Evening star., 1918-07-19
WHITMAN REFUSES
TOQUH THE RACE
Saratoga Convention Learns
That He'll Run Despite
Roosevelt Boom.
GROUND ROBIN" GROWING
By TIE Associated Press.

BY GH6 7A46od2Ie0 kIeo0.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. z, July
19.-Gov. Whitman will remain q can
didate for denomination no matter
whether Col. Roosevelt consents to en-
ter the primaries, according to an
nouncement this forenoon by William
A. Orr, the governors secretary.
Mr.. Orr said he had received the
word over the telephone from Albany.
The report persisted. however. that the
governor had opened private headauar-
ters here, and as late as last evening
had directed his campaign In person.
Attorney General Merton 3. Lewis.
chief rival Of Gov. Whitman. last
night issued a statement announcing
he. would withdraw If Col Roosevelt
would become candidate. coinci-
dentally a round robin was circulated
by the anti-Whitman faction OF the
party, headed by William Barnes, urg-
ing the colonel to enter the primaries.
In a short time 1t had received several
hundred signatures. Among the sign
ers. besides Mr.; Barnes, were % Senator'S .
During the evening Roosevelt-for-goy-
ernor talk was revived to an extent
which became alarming to the Whit
man adherents-
Await Roosevelt's Answer.
.'what WIN Col. Roosevelt's answer
boz" This question was uppermost IN
the minds Of an the delegates to the
republican state convention rs they
gathered for tho second days session.
Notwithstanding Gov. whitnan's an
J6uncement Of his intention to remain
In the field, the Roosevelt 'round robin
continued to be circulated this FORE
noon and found plenty Of signers. One
Of the early reports was that Charles
Evans Hughes. in Washington. had been
in communication by telephone with the
petition circulators here and had author
lied the use of his name. It also was
announced that Francis Hendricks OF
Onondaga. hitherto one Of the Whitman
supporters, had signed. Pending re-
ce!pt Of definite word from the colonel
the Informal slatemakers were discuss
ing seftously tentative, ticket. 70 be.
headed hx Cal. Rooeexelt.
: Roosevelt Baking uAinz :
The: announcement Of Attorpey Gem
eraI Lewis and the circulation Of the
round robin completely oyershadowed
the program Of the day. This called
for the. adoption Of q platform and q
speech by former President William
H, Taft. Tho resolutions committee
labored well into the night, only to
find that interest in its product tenn
porarily had sunk to comparative In
Significance.
Platform Indorses Suffrage.
A vigorous win-the-war plank. =
hearty Endorsement Of the Whitman
administration and declaration 'em-
phatically urging" the United States
senators from New York to vote for
Affirmative. features of the platform
presented by the resolutions committee
to the, convention today.
The document contained no mem
tfon Of prohibftion. William Barnes,
who led the fight Of the anti Whit
dunn plank. lost out In tho committee
by vote Of ~ to II. :
When the suffrage plank. which
was an extremely strong one. WIS
adopted by the cemmittee. Senetor
Wadsvorth explained that he was not
in sympathy with the, provision and
that he had not changed his views on
tho suffrage question
The convention, was lxto IN aGDaGn-
bling. Consequently the address OF
former Pfe810ouI THII W38 m0c0 00-
layed- He was given rousing recep-
tion, and his address was many times
interrupted by applause and cheering.
A prolonged demonstration followed
his declaration that we here now
have nothing with the presidential
campaign. of 1920. That will take
care of ITSELF"
against All Sdes.n-Taft
In tho speech Mr.. Taft made no
mention Of the Roosevelt movement.
Asked afterward II he would express
an opinion. he replied:
You don't want to drag me into
New York politics, do your. -
When informed that his views would
be intefestngi he said: well then,
am against all sides"
While here Mr.. Taft was the guest
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