New-York tribune., 1912-02-16
WARD FOR ROOSEVELT
Spends Week in Secret Confer
enCeS on Situation.
FEW DELEGATES EXPECTED
Those in Control Believe State s
Representatives Will Be Prac-
tically Solid for Taft.

William l.. Ward has spent most OF MS
time for the last week at the Hotel van
derbilt, where he has had numoer oi
secret conferences In an effort to STIR up
some sentiment for the nomination OF
Theodore Roosevelt for President. 1t was
said at the hotel yesterday that Mr.. Ward
was not registered there, but he was wen
known. and inqurers were directed to the
room of George w. Adridge, the leader Oh
Monroe County. Both men were out.
1t was asserted yesterday that Congress
man Luther W. Mott, of Oswego, had re-
Gently shown a reply to a letter lie had
written to Mr.. Roosevelt offering to dc
what he could to further his interests IN
which he was told TO "see Ward
would seem that Mr.. Ward has undertaken
quietly to round up whatever RooseVei'
sentiment there is in the state, being actu-
ated largely by a personal feeling agains'
President Taft
Last night he declared the report that ne
would come out for Roosevelt was untrue
and unwarranted
"T have not declared that will come out
for Mr.. Roosevelt" said Mr.. Ward. i
have made no political statement, an, max
ing none and won't make any. am en-
deavorlng to mind my own business and
have centred my attention on my manu-
featuring business
Mr. Adridge has not yet made his posi-
ton clear, and the fact that he has Deen
busy with Mr.. Ward this week set some OF
the leaders to wondering last night wheth-
or he was not mixed up I'm the Roosevelt
movement, too. It was said State Chairman
Barnes understood that Mr.. Aldridge would
not oppose the nomination OF President
Taft.
There was report that Congre ssman
John w Dwight and Francis Hendricks,
OF Syracuse, we're among those who had
conferred with Mr.. Ward recently, but TINS
could not be confirmed. A state leader
said Yesterday that he did not think there
would be any delegates against President
Taft. except those elected In the 18th Con-
gress District, Mr.. Wards, and possibly n
the 2sth, where Congressman Mott lives,
and in the 18th District, which Is controlled
by former Congressman Littauer.
IL was said last night that Controller
Prendergast and Charles :. Devoy' Oh
Kings County, had called upon Mr.. ward.
Mr.. Dewey, however, declared that the re-
port was without foundation. 80 far as he
was concerned Both the Controller and
Mr. Dewey have declared themselves for
Roosevelt, but those who control Kings
County said last night they believed there
would be n solid delegation for President
Taft. Mr.. Dewey might obtain lEs own
election ~ delegate, II was said, but ne had
said that he would be unable to go to the
convention.
Leaders who have talked with Chairman
Barnes recently say he comedies that the
New York state delegates will bo Tor Tres
ident Taft, bat he still adheres 10 his de-
termination to have no instructions issued
by the state convention. HIS idea Is to he
able to figure prominently in the councils
IN Chicago, and also TO demand OF the sd-
,ninistrstion that Il make no protest against
the nomination OF a state ticket pleasing TO
Mr.. Barnes and his friends at The fail con-
vention.