New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1915-05-06
BARNES SAID riff
!. RAFT NEEDED LEADER
.4es, @s..5 ssf,-7
Roosevelt Tells Of Talks With For
msT Chairman About Boss Rule.

d Syracuse. N. Y, May 6.--The ethics
Of boss rule and machine politics as
Theodore Roosevelt claims they were
expounded by William Barnes, who is
suing Colonel Roosevelt for damages
for alleged libel, were related by the
ex-President upon the witness stand
IN the supreme court here late yes
terday The colonel swore that Mr..
Barnes had told him that the riff
raft could not be trusted to handle
political affairs without a leader and
had expressed himself as being In
favor of the democratic and repub-
ilican organizations combining to de-
feat legislation providing for direct
primaries.
The colonel went upon the stand at
the end of day congested with tes-
timony about public printing and
public money He related what he.
alleged to be the substance of con-
versations he had with the former
chairman of the republican state
committee over a period lasting from
1898 until he left the White House
He told his story with all the force-a
fulness at his command. In part, 1t
follows SIS
Mr.. Barnes and I had many con-
versations upon the nature Of the boss
and the domination of the machine,
There was more than one conyersa-
ton concerning the franchise tax bill,
There were some before Payn was
removed; they were in the spring Of
1899 and again in the beginning Of
1900. Those conversations were upon
the power of and the necessity for
the machine under our system Of
party government.
Generally our conversations were
held in the executive mansion at Al
bany. We were entirely alone. Otis
ers were held in the governors and
the secretary's chamber in the execu-
tive Offices at the capitol. We were
entirely alone then, too. 4a'i@ sl sss
Court Sustains Objection.
Other conversations were held in
the reception room, and probably 9TH
er persons were there. We had one
talk on a train from Albany to New
York. One of the conversations was
just prior to the appointment of a
successor to Payn (who had been re-
moved from the office of state super
intendent Of insurance. I mentioned
to Mr.. Barnes a conversation had
with Senator Plat. He told me
An objection by Mr.. Barnes's coun-
sci to what MIR. Plat told the colonel
was sustained. The colonel contin-
ued:
Riff-Raff Not to Be Trusted.
e. We'll, the substance of our CONVEX
sation was this: Mr.. Barnes said It
was necessary that the head Of the
organization should have I. complete
control and he instanced Albany
county. He said the riff-raff could
not be trusted to handle political af-
fairs without a leader. He said they
would misconduct themselves at the
expense Of property and that the gov
eminent could not go on.
He said 1t was not necessary for
the boss to issue orders to executive
officials and legislators and that they
found out for themselves that If they
did not support tdhe organization they
could not get bills through, they
would not be renominated and they
could not secure funds with which to
carry on campaigns. It was said it
was to their interests to find out
what they should do and then do it.
Mr.. Barnes said: You know the
senator does not bully. He does not
have to- He said it was quite sufficient
to have It understood that If a man
did not stand by the Organization he
got punished
Laughter From Spectators.
Laughter from the spectators inter-
rupted the colonel. Then the witness
said: He got punished and was
eliminated"
John NJ. Bowers, chief counsel for
the defendant, asked him:
You say there were similar con-
versations while you were presid emit ?n
Didn't I say that?" asked the
| colonel, pointing to the stenographer,
| "just read what I said there. Yes, +
thought I did"
| What else did Mr.. Barnes say?.
4 Oh Cd NJ