The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-28
Campaign Has No Active Personal Head at
 Present
DENIES ATTACK ON
 PRESIDENT TAFT
Says Published Reports Are Abso- lutely Untrue-Becomes Angry With Picture Men Who Fol-
 low Him Persistently

Boston, February 27.--The political situation in New England was can vassed today at length by Colonel Roosevelt and the men who are lead ing the Roosevelt movement in the northeastern states, Governor Bass of New Hampshire Fred P. Hale of Port land, Me. son of former United states Senator Hale, and score of other men active in politics attended a conference at the home of Grafton D. Cushing, speaker of the Massachusetts house. No Active Leader It developed today that the Roose- welt movement is at present without a national leader to take active, per | sonal charge. Those who have consult ed with Colonel Roosevelt since he has declared his readiness to accept the lnomination say he has stated he can | not take personal charge of the move mcnt Colonel Roosevelt said today 1t was his present intention to. return home and spend as much of his time as possible at oyster Bay with oc- cssional visits to his editorial office in New York.
 Colonel Roosevelt was asked as to the truth of report that Senator Dixon of Montana would be the man at the helm. He replied Senator Dixon would be acceptable to him. and it had been expected the senator would take charge. Illness in his family. however, had made 1t necessary, Colonel Roose- welt said, for the senator to abandon this plan for an indefinite period
 Has Made No Selection
 Several other names were suggested to MT. Roosevelt. but he said ho had no idea as to who would be selected.
 Denies Attack on Taft
 Colonel Roosevelrs visit to Harvard to- day was not entirely peaceful Since the moment of his arrival in Boston last Sat urday he has been followed about by taxieaRs alled p'itlt reporifrs aaa pheteg> f-aphers whenA1er his pursuerss were a'tie to keep track of his movements. The pnr- suit led today to two clubs at Harvard. once the colonel walked up to an auto mobile that had been following him. opened the door and said he did not wish to be followed as his visit to Harvard was of a purely social nature But the taxi cabs still pursued him.
 Becomes Angry
 Then the colonel became angry. As he aighted from motor car at the Hasty Pudding club the camera men drove up and aimed their machines at him. The colonel waved his arms in protest but it was useless. Again he went 10 the auto mobile and demanded that the pursuit stop He was met with a polite but firm refusal The colonel turned sharply about and fled into the club house.
 Yes" he confessed later. fl was angry. II is not right My picture has been taken several thousand times since | came to Boston. and | have not even changed my hat"
 Colonel Roosevelt took luncheon Tlth hIs son. Kermit and some of his friends, talked books and came back to Boston to spend the night with Sturgis BGelow. He re- turned to Cambridge early in the evening. long enough to take dinner with Pres ident A. Lawrence Lowell of Harvard. Tomorrow he is to attend the meeting of the Harvard overseers take luncheon with Arthur Hill, leader of the Roosevelt movement and start for New York at D. m
 No Controversy With Taft
 Although ex-President Roosevelt has declared his intention of making q straight out fight" for the presiden- tial nomination he let it be known to- day that he would not be drawn into personal controversy with the pres cnt administration.
 MT. Roosevelt was angered over statements published today to the ef- feet that he had said President Taft was no progressive. He said that in his political conferences yesterday, dur ing which he was reported to have made the statement, President Tafts name was not mentioned. and that hls opinion in regard 10 the administra- ton had not been expressed
 MT. Roosevelt reiterated his state ment that he had not taken his present position without solicitation. He made 1t clear the issues were paramount to personal objects sought.
 Explains His Attitude
 He was asked 10 explain the attitude he will maintain during the campaign. To this he issued the following state ment:
 'I could not more definitely state my position on the great issues of the time than stated in my Columbus speech and again before the Massachusetts leg islature.
 Tn addition to calling attention to what 1 have already said on popular government, l also call particular at- tention to what said at Columbus about the proper attitude of the gov ernment toward all angles to insure conditions making for the prosperity of the working world, and of all of cur people.
 "In my Ohio address I dWelt at length upon the two great subjects of moment to the people. These were the need of having real and not merely nominal popular rule, and the need Of securing prosperity for the business man. the wage earner and the farmer alike.
 AS I then said most emphatically believed 1t was necessary to have an equitable division of prosperity, bu. that 1t behooyes us to keep in mind that we cannot divide the prosperity unless the prosperity is there 10 divide and that to secure the well being of the commercial world Is emphatically in the interest of every citizen of the United States"
 Purchase Timber Lands
 Six hundred and forty acres of yaia- a able tfmher lands in 'ruscaloosa conn