it's own fight and thus shoulder all the responsibility for the conduct and result of the campaign. He is neither to endorse nor criticize the Taft administration. He is to keep out all around if he can.
 Through some of the visitors it was learned why the colonel had decided to keep his hands off. He feels that the Republican State Committee in re- fusing to endorse him for temporary chairman of the Saratoga convention "a position he had agreed to accept, much against his will, with the know ledge that he would be better respon- sible for election results-acted in a manner that would make further ac- tivity on his part look as if he was leading factional fight against the administration.
 One important provision was em- phasizedat the conference. Those with whom he talked were made to under stand clearly that Col Roosevelt re- served to himself the right to enter the thick of the fight at any time, If he believes that the policies of which he is the exponent are in jeopardy. But he let 1t be known that he would do so with much reluctance, for he feels that in such contingency he might be led inevitably into a con- troversy with the Taft administration
 From what was said after the con- ference, it was gathered that Col Roosevelt believes the present attitude of men who are influential in the na- tional administration is hostile to him and that an open rupture may result In such case the colonel feels that he may be compelled at some juncture to exert his influence against the admin istration.
 Those who are closest to the colonel believe he will do everything in his power to avert such a crisis during the fall campaign. It is their opinion thar if he should decide to fight he prefers to postpone the struggle until the 1912 campaign, when the question of the nations policy for the next four years is to be brought before the country and when successor to William H. Taft is to be selected.
 Should such an issue between Col. Roosevelt and the administration pre- sent itself at that time, it is the be- lief of the coloners intimate assocl- ates that he would be in the fight to the end-that he will stake his own future on the outcome and again be- come candidate for the Presidency
 His associates believe the only req son which might lead him to consider being a candidate for the Presidential nomination would be the conviction that he must seek another term ig or