Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-30
HUGHES NAME IN TO STAY
GEN. W0oDFoRD ISSUES STATE
MENT AS 70 CANDIDACY.
Of New York Delegates
at Hotel Astor Today-Denies
Rumors Of Withdrawal.

NEW YORK, April 3O-The name OF
Gov. Charles E. Hughes will not be
withdrawn from the presidential canvass
until the national convention at Chicago
has made it's choice Of candidates. This
statement was made today by Gen. Stew
art L. Woodford, president Of the Hughes
League Of the United States. who pre-
sided at q conference of delegates elected
to the national convention from New
York state at the Hotel Astor today.
called in the interest of Gov. Hughes
candidacy.
1t has been reported that the announce
ment Of the withdrawal Of the governor S
name as a candidate for the presidency
might be made at today's conference.
but this was positively denied by Gen.
Woodford. who said:
"Any statement from any source that
Gov. Hughes name will be withdrawn
from the presidential canvass 10 absolute
ly without foundation. He has never
sought the presidency. There is no living
man whose support he has asked. He
consented to the use Of his name and his
name is at the service of our party until
the convention has made its decision.
IF nominated he will do his best to
secure the victory 'of our party in No
vember. If not nominated he will have
no regrets and will remain. as always. a
loyal republican. He Is today far more
interested in securing needed legislation
in New York than he Is in any possible
candidacy for any ONCE.
The Call for the Conference.
The call for today's conference Of dele
gates was sent out by Gen. Woodford,
Seth Low and Frederick r. Hazard.
three of the four delegates at large to
the national convention who were elected
by the recent republican convention and
instructed to use all honorable means to
bring about the nomination Of Gov.
Hughes for the presidency. E. III. Butler
Of Buffalo, the other delegate at large,
is In Europe.
When the conference was called to or
der by Gen. Woodford it was announced
that of the delegates invited to attend
twenty-seven had sent acceptances. twen-
ty-three had sent explanations of alb
sence, all but four Of whom had ex-
pressed sympathy with the efforts to map
out some plan of campaign, and twenty
four had not replied at ALL
There were about thirty in attendance,
including Timothy l.. Woodruff. chairman
of the republican state committee: Her
bert Parsons. chairman of the New York
County Republican Club, and Speaker
Wadsworth OF the assembly.
Gen. Woodford's Remarks.
Gen. Woodford, addressing the dele
gates, said:
Political conditions in New York at
this time are peculiar. In all my life
have never seen the republican party so
seriously torn--Or perhaps I should say
divided-by serious questions as we are
today. We are In power in the state with
a governor elected by a majority of about
81. 600.
Every state officer is democratic. We
hold the majority of the state senate and
of the assembly. Nevertheless the senate
by an even vote failed to pass legislation
recommended by the governor, u. failure
which the governor feels very keenly."
Continuing. Gen. Woodford said that
the hard times following the panic would
make il doubly hard to achieve success
at the November election. If we wreSt
the victory from our opponents" he said,
following panic. 1t will be the hrst
time that q political party has ever ac-
complished it, We need to act with a
great deal of patience and good temper
and We ought not to SO conduct the pre-.
and drive into antagonism any member
Of our party
Gen. -Woodford said that the conferenc.
had been called in order that the con-
diticns might be freely discussed. and
that out Of the discussion might come