The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-05-01
DELEGATES FROM NEW YORK TO
REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CON
vENTloN CONFER.
IS BUSY
President Of Hughes League Asserts
That Chief Executive Of New York
u More Interested in Securing Re.
form Legislation Than In Procuring
Presidential Nomination.

New York, April 3O.-The name OF
Charles Hughes will not be withdrawn
from the presidential canvass until
the national convention has made its
choice Of candidates.
This statement was made today by
General Stewart Il. Woodward, presi-
dent of the Hughes league, who pre-
sided at a conference of delegates
elected to the national convention at
the Hotel Astor today, called in the
interests of Governor Hughes candi-
dacy. It had been reported that an
nouncement of withdrawal Of the
governors name might be made at
.today's conference, but this was pos
itively denied by General Woodford,
who said:
Asked for No Support.
ANY statement from any source
that Governor Hughes name will be.
withdrawn from the presidential can
vass is absolutely without foundation.
He has never sought the presidency.
There is no living man whose sup
port 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 it's decision. If
nominated, he will do his best to Sc
cure the victory of our party in No
vember. If not nominated, he win
have no regrets and will remain as al
ways a loyal republican. He is today
far more interested in securing need
ed legislation in New York, than any
thing else.''
The call for today's conference Of
delegates was sent out by General
'woodford, Seth Low and Frederick
r. Hazard, three Of the four dele
gates at large to the national conven-
tion, who were elected by the recent
state convention and instructed to
use all honorable means to bring
about the nomination Of Governor
Hughes for the presidency. e. H.
Butler Of Buffalo, the other delegate
at large, Is in Europe.
Many Delegates There.
When the conference was called to
order by Gen. Woodford, It was an
nounced that Of the delegates invited
to attend 81 had sent acceptances. %
had sent explanations OF absence, all
but four Of whom had expressed SYM
pathy with the efforts to map out
some plan OF campaign and "a had
not replied at all. There were about
80 in attendance, including Timothy
l.. Woodruff, chairman OF the repub-
lican state committee; Herbert Par
sons, chairman of the New York coun-
ty republican committee and Speaker
Wadsworth. General Woodford, ad-
dressing the delegates 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 !
should say, divided on serious ques-
tions as we are today. We are in
power in the state with a governor
elected by majority Of about $1,000.
Every other state officer Is demo
crat. We hold the majority Of the
state. Nevertheless the senate, by an
even vote failed to pass legislation
recommended by the governor, a fail
ure which the governor feels very
keenly."
Election Is In Doubt.
Continuing, General Woodford said
that the hard times following the
panic would make It doubly hard to
achieve success at the November
election. General Woodford said that
the conference was called In order
that the conditions might be discussed
and that out Of discussion might
come suggestions that would be use
full at Chicago. A committee Of three
was appointed to consider plans for
the action Of the conference. The
committee consists OF Alex v. Camp
bell, Seth Low and VIM. K. Doug