The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-29
ROOSEV WELT TELLS WHY HE CONFERRED WITH SENATOR PLATT
Says He Wanted to Take Advantage of Senator's Experience in POliti-
 cal Matters

Syracuse. April 2S.-Theodore Roosevelt stand in William Barnes suit for libel told why he conferred with United States Senator Thomas c. Platt while governor. vice president and President of the United States. He related how he threat ened Senator Platt just prior to the Phil adelrhia convention of 1saasthat he would fight for the New York gubernatorial re- nomination if Platt made good his own threat to keep him out of the race as punishment for not accepting the nomi- nation for vice president
 The colonel told of these things and many others upon redirect examination.
 The minute his cross-examination start cd Colonel Roosevelt sat up alertly in his chair and his solemn expression gave way to a jolly smile. He leaned toward the jury, he squared his jaws, he raised his voice, he lifted his open hands and brought them down upon his thighs He pounded with clenched fist upon open palm. He used every gesture, every movement at his command to make his words more forceful. And as he stepped down from the witness stand at the end of the day he laughingly said. q am not tired"
 Piatt's Experience Valuable
 Speaking of Senator P1att the for mer president said that he conferred with him on matters legislative, ad- ministrative and political, because hs considered the senator's wide exper- fence was valuable and because he realized that the organization con- trolled the legislature and that the sen- ator controlled the organization.
 T did not want to disrupt the ce- publican party said the colonel, 'as long as l did no wrong act in pre- venting it. Then too, 1 wanted to get affirmative action in Albany. I could prevent wrong being done if I broke with them, but I could not get an af- iirmative right done. When there was q doubt in my mind I conferred with the senator as head of the organiza- tlon While at the same time and .p'1- niariiy, doing what the interest of the state demanded. I found that when there was apt to be an issue between rne and the state senate 1t was advisable to go where the power lay and not to talk to men who merely carried out the bidding of Mir. Platt. I consulted Mr. Platt on all important matters that came up"
 Asked About Letters
 The colonel was asked many questions about correspondence which passed be- tween him and Senator Platt. He tried to explain to the jury statements made ifi correspondence about the franchise tax; about Barren Isand about postmasters and about disagreement over the renomi- ration of Governor Hughes. He corrected his testimony about his campaign fund of 1904 he claimed as his own campaign speeches in which he said things about MT. Bowers.
 Tomorrow may be the colonel's last day |rpon the stand. His own counsel said tonight they would conclude the redirect examination of their client early in the forenoon session. The consensus of opin- ion among attorneys seemed to be that the additional cross-examination by counsel for MT Barnes would be brief At the conclusion of the proceedings today Col onel Roosevelt had been on the witness stand for a total of nearly 35 hours.