New-York tribune., 1908-08-31
COLUMBIA WANTS HIM
BUT BOSSES SAY. NAY.
Democratic Support for Hughes Ia
Renominated- Results of a Conyass.

Marshal Lou Payn. Republican leader OF Co
lumbia County. and his political workers toward
Governor Hughes has been too openly declared
throughout the Governors term Of once for an
tagonism toward his denomination to sxcfto
much surprise An anti-Hushes deisgation
from this county to the state convention hao
been considered matter of course.
Yet even cursory examination of tho s1fua~
ton discloses tremendous sentiment In tho
Governors favor among Republican and Dsne"
cratic voters alike; 50 much that Columbio
must be added to the list OF counties where IL
political chiefs advance their own fdeas 49,
prejudices in preference to following tho viii Of
their constituents.
Governor Hushes's attitude on tho important
policies advocated by him has nxed him nrniy
In The affections OF the farmers OF this section
They read the newspapers carefully. and this
county is enough to Albany to- permit them
to keep rather closely In touch with lesisisfivs
doings. In his first year of office the Govefncr
had their cordial good will and support. and MIS-
fight to abolish racetrack gambling at tho last
legislative session made him the chief topic or
conversation at the country hotels, p"seosuces
and grocery stores. Almost to a unit the pec-
pie here with him on that question: Peti>
tions were circulated and sent to Senator SAM
ford W. Smith, calling him to support Cow
ernor Hughes in his effort to wipe out profess
sional gambling
Now the fight of the professional politicians
to stall off a denomination for the Governor has
awakened the farmers and tradespeople in this
county. Governor Hughes represents dennrs
ideal Of honest. efficient public service and rigid
Independence. and the people like it ConseT-
sation with farmer, storekeeper OF chance ac~
euaIn.anee in a railroad train usually leads 10
one end.
well we like Governor Hughes well down
here and itn cost the Republican ticket many
votes II he is not renomnated-'
Anti-Hughes sentiment there is. OF course
Columbia County has the rural countys usuat
sporty element and this is arrayed against a
denomination The political workers.. too, say
that railroad men. who form a considerable pro-
portion of the population OF this place, arc
against him, and that he is weak with the labor
unionists
MANY HUGHES DEMOCRATS
Yet back in the hills clear to tho Mas
sachusetts and Connecticut lines. the people are
for Hughes, and strongly for him. AND TINS Is
not restricted to Republicans
I'VE are Hughes Democrats in this county, as
a matter of fact" declared one influential poll
tician of that persuasion. 'FIt wouldn't do to go
on record with that fact, but it's practically
true, nevertheless. IL Governor Hughes is re-
nominated it seems to me he'll get 90 per cent
OF the Democrats vote in this county 1T ~
about all over for us this fall if the Republican,
convention chooses the Governor If they don's
why. we'll have cinch- We've got three or
four good men who would make splendid run
and T believe would beat any Republican but
Hughes easily
The attitude of Pawn, Senator Smith and the
underlngs of the organization is raising somo
wonderment in the minds of the Repuonsan
voters who cannot understand the antAsonism
which exists toward the Governor They do not
see why the chiefs cannot be good enough Ke-
publicans to support the man demanded oy the
mass of the voters, even il he does stano 1or
things which appear revolutionary and fantAs-
ticaly scrupuIous to Payn and his fellows
A significant light on the local situation was
shed bv a canvass recently conducted by the
editor OF 1.-THE Chatham Courier That paper
sent TO seventy representative Republicans IN
the various towns whose opinions were not
known the following questions:
.sDo you favor the denomination OF Governor
Hughes?''
do YOU think Republicans generally in your
town favor it?
.If not Hughes. who is your choiceE
There were received sixty-seven answers. from
tb;rteen tovnshfps OF these sixty-four were
for Hughes and indicated that this was the
general sentiment in the towns in which the
CORRESPONDENTS lived Some twenty letters as-
con1panied the answers from persons who wishet
70 sxnlain their sentiment more elaborateiy
than could be done by bare replies to the ques-
tions Not one letter was in opposition to tas
Governor Some of these letters are appended-
IF the Republicans nominate any other man
than Hughes he Will certainly be defeated if
the Democrats put up decent candidate against
him / have talked with number OF fepuo-
yicans and all say the same thing There Is no
doubt that the denomination of the Governor
would strengthen the national ticket IN TINS
state. It's Hughes or Democrat with me-
If Governor Hughes is turned down ty the
Republican party they VIII nave pieniS oA tiire
TO be sorry for their act
If the Republican leaders fail to make him
their candidate they will 'sin away their day OF
grace and endanser the national ticket am
sure both home and abroad through tne state n"
man would poll as many votes what ne would
lose from the diSgruntled politicians and ONCE
seekers he would gain twenty times over frcnl
independents and Democrats i know many or
the latter that anxious to vote for him. One
prominent Democrat in this town remarked To
the writer that If Hughes was nominated 1t would
be useless for the Democrats TO put up man
Now that the Governor has SIgnlned MS w1iiln8-
ness 70 run, if the party leaders CD turn him
down there will be Such an exodus TO any DE-
cent Democrat that any other Republican VIII
scarce know he was running There 70 no man
mentioned here with any respect or enthusiasm
other than Hughes. Republican or Democrat
ONLY ONE CHOICE.
bv the boss for the boss and his followers hate
Governor Hughes and Will do all they dare 10
retire him from Office Those who believe IN
government by the people. who believe In right
in direct primaries which give every voter
fair and equal chance in nominating public Of
ficers who favor honest, efficient public admin
istration-these (and there are a whole lot or
us) are I'm rebellion and VIII do our beet to
down the machine IL IT has the audacfty 10
turn down Hughes. have no second choice: