Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-18
HUGHES AND HIS ALLIES.
Hot Gossip About Control Of Dele
CATION to Chicago.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. February 1s.-At repubn-
can state and county headquarters in the
amen corner at the Holland House, the
Waldorf-Astoria and wherever local or
state republicans gather they are talk
ing-in whispers. as yet. but they are talk
ing-to the effect that the delegation from
this state to the national convention ~
not. after all. likely to he instructed for
Gov Hughes for President. and that
there is only a remote probability that
his name will be presented TO the con-
vention candidate for the nomina-
ton for President.
There are well-informed republicans who
say out loud that Gov. Hughes cannot
control solid delegation from the state.
and that. with his own state divided. he
could not poll 80 votes in the convention.
Nearly 800 votes will be necessary 10
nominate. Very few well INFORMED repub-
licans i'm the city or state hesitate 10
say openly that the shadow of the big
stick is over the party I'm New York.
B. Il. Odell. jr.. former governor and
state chairman. who is working hard 10
regain control OF the state organization.
has friends and agents in every assembly
district reporting To him privately on
conditions. Some inkling of these reports
has leaked out. and they indicate that All
the power Of federal patronage is used
to prevent the sending of national dele
gates instructed for Hughes. Mr.. Oden
President Roosevelt will be the nominee
of the Chirago convention
Status of Hughes Boom.
No congressional district conventions 10
elect delegates will be held until April.
This is the present status of the Hughes
boom. The New York county committee
has Endorsed he governor for the nomi-
nation for President. coupled with a.
strong endorsement of the Presidents ad-
r,ainistration. \ few upstate county COM
mittees have done the same. These In
dorsements are in no way binding on dis
trict conventions. Kings county. which ia
controlled by State Chairman Woodruff.
has not indorsed the governor and Is not
going 20 do so. A Hughes state league.
so called has been formed by a few orig
nal Hughes boomers. most of whom have
as much influence in the party organiZa-
ton as the SHOWS of yester year. At
time of active preparation for the March
primary State Chairman Woodruff has
gone TO his camp in the Adirondacks for
a stay of two weeks.
So far as known at the various head
quarters. no real organized work TO elect
Hughes delegates is being done anywhe.e
i'm the state. Because the New York
county committee indorsed him his oriei-
nal boomers seem to have taken il for
granted that the state delegation is to be
instructed for him. The practical pol-
ticisns do not believe that the state dele
CATION will be solid for the governor. and
they do not believe that he will be nom
mated. They say that without solid and
enthusiastic delegation from his own
state the governor would have no chance
i'm the national convention.
1t is now a matter of common knowl-
edge in republican circles that federal Of
fee holders all over the state are taking
an extremely active part in the prelim-
mary work of selecting delegates to tn.
national convention. and that the tin
they get from high authority is TO remain
uncommitted on candidates. Should the
federal patronage faction control the state
and district conventions. an uninstructed
delegation to Chicago is expected.