Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-07-18
SMITH DESERTS
TAFT FOR 7, R,
Commissioner of Corporations
Resigns to Join the New
Third Party.
FRANKLY ADVISES PRESIDENT
Is Said to Have Been Displeased
at Publication of His Harves-
ter Trust Correspondence
-Conant Successor.

Washington. July 16.-.IIerbert Knox
Smith to-day resigned as commission
er OF corporations to join the forces
OF Theodore Roosevelt and tne new
progressive party. He will be sue
ceeied in all probability by Luther
Conant. Jr.. Of Brooklyn, N. Y, the
present deputy commissioner Of cor
porations who is described as n dis
tinctly administration exponent. The
change will become effective on the
close of business Thurs lay. July IS.
Mr.. Smth will go to New York for a
conference with Colonel Roosevelt on
Friday when his political plans will be
mapped out He will probably take an
active part in the campaign, discuss
Ing corporations with particular refer
ence to the sherman antitrust law.
Mr.. Smith declined to discuss his Of
fetal relations with President Taft al
though he added his silence was not
necessarily to be interpreted AS mean
ing he had been restricted through a
disagreement of IDEAS
MEMBER OF TENNIS CABINET
A close personal friend of Mr. Roosc-
welt. Mr.. Smith was n member OF the
tennis cabinet" during the previous adj
ministratlOn. His friends assert that the
commissioner was displeased over the
publication during the pre-convention
campaign of the International Harvester
correspondence In which Mr.. Smiths let
tiers to President Roosevelt. advising
against the prosecution of the corporation
under the Sherman law at that time,
figured prominently.
In his letter of resignation. Mr.. Smith
frankly advised President Taft Of his
intention to Join the new party.
Mr. Smith is a resident of Hartford
Conn., where he practiced law and be-
came member OF the Connecticut House
of Representatives for one term. He sue
ceeded James r. Garfield as commissions
er of corporations in 1857.
Mr.. Conant. born in Acton. Mass. 80
years ago. was connected with the New
York Journal of Commerce and CONNER
cial Bulletin for years
ROOSEVELT HAD WARNED HIM.
Oyster Bay, n. Y. July 16.-When Col
onel Roosevelt was informed of the res
ignation of Herbert Knox Smith. ne said
that the commissioner who visited him
last week at Sycamore Hill. had told
him that 1t was his intention to give up
his position and enlist in the new party
fight which the ex-presdent is leading
Mr.. Smith told me- said Colonel
Roosevelt, that he could not keep out
of the fight I asked him to go home and
think it over, and to remember that II
he went with us It might be to his own
hurt. This Is n crusaders fight and l
feel that no man should go with us I'M
less ne has the fire burned into his soul
MIR. Smith said that he had to come"
Colonel Roosevelt said that Mr. Smith
would take an active part In building
up the organization of the third party In
his home State OF Connecticut.
START PARTY IN CONNECTICUT.
Hartford. Conn July ia new political
party was born In Connecticut this after
noon. More than 100 progressive citi-
zens. representing various sections Of the
State. gathered informally at the home
Of Ernest Walker Smith. brother Of
Herbert Knox Smith who to-day resigned
as United States commissioner u. corpora
tons. and voted unannr, - - to hold a
State convention in New Haven July 80
and there nominate presidential electors
and full State ticket
President Flavel S. Luther of Trinity
College presided. 1t was announced at the
meeting that Theodore Roosevelt will
make a tour OF this State during the
campaign.