The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-02-20
GEN. WOOD DENIES.
Being |. R. ENVOY.
Contradlcts Report That He.
Carried Assurances to Root
Of Support.
By p. 7. RELLiHAN.

NEW YORK. Feb. ao.--Gen Leonard
Wood has given a fiat contradiction to
the assertion nv old Guard Republican
leaders that no had been one Of two
ENJOYS who carried 10 Elihu Root as
surances OF Colonel Roosevelt's support
in the event OF Roots nomination for
President by the Republican national
convention.
II have not been, am not ana
don't intend to be anybody's emissary
for any political reason" General Wood
said. He said Il with emphasis.
The report Of Colonel Rooseveit's al
legged attitude toward the Root boom
was canvassed widely by Republicans
and Progrsssivos.
Progressives declared point blank
they did not believe Il was true or
ever could be true. The candidacy OF
Root. they said. was one which IN the
nature OF things Colonel Roosevelt
Many Republicans Undecided.
Republican friends OF Root accepted
the report OF Roosevelt's Endorsement
of their man. and professed to see moth
ing strange or improbable In H.
Between the progrcssiyes and Roose-
welt Republicans who rejected the re-
ported Enforcement as an invention ct
Guard who believed Il as gospel truth
there was 4 large Republican element
that took intermediate ground:
These thought u probable Roosevelt
friends had constfued as a promise OF
support, but they said II was q safe
guess that there would be nothing
found on record to tie the colonel up
TO Root candidacy either In the ma
ffOnaI COnVNnffOn or aftGTw0r0.
That Roosevelt II approving any can
didacy other than his own at this Time
these Republicans regarded as more
THIS last, as a matter of course. was
the view which prevailed In the meeting
OF Progressive county chairman held
in Progressive State headquarters IN
this city yesterday afternoon to select
their national convention. Walter A.
Johnson, OF Westchester. the State
chairman, presided.
The county chairmen. with a few ex-
of Progressives in their districts to
have harmony I'm Chicago and q union
on the Presidential nomination that
would result In driving the Democracy
q from the control which it won in 1879.
Roosevelt Letter Read.
letter from Colonel Roosevelt to
Charles W. Fear. of Joplin, Mo-. bear
ing date Of December IA. 1885, was
read into tho proceedings of the con-
ference by way of n warning to Pro-
gressives that they must receive with
great reservation any report of the
Coioners thought, word or deed that
Is not verified by his own sign manual;
]. W. McGrath, secretary - CoionNl
Roosevelt. regarded the letter as ap-
plicable to tho controversy over tho
Root candidacy. McGrath gave out tht
letter; which in PR ssIS; r.n..,.a and
\ uncomfortable experience I have found
that anything ] say In private letter
or In private intorview, even with my
good and ataunch friends. Y almost
certain in the course. Of repetition %
be misunderstood and misinterpreted
Accordingly must have 1t definitely
understood that am not expected TO
say ANYTHING nnless J speak IN p"ohc
Oscar s. Straus. Of New York, shno
Horace 8. Wilkinson. OF syracuse, were
selected an primary candidates TOT
delegetes at large u tne rrokIJii1ssrT
OF WATERFOWL. and Elon II. Hooker Oh
New York as alternates at large.
A statement OF the position OF the
Progressive party was given out In
I'VE especially commend the spirit
evidenced by our national committee IN
Cyhfcago In January to the cnect that
tho questions OF party StrtIe M parry
advantage should be huh<rt-nated 10
the nations present needs. and we
pledge ourselves to do everything with
in our power to carry out in the broad
est spirit such program.
''In this turning point In the world :
history we viii not stick on details,
we WIN lay aside craftsmanship and
prejudice. But we will never surren-
der the principles for which we stand
and have stood, and we VIII follow only
a leader whom we know stands Tor
them and Is able to put them through