New-York tribune., 1908-08-28
PARSONS AND HUGHES
MAY BE CHANGE OF MIND.
County President Nozo Wants to Put
1t "UD to the People,.

Republican leaders who are opposed to the re-
nomination of Governor Hughes are secretly plan
ming to defeat his denomination, if they can do so
without appearing to have that end acconphsheu
satisfy their desires
In spite of the positive statement made by Repre-
sentative Sherman, candidate for Vice-President'
after his visit the President with Chalriihi
Hitchcock of the national committee that IL was
the consensus of opinion that Governor Hushes
should be renominated in spite of the fact thaI
the local leaders were allowed to get the impress
sion that the question had been settled. ana tha'
President Parsons of the County Committee inaue
public statement to the contrary-ln spite oI ii
this 1t is understood that he is now seriously con-
siderng how it will be possible TO show that the
people do not desire the denomination OF the "oV-
President Parsons has apparently changed his
mind and instead OF accepting the advice OF tne
national leaders and bowling to the widespread SEN
timent expressed for the Governors renornlnatloh
among the Republicans who do not belong to the
strict organization class he has determined to put
the responsibility the people
President Parsons has constantly refused to dis
cuss the situation for publication or give any hint
of his attitude. Those who close to him. how
ever express the conviction that he now desires IN
some way to make it appear that the people do
not want the Governor renorninated This might
be done in a variety of ways. So far as present
indications GO there will not be Hughes issue at
the primaries week from Tuesday. Where there
IN each case. If there are not separate tickets IN
each district, with the distinct understanding OF all
the voters that one represents sentiment 1'r inc
denomination of Hughes and that the other will re-
suit in the election of antiHughes delegates 10 the
convention it would be futile to say that the pr-
marfes settled the preferences of the enrolled ne
publicans one way or the other. Even should the
friends of the Governor decide to put up Hu8hes
primary ticket at this late day, it would not be
possible such ticket to win against the regu-
lar ticket a campaign of week
But It Is possible that resolutions 1ndorslng ths
denomination of the Governor could be introduced
in the conventions the election of delegates TO
the state convention. 1t could be argued py the
leaders that to pass such resolutions would be uh-
necessary and against the policy of the organiza-
ton. The resolutions could be defeated and IL
might then be said that this was expression OF
opinion unfavorable to the denomination of the
Governor The responsibility for opposing the re-
nomination OF the Governor would be shifted from
the leaders to the delegates.
The day that the conference at Oyster Bay was
held President Parsons William l. Ward. OF
Westchester. and other state leaders were OF the
opinion the question had been settled and that
it would be for the best interests of the party to
renominate the Governor. Since then the opposi-
tion to the Governor has been working. Chairman
Woodruff of the state committee. who was IN the
Adirondacks at the time of the Oyster Bay con-
ference is said to have expressed great chagrin
that the impression got abroad that the question
had been settled. He has stUdousy avoided COM
ing New York until he had chance OF con-
ferring with some of the upstate leaders
To-day Chairman Woodruff and the members OF
the executive committee OF the state committee
meet in the Republican Club. The ostensble object
IS TO settle some minor matters of reapportionment
but IT is known that the Hughes situation VIII be
the bone Of contention Most of the members OF
the committee opposed to the Governor per-
sonaIly but convinced his denomination
is the only policy To pursue IL is expected
that a sharp difference of opinion Will develop
There a report last night that some anti
Hughes member of the committee would intro
duce Il resolution calling upon Governor Hughes
to withdraw candidate for denomination But
tho report could be traced to any authentic
source