Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-01-30
REPUBLICAN,
TIDE TURNS
HUGHESWARD
NEW YORK GOVERNoR's EN-
TRANCE INT OTHE LIST OF
SPEAKERS AT RECEPTION
FINDS TAFT ADHERENTS IN
PREPARED To PROTECT THE
INTERESTS OF THEIR CANDI-
DATE.

Washington. Jan. Washing
ton politicians and observers of the
trend OF political events look upon
the speech to be delivered by Gov
ernor Hughes at reception to be
given at the Republican club in New
/ York city. tomorrow night as likely
to be the most important utterance
yet made in the battle royal now be-
ing waged for the Republican pres
idential nomination. With the New
York chief executive openly in the
field, the Taft boomers have re-
doubled their efforts. Taft senti-
ment in the west is apparently daily
gaining in strength, but In the east
and the New England states Hughes
looms as a formidable figure in the
eyes of tl.Nse who n short time ago
were jubilantly declaring that Taft
already had the nomination in his
pocket.
The announcement of Governor
Hughes proposed entrance into the
lists tomorrow night came suddenly
upon the Taft adherents and found
them unprepared to protect the in
terests of their candidate i'm New
York, New Jersey and New England.
where the tide has apparently al
| In 4
been generally supposed, and taken
for granted by the Taft men, that
the governors first announcement Of
his position on the tariff. railroad
matters and other national issues
would be made on Washington
birthday, February y. in a speech
he had promised to deliver in Chi
cago. A deliverance on these ques-
tions nearly month in advance Of
that date means that the Hughes
boom will be on in full blast weeks
before its announcement was ex-
pected.
That Taft still has the best chance
of landing the presidential plum is
the general opinion of expert polit-
ical forecasters, but the entrance Of
Hughes into the race has rendered
the task OF the Taft managers doub-
ly difficult IL is feared by the sec
retary's supporters that if he should
fail of sufficient votes to nominate
on the first few ballots, many state
delegations now placed in the Taft
column might be swung to the New
Yorker The other pr sidential pos
sibilities Fairbanks, Cannon, Knox,
Corteyou, Shaw and La Toilette
are also jubilant at the active en-
trance of Hughes into the race, be-
lieying that, with Hughes and Taft
lined up in almost equal battle. any
one of the possibilities might be
agreed upon as a compromise cam
didatc.
Few Of the leaders in the house
or senate will openly discuss the
presidential situation, but a few
have offered opinions as to the eff
feet that the entrance Of Hughes into
the lists will have upon the other
candidates Among those was Sena-
tor Platt the aged solon Of the En-
pire state, who referred 10 Hughes
as the pig in the poke" and de-
clared that he would be wholly un-
able TO land the New York delrg
ton.
Governor Hughes position on the
presidential nomination. like his po-
sition on everything else. is evasive
and vague declared Plat. New
York state is not going to offer a
cross examiner for president of the
United States as her 'favorite son.
Before Governor Hughes can hope to
ct the New York delegation to the
Republican national convention, he
will have to submit to thorough
crosse examination himself as TO
where he stands on the national is
sues Of the campaign"
Senators Dick and Foraker Of
Ohio are jubilant at the announce
ment of Hughes as a presidential
candidate. In regard to Hughes.
Senator Dick said
"The Hughes candidacy viii add
excitement and interest to the race
for the Republican nomination u
means that New York will send am
ani-Taft delegation to the conven-
ton. From reports ] have received
from the west Hughes is rapidly
becoming popular in that section Of
the country and will give Taft a close
race for some Of the western state
delegations.