Evening journal., 1907-08-23
HUGHES-TAFT
fight ON in
new YORK
Roosevelt Wants Delegates
UninStTuCted or For His
Secretary Of War
ODELL IS SAID TO BE
BACKING THE GOVERNOR
BY THE JOURNALS Special Wire.


NEW YORK. Aug. 2s-with the re-
ceipt Of a commission by Matthew c.
Fleming from his former law partner
Charles e. Hughes. now governor of
the State. directing him to investigate
fully" the management and methods
of the insurance department headed
by Otto Kelsey, the first gun has been
fired in the battle for control Of the
delegates to the next Republican Ma
tional Convention from New York. 1t
will be a great battle Ranged on
one side is the old guard Of the organi-
zation. headed by no less a persona ge
than Theodore Roosevelt. who wants
the next delegation from this State to
go to the National Convention unln-
structed. II any favored candidate
is to be named he wants them for his
friend Taft. Of Ohio. but he prefers
that there be no instructions at all. as
it would be easier to swing to the
man Of the hour should that individual
loom up in the discard after the clans
have gathered. Hughes is saying
nothing, but he is saving plenty Of
wood.
odell For Hughes.
The willy Benjamin b. Odel, twice
governor Of the State and a master in
the game of politics. is backing him.
Not openly. nor with the governor =
public consent. it is true. but still he
never loses an opportunity to publish
the fact that he considers Hughes the
biggest man in the Republican party,
and the one logical candidate for the
presidential nomination. Against
Hughes. one William Barnes. Jr,
former chairman of State executive
committee; Timothy L. Woodruff, by
the grace of Roosevelt. chairman of
the State committee: Congressman
Herbert Parsons. chairman of the
New York county committee; John
Raines, president pro tenn of the State
Senate; Frank Hendricks, Lou"
Payne. George w. Aldrldge and host
of smaller fry of the so-called organi-
cation. These are the men who saved
Kelsey when the governor tried to
have him removed last winter. and
they will try to block the governor S
effort to get him out through the lat
ter's former partner, Fleming.
Through the effort To dislodge him,
however. that party break win mean
much to the younger members Of the
party. While Fleming viii conduct
the investigation he win be coached
by the governor. Men representing the
latter have been investigating the in
surance department On the quiet for
some time6Fnd they have an array OF
facts that promise to cause as dis
tinct a sensation when made public as
did the original insurance investiga-
tion. resulting in the overthrow of the
old arrangements Of the larger COM
painless For every act of the depare-
ment for the last ten years an eX-
planation is to be demanded from
those responsible and reasons why
some persons and corporations were
/ favored and other Disseminated
/ against win be asked for.
II Kelsey is retired there will come
a Hughes support and there will hs
/ number of plums TO reward the
faithful who can swing delegates tc
the National Convention.
More Investigations.
Hughes win not discuss the matter
at all. declaring that his investiga.
ton of the insurance is actuated sole.
| " by a desire to give the people eff
cient service. The fact remains
however. that he also plans investi-
eating the State banking department
the State fish and game department
the State department of education and
State institutions generally In do
| ing so he viii be compelled, whether
he likes it or not. to build up a ma
chine.