Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-06-17
HUGHES BEATS DOWN
TACTICS OF MACHINE,
BY William f. Curtis, Correspondent
of Chicago Record Herald.

The other day, Governor Hughes is not
a candidate for the presidency and
uoes not intend to become one; at
least, that is the situation at present,
but one can not tell what the future
may bring forth. He, like other force
iul characters, Is a man OF destiny,
and his future is likely to be Influenced
by events as they occur. During re-
cent session of the Republican state
committee BENJAMIN B. Odell, Jr.. for
reasons, introduced res
olution indorsing the governor TO-
president next year. The resolution
was tabled by a vote of 32 to 4. This
was not in any sense reflection upon
the governor. The vote had no sig
nificance whatever except as a rebuke
TO Mr.. Odell, whose nose is very much
out OF Joint and who is looking for
trouble. The only men who voted for
his resolution were his Intimate
friends and his only remaining ad-
herents of Importance. Mr.. Odell is
politicians in the country and as a
campaign manager has few equals
But events and incidents with which
he was connected have caused him to
be deposed from the head of the Re
publican state committee, and at pres
ent he Is still counted with the down
and out" He has no connection with
any of the presidential candidates and
only desires to make trouble for Pres
ident Roosevelt and the present Re
publican organization, OF which Repre-
sentative Herbert Parsons, a young
lawyer, a graduate of Yale in the class
OF 1890, aud "A son-in-law OF Henry
Clews, the banker is the chairman.
Mr.. Parsons represents President
Roosevelt and the Republican organi-
zation is in sympathy with the presi-
dent, with the exception OF perhaps
four or five of the thirty Weight mem
bers. Mr.. Odell does not care any
more for Governor Hughes than for
any other man who has been spoken
of for the presidency, and Governor
Hughes was very much disgusted with
his performance at the recent COM
mittee meeting.
Mr.. Odell has been talking in favor
of Vice President Fairbanks and there
is report that he will try to elect
Fairbanks delegation from New
York state to the next Republican ma
tional convention. But If he makes
any such attempt it will be for his
own benefit and will do Mr.. Fairbanks
more damage than good.
At present there is no boss in New
York. Physical infrmities and do
nestle scandals have put the Easy
Boss out of commission, and he is
now an almost helpless invalid, lodged
in an humble apartment house in an
obscure neighborhood in charge OF u
former servant who is nursing him
and trying to prolong his life as much
as possible, Mr.. Platt is alienated
from his sons as well as from his wife
and is an unhappy. helpless old man
He has lost the respect as well as
the leadership of his party and there
Is none too poor to do him reverence.
For nearly three-quarters of cen
tury the Republican organization OF
the state has been controlled by a sue
cession of leaders of great intellectual
Weed, William H. Seward, Reuben E.
Fenton, Roscoe Conkling, Warner Mill
er, and Thomas C. Platt--but there is
no boss" now. People are expecting
that Theodore Roosevelt will assume
leadership when he retires from the
White house. He is the actual dicta-
tor of the party policy now, although
he works indirectly through Mr.. Par.
sons and others, and he controls the
machine. He comes as near being q
boss as anybody and II he lives after
the close of his term no one else will
occupy that position He may not at
tempt to exercise all of the functions
which former bosses have undertaken
to perform, but he will permit no other
single Republican to control the de,
liberations and the nominations of his
party.
1t is universally assumed among
New Norlt Republicans that the presi
dent will be the successor of Mr.. Platt.
who retires from the United States
senate on March 3, 1909, the same
day that Mr.. Roosevelt will retire
from the White house, so that the pres
ident will simply move his portable
property from one end of Pennsyl-
vania avenue TO the other. This is
the presidents ambition, and no talk
about third term can divert him
from it. The only person who is in
any way likely to interfere with the
program is Governor Hughes, and at
present he has no such intention.
Nevertheless, Governor Hughes must
be reckoned as an important factor
In the future politics of New York
state. Everybody here declares that
he is no politician; that he has no
political sagacity; that he is too di-
rect and positive In his methods and
Is liable to sacrifice his prospects for
a principle at any time. Neverthe-
less, that sort of men are apt to make
the most successful politicians the
same sort of attributes adorn the char
acter OF the president of the United
states, and he is the most successful
politician that | know of.