New-York tribune., 1912-01-27
TAFT MEN WOULD WAIT.
Bad Time, They Say, to Stir up
Strife with Barnes.
COMMITTEE MEETING TO-DAY
Say Chairman Isn't So Much
Opposed to President as he
Desires Power for Himself.

OOOOS6Q 10 IIcoluChV 90 49,
Desires Power for Himself
In view OF the determination of william
Rarnes ir chairman Of the Republican
state Committee, 10 have the New YORK
delegates to the national convention go un-
instructed and a growing feeling among
the Progressives that vigorous measures
may have to be used in combating the
Barnes idea, there are many possibilities
for trouble at the meeting of the state
Committee to be held at headquarters at
II o'clock this morning They are merely
possibilities, not probabilities, however. Ii
the chairman, or any other member OF the
committee, had a brick concealed up ms
sleeve he would not acknowledge II last
night.
on the face of it the meeting should he
most prosaic, as Il has been called merely
10 receive the report OF the special commit
tee on the way in which the party can
operate this spring under the new dlFect
primary law. 1T is merely technical de-
clared Chairman Barnes last night ana
does not interest anyone outside OF 'he
party workers"
There will be a time TO reckon WIN
Chairman Barnes, however. and that VIII
be at the primaries In March. Ihere Is ho
use stirring up any trouble before 'ha'
time however. the Taft leaders beHe'e'
and IL any Taft resolution Is brought lPr'h
at the meeting to-day it will be Wlthou.
their knowledge or consent. The illends o'
President Taft are practical men ana VI~
derstand fully that the way 10 worK r;oe'
effectively for the denomination ana re-
election of the President is not 10 sur UP
any strife in the State Committee, bnt 10
work to control the state conventions, Doth
the one in the spring and the one IN the
fall.
Barnes Working for Himself"
Il do not believe that Chairman Sarnes
is sincerely against the denomination ct
President Taft" said well known RcpuD-
lican last night. "He simply desires power
for himself and he does not care how much
he may hurt the President in the process
OF making himself factor in the national
convention by having the attitude OF New
York State toward the President doubtful
up TO the last mhute.
chairman Barnes wants 10 cut a big
figure in the Chicago convention. If the
il will not be necessary for the national
leaders to consider him at all. If they are
unpledged Barnes will have to be consult
ed He will be in a position 20 demand
reactonary planks in the platform-planks
such as President Taft would not care TO
stand on.
"Again-and you do not want TO lose sisht
Of that-Mr. Barnes wants to elect a Gov
ernor OF his own choice in this stale this |
fall He wants to nominate a reactlonary, |
a memoer of the Old Guard one who is
as much out OF touch with Progressive SEN
timent as he is himself. Isn't ii possible |
that he might like to say TO the friends |
Of President Taft, You may have the !
delegates in New York State, but | want |
promise that there will be no interference I
with my plans in the state convention this
fall? But a reactionary platform and an |
old Guard candidate for Governor would |
be likely to injure the chances of the Re- |
publican candidate for President in this |
state.
To Beat Barnes at Rochester.
Therefore, ii behooves us TO control the |
Rochester convention in April, and ! do |
not have the slightest doubt that we
will be able to do so. | think YOU Will find |
that steps will be taken to insure the eec- |
tion Of a majority of delegates 10 the state |
convention who win not be subject TO the |
orders of Chairman Barnes, For this there !
are two reasons. The first is that resoiu- |
tions may be passed instructng the dele. |
gate-at-large for the denomination Of Presi- |
dent Taft, and, second, that a committee |
on resolutions may be named that will pre-
sent Progressive platform not one Of the
'embalmed kind, such as Chairman Barnes
is planning TO get through"
Although the temporary chairman of the
convention sometimes names the committee
on resolutions. the convention decides that.
Such a committee may be named by pass
ing resolution from the floor
Under the direct primary law there is no
formal way in which TO instruct tho dis
trict delegates to the national convention.
But generally the district delegates would
probably feel a moral obligation 10 vote in
accordance with instruction that might he
given 10 the delegates-at-large 1t is pos
sible, however, for the Congress district
committees in placing the names OF the
candidates for delegates Oh the primary
ballot to indicate whom they favored for
the Presidential nomination. The delegates
so elected would practically be bound TO
support the candidate for whom they stood
on the primary ballot.
The "old guard leaders presumably
will have their candidates for delegates
placed on the ballot without any sugges-
tion OF whom they favor. Such candidates
may find themselves opposed by candi-
dates named by petition. under the pro-
visions of the new law, who will go on the
primary ballot pledged TO support President
Taft.
Draw Rules for the Campaign.
The Subcommittee OF the state commit
tee appointed to draw up rules for con-
ductlng the party business this spring and
fall met at state headquarters yesterday
afternoon, that IL. a majority of It did
Chairman barnes, George w. Aldridge
Abraham Gruber and Samuel s. Koenig
were there. Speaker Merritt William l..
Ward and Jacob a. Livingston were not
The committee drew up a report. in which
1t will recommend that the delegates to
the l.ational convention be chosen at the
March primary, the Congress district COM
mittees deciding the names OF the candI-
dates to go Oh the ballot At first IL was
decided 20 elect the delegate at CCngres Il
district conventions, AZ in former years
but IL was pointed out that independent
candidates could then run unonposed al the
ing the organization candidates on tho
primary ballot there viii be Clear-cut
race between them and any one who may
desire 10 run Independently.