The San Francisco call., 1908-08-21
LEADERS WILL NOT
DESERT GOVERNOR
Conference at Oyster Bay on
the Political Situation
in New York
No Statement Made, but 1t Is
Known That denomination of
Hughes Is Favored

NEW YORK, Aug. 20.-Contrary to
expectations no announcement was
made tonight by Frank Hitchcock
chairman of the republican national
committee, as to the sentiment de-
veloped at the Oyster Bay conference
for or against the denomination of
Governor Hughes. Hitchcock and James
S. Sherman, republican candidate for
vice president, returned to New York
on the yacht of George ]. Smith, treas
urer of the New York state committee,
in the same manner in which they
were taken to Oyster Bay in the fore
noon.
Not only did Hitchcock fail to give
out any statement, but he went to his
apartments at the Manhattan hotel
without seeing any newspapermen, in
spite of the fact that he indicated at
Oyster Bay that he might have some
thing to say about New York poll
tics after the conference with the presi-
dent had been concluded.
Shortly before 10 o'clock tonight the
statement was made by James T. Will
liams Jr., the chairman's secretary,
that Hitchcock and Sherman had re-
turned to the hotel some time before
and that they had both retired. He
said that the return trip had been made
on Smiths yacht and that the party had
otOPPOQ at IVY z DSdCH TO dIlSnQ a CldtIl
bake given by local republican club.
NO HUGHES STATEMENT
Williams said further that Hitch
cock had no statement to make in re-
gard to the Hughes matter, or the
business considered at the conference.
1t was said, however, that the return
trip on the yacht had been made slowly,
in order that Hitchcock and Sherman
could confer in relation to eamaign
work, and that Sherman would re-
main over night in the city and visit
national headquarters tomorrow.
number of New York leaders were
called together at oyster Bay by a
luncheon party given by President
on an early train, leaving only Hitch
cock, Sherman and Robert Bacon, as
sistant secretary of state, with the
president These men talked over state
politics and a few national issues un-
til 1920 p, M, when they left on the
Smith yacht. Their departure was by
a route that discouraged interviewers.
1t was stated here tonight that the
sentiment voiced at the gathering was
favorable to the denomination of Gov
ernor Hughes.
CAN'T DEFEAT GOVERNOR
The movement of certain state re-
Hughes for denomination can not be
successful, it was said, unless some
force, such as President Roosevelt,
Chairman Hitchcock or Taft or Sher-
man should get behind it.
1t is likely that it will be the policy
at republican headquarters not to make
a statement concerning the state po-
litical situation unless whatever pro-
gram agreed upon by the national lead
ers appears to be in danger at any
time of being overturned.
In every statement made thus far
by Hitchcock there has been attached
the condition that in the settlement
of state disputes the interest of the
electoral ticket must be preserved.
With this string tied to his promise
not to interfere he could, with consis-
tency, take hand if he believed ac-
tion was contemplated by state lead
ers or by a state convention to the
detriment of the chances of Taft or
Sherman. Before entering the confer
epce today Hitchcock said that he had
never known a more perplexing prob
lem than the Hughes matter, but it
was one that he was not compelled to
work out. He said, however, that he
wanted to secure full information con-
corning every phase of the situation.