New-York tribune., 1908-05-01
PLEADS FOR HARMONY
WOODFORD TO DELEGATES
Says Hughes VII Haze 40 Votes
on First Ballot at Chicago.

General Stewart l.. Woodford, president of the
National Hughes League and delegate -at-arge
to the national convention at the conference
called by himself at the Hotel Astor yesterday.
said that in all his life he had never seen the
Republican party in this state so seriously d.
vided by CONFLICT OF opinion at this time. and
he clearly intimated to them that the only way
out of the woods to nominate Governor
Hughes the Republican candidate for Presi
dent
Ex-Representativ. William Harris Douglas. Of
Governor Hughess home district, said that Taft
had little chance of being nominated at Chi
cago.
Frederick r. Hazard, of Syracuse, delegate
at-large, urged the conferrees II demonstrate
that they soiidly behind the Governor in
his opposition TO the racetrack gambling inter-
ests.
State Chairman Woodruff and President Par
sons of the Republican County Committee lis
tened to the debate but said nothing.
Internal Revenue Collector Charles w. Ander
son, the negro Republican leader, opposed Mr.
Hazard. asserting that the national convention
delegates had no business meddling with purely
state issues.
General Woodruff said afterward that the con-
ference was all that he expected o. il. The So
called organization men said that the confer
ence totally sunproductive Of result, and
tending it,
SOME OF THOSE AT THE CONFERENCE
Among others who attended either morning
or afternoon conference were ex-Mayor Seth
Low, delegate-at-large; Colonel George W.
Dunn of Binghamton: Cornelius v Coiili's VI
Troy: Senator Jotham P. Aids, of Norwich;
William Berri of Brooklyn: Senator Alfred h.
Page. Senator Agnew. Thomas ". Whittie Ezra
p Prentice Speaker wadswor-h, Job E. Hedges
Postmaster Frederick Greiner OF Buffalo; J. r.
Connell Of Brooklyn; Edward 4. ealy, Whlam
H Ten Eyck, George X. Proctor Aifreo f.
Vass Joseph 7. HacAstr. Samuel hoenls' Inc
ron H Burden Jacob A. Brenner, Saihoei
Kru,ew-itch. Luther II. Mott and N j. Gcuid'
Colonel E. H. Butler, of Buffalo. the lourth
delegate-at-iarge, Is in Europe.
Six of the thirty-seven Congress d1strlcts haVo
NOT Vet elected delegates to Chicago OF the
sixty-six delegates elected forty-four nave oeei
instructed for Governor Hughes, The dele
patesat-large were instructed by the state con-
yantion to use all honorable means to bring
about Governor Hughess nomination for fres-
ident.
The delegates were asked to come prepared
Yesterday TO stay over night il necessary-lons
enough TO map out well defined plan OF cam
paign."
VIZ, tbe conference was called to order. at
nounced that Of the delegates invited TO a''eho
,ventv-seven had sent acceptances, twenty
tbree had sent explanation Of absence, all put
four Of whom had expressed sympathy with the
efforts to map out decisive plan OF cam
paign. and twenty-four had not replied at all.
GENERAL WOODFORD'S ADDRESS
General woodford addressing the delegates
said that the hard times following the panic
would make il doubly hard to achieve success
at the November election II We Wrest the
victory from opponents" he SAID, follo"-
ing a panic, it will be the first time that
politicai party has accomplished it. We
need to act with great deal OF patience ana
good temper, and We ought not to so conduct
the prelininaries OF the campaign as to anger
and drive into antag gonisn any member of our
party.
On motion of Mr.. Woodruff General Wood
ford was chosen temporary and permanent
chairman of the conference. Seth Low then
moved that the conference go into executive
session. but after some discussion the motion
was withdrawn. A committee OF three was ap-
pointed to consider plans for the action Of the
conference after which an adjournment was
taken until 1 O'Clock, when General Woodford
invited the delegates to be his guests at
luncheon.
Alexander V Campbell Seth Low and Will
lam H. Douglas were appointed The commit
tee TO consider plans and were asked TO report
at the afternoon session. 1t was MI Douglass
who introduced the resolutions indorsing Gov
ernor Hughess Presidential candidacy which
were adopted by the Republican State Commit
tee several weeks ago.
When the conference reconvened. at o'clock.
Chairman Woodford reported that he had re-
ceived word that the 1st Congress District
had elected candidates TO the national con-
vention and had instructed them for Hughes.
This announcement greeted with cheers
The ,pecial committee appointed to prepare
a programme for the conference submitted
through Mr. Low as chairman. report recon-
nending that the conference go into executive
session
The report was adopted unanimously and all
but delegates and alternates to the national
convention were asked to leave the conference.
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
BEHIND closed doors General Woodford, for
the Hughes National League, reported on what
the league had done He was followed by ex-
REPRESENTATIVE Douglas, of the committee of
twenty-five Of the Republican Club. who said
that the committee preparing TO send out
campaign literature that would electrify the
voters and make them enthusiastic for Governor
Hughes
Then followed discussion OF the deadlock
between the Legislature and the Governor.
Senator Page ex-Mayor Low and Frederick
r Hazard said that the conference should
support the Governor in the moral issue he
had raised between the gambling interests and
the right thinking people of the state. Charles
w Anderson an alternate at Large, said that
inasmuch the conference was composed Of
delegates and alternates to a national conven-
tion it had no business meddiing with purely
state issue Mr.. Anderson also deprecated the