New-York tribune., 1908-01-21
PARSONS MEN WEAKEN.
Nozo Propose to Indorse Hughes as
First Choice, Taft Second.

| The friends OF President Parsons in the Ke-
publican County Committee discussing seri-
! ously the advsability Of passing a resolution al
| the next meeting Of the committee. on tepruary
| 60 indorsing Governor Hughes as the first choice
of the committee for President and Secretary
! Taft as its second choice.
| Whether President Parsons has suggested
such a course or whether the district leaders
| themselves have discovered that the Hughes
sentiment is strong to be safely combateo
is not disclosed. Certain It is that some of the
| district leaders who talked and voted against
the immediate passage of a Hughes resolution
| on Thursday night now are talking about giving
| an Endorsement to the Governor and coupling
with II a declaration that Secretary Taft Will
| do if thew cannot have the Governor as Presi-
Dental candidate.
It is no secret among the Parsons men that
REPRESENTATIVE Parsons is great admirer or
Secretary Taft and that he thinks he VIII be
nominated and elected Parsons followers gen.
orally hold to the view that It VIII be well 10
stand in" with the Taft That is what
caused them TO take a stand against the Gov
ernor. At the same time the spring primaries
will soon be here, and the district leaders want
TO get along without incurring extra expense If
there is going to be a fight for delegates III
every Assembly district it means that the dis
trict leaders will have TO raise a lot of money
to be spent by the election district captains
Money for politics is hard TO raise these days
Paying the annual dues at the last meeting OF
the county committee gave some Of the district
leaders, who had to pay for captains under
them a severe wrench. If they can straddle the
Hughes proposition and save their dollars they
will be able 10 face the spring primaries with
the same courageous spirit which an election
district captain maintains in fair, political
weather.
The Parsons men are not vecrng around 10
Hughes because they have suffered a change or
heart Among themselves. leaving their leader
out of the question. they think that they have
rendered the Taft cause valuable service. and
that it will be remembered II the Secretary is
nominated and ELECTED. On the other hand, they
profess to believe that they have come pretty
near chloroformng the Hughes boom, and that
If they give it a belated boost at the February
meeting OF the county committee it is not going
TO count for much.
Undoubtedly the fighting front put on by the
Hughes men has made the Taft men less certain
OF holding a margin against the Governor in
the county committee The Republican Club is
at last doing practical work for the Governor,
and is the newly organized Hughes State
League Ex- Senator Bracket, of Saratoga, will
make speech for the Governor at a meeting at
the Hotel Manhattan tomorrow night. and from
all around the state come announcements Of
things doing by the Hughes boomers.
As a matter of state pride the friends OF
President Parsons would Ike to give Governor
Hughes a complimentary vote at the national
convention. This natural desire, coupled with
the fact that II may be expedient TO give ground.
probably will result at the next meeting OF the
county committee in an Endorsement of Hughes
as first choice and Secretary Taft as second
choice for President.