The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-05-25
ROOSEVELT's REAL
POSITION GIVEN OUT
His Antipathy for Speaker Cannon
and Pledge To Insurgents An
nounced for First Time.

WASHINGTON. May 24.-With
Roosevelt and insurgency" for a bat
tie cry In their fight for reelection
next fall. the house progressives are
planning to sweep Roosevelt into the
midst OF the campaign which confronts
them.
Heretofore secret information on
which the insurgents base their as
surance of Roosevelt's active support
in the fight against "Cannonism be-
came available today.
The situation revives an unpuo-
lished report made To the insurgent
organization In caucus in March, 1909,
by the insurgent executive commit
tee, Representatives Nelson (Rep.,
Wis.,, Madison (Rep, Kas.), and
Gardner (Rep., Mass.) were told TO
endeavor to secure the Endorsement
OF Roosevelt for the insurgent poll
cies, In those strenuous closing days
OF the strenuous administration. The
following statements, incorporated In
that report and known for over year
to every house insurgent, are here
made public for the first time.
On March ., 1909, Theodore Roose-
welt proposed TO give Rep. Nelson,
chairman OF the insurgent executive
committee, letter endorsing the tight
on Cannon and the house rules. He
expressed himself as thoroughly In
sympathy with the progressive move
ment. particularly in the fight against
Cannon, as he said:
Cannon the Greatest Obstacle.
Cannon has been the greatest OBJ
stacle In the way OF my efforts to ser
cure good legislation, for the people
Of the country, throughout the seven
years OF my administration"
On March 4, after spending the
evening of March with President
elect Taft. he. begged to be excused
from writing the letter. As a ground
for this change OF purpose he said
that from conversations with Taft he
was afraid such a course would en-
barrass his successor.
One OF the last acts OF Roosevelt's
administration, as he stood in the
presidents room, In the senate wing
OF the capitol. was to take Represen-
tatives Gardner and Nelson by the
hand, lead them over to Taft, and
plead with the president-elect TO take
up the insurgent cause.
The story of the endorsement that
was never given in writing was out
lined to the insurgent caucus by the
executive COMMIT Reps. Nelson,
Gardner and Madison of the progress
siye caucus, were present to endeavor
to secure President Roosevelts en-
dorsement of the insurgent attack on
Cannon and the rules projected by the
progressives to be made during the
special tariff session that convened
March Is, 1909. They had arranged
an appointment with President Roose-
Welt for the afternoon of March 3.
Busy Scenes in White House. I
The eleventh hour OF the Roosevelt
administration was at hand and Roose-
welt was going out of the white house.
The executive Offices were In con-
fusion. Clerks were rushing in and
out Of the presidents office and Roose-
welt led the insurgent committee into
the old cabinet room. He dragged q
chair from the cabinet table over into
q corner and the conference was on.
Nelson, as chairman Of the commit
tee, outlined TO the president the plan
Of attack on Cannon and the rules.
the object and chances Of success for
the entire insurgent program and
asked Roosevelt to endorse officially
the movement. Roosevelt raised him
self In his chair, drew one leg up be-
meath him, In his favorite deliberative
attitude, clasped his hands behind his
head and said:
Now, boys, let me think out loud"
Then for thirty minutes he proceed
ed to outline his position In the i'm
pending legislative struggle. He
pointed out TO himself and the insur-
gents that throughout his administra-
ton, Speaker Cannon and certain OF
his followers In the house had op-
posed measure after measure that he
had advanced and advocated. He said
In the beginning, that personally he
was In sympathy with the insurgents
and with what they were trying to do
He paused for a moment. Then he
said he was now getting out of the
limelight, that another was about to
take up the reins. and that the new
president might not like TO have them
taken out Of his hands.
Didn't Want 70 Eneroaeh.
Roosevelt declared that it seemed
to him that he would be encroaching
on the prerogatives OF his successor IL
he publicly endorsed the insurgents
movements; that he had been dealing
with these things In his own way and
that his successor would want to do
the same without interference.
Throughout the interview the only
objection Roosevelt made to a public
declaration Of his sympathy with the
progressive movement was the fact
that his successor might be embar-
raised.
Il don't want to seem TO interfere.
don't want to appear to seize the
reins from the hands of my success
sor," and he swept out his hands In
q suggestive gesture, I'm like that
talkative New Bedford mate whose
captain told him: What want from
you 10 silence, and little OF that"
CANNON ASKS FOR A PLUM.