The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-18
General Woodford Fears Demo-
 crats In Coming Election
HIGH PRAISE FOR HUGHES
Chosen as President of Hughes League
  General Woodford Makes Striking Address Upon the Campaign Questions.

1 Hughes for President of this country and
 prophecies of his election to that office
 were made by speakers tonight at the
 formal notification of Gen. Stewart L.
 woodford, of his selection as president of the Hughes League of the United States,
 which took place at the Hotel Manhattan. Members of the committee and members of the Hughes league from many parts of the country were present. The speak CTS included eneral Woodford, John T.
 Milholland, chairman of the Hughes league; ex-Governor Bachehod of New Hampshire, Congressman Wald of Brook lyn and Seth Low of New York. In ac- cepting the presidency of the Hughes league General Woodford characterized the political situation as satisfactory, and declared that the democratic party. hun gry with long fasting will do their best to get together and win the coming cleo ton.
 Serious Situation.
 General Woodford was given an ovation when he arose to speak. He said:
 Gentlemen:-Yc generous confidence imposes upon me duty which I cannot put aside. I accept the trust and will do the best I can. l shall need sug- gestion and advice, and at the outset I now ask for all possible help from all who believe with us that Governor Hughes will prove the wisest choice the republican party can make as our presi- dential candidate.
 The situation is serious. The democratic party, hungry with long fasting, will do their best to get together and win the coming election. We cannot count with certainty, as so often heretofore, upon their blunders. If we would win this l fight we must make no mistakes our | selves. So serious is the situation, so much depends on what we now do, that mistakes now are more than blunders. They will be almost crimes.
 We present the name of Governor Hughes to the calm consideration and de- liberate judgment of the republicans of the nation as being thoroughly fit for the great office and sacred trust of the Pres idency. fhave known him from his early manhood, and because I was his precep- | tor and friend I may without egotism speak of his manliness and worth As l a lad he was hard working frugal and a winner As student he was 'conscien- tious, persistent strenuous and success i ful. As lawyer he early took high rank, and has steadily gone toward the | front of our profession. In the gas and life insurance investigations he uncov- cred serious and long continued abuses. He corrected evils, but did not destroy the accumulated resources held for the protection and support of thousands of wives mothers and children throughout the republic. The assets of the life insur- ance companies exceeded one thousand million dollars. Some bad men and many careless ones had come to evil or needless use of these immense resources. He drove them from place and power and at the same time he safeguarded the assets of the companies. He cured without kill ing He drove the rats from the barn
 without burning down the barn and de- stroying it's precious wealth of grain and
 harvest. Such dealing with corporate wealth and corporate responsibility is ter TOT to evildoers on the one side and pro- tecton to the savings of the poor upon the other.
 Clean, Fearless Man.
 As governor he has been calm, brave, fearless and just His severest critics will not today charge him with using the power of his great office to help his pres ent candidacv. His closest friend will not dare to go to him with any suggestion looking toward an official act in aid of 1 his just aspirations. With him public of- flee is in the highest and last sense a public trust With reverence I say to l you that believe the pure, high public | purpose of George Washington has never | been more thoroughly incarnated in a public man than it is today in the policies and person of Charles E. Hughes.
 We present his name to the calm con l sideration and deliberate judgment of the ! republicans of the nation as the man who l Is most likely to obtain the electoral vote 1 of New York. If you can elect repub- l lican President without the electoral vote l of New York then it will be safe to dsre- l gard this suggestion. If you cannot cer- tainly do tthis, if in any contingency you l shall need the vote Of New York; then we 1 beg you to weigh our suggestion very carefully and decide very soberly. We do | not offer this suggestion in any spirit of l threat. We are loyal republicans. But | we beg the republicans of the nation to hear our plea without prejudice and to | decide without favor.
 1 Balance of Power.
 l In our judgment neither the republican | party nor the democratic party as or l ganzed body has majority of the votes | of New York. The figures of recent cleo ktions seem to prove this. The balance of ] power in New York Is with the indepen- | dent voters, the unattached>voters and the | dissatisfied voters of both national par l ties. l The candidate for the presidency will l probably get the electoral vote of New | York who can most certainly secure the l largest part of the great body of voters 1 who no longer wear the uniform and fol- l lew the flag of either great national par 1 ty. We believe that Governor Hughes can l and will get this vote If you can carry ] the nation without New York, if you can | carry New York without these votes, then | 1t may be safe to make the attempt and | disregard our appeal. But if yeu believe l with us that New York must go republi- | can to assure that the nation shall con- l tnue republican in administration and in l policies, then we beg you to unite with l us in our earnest effort to nominate Gov l ernor Hughes for the presidency l We are republicans. Governor Hughes l is a republican, We strive with all our l hearts and wills to keep our old party, in 1 power not for the sake of power, l but for all / that republicansm has | meant to the nation and to mankind for l the fast half century. We gave the saint | ed Lincoln to be the first in the long line l Of great republican Presidents. We gave | Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Harrison | McKinlev and now Roosevelt to the pres