Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-02-12
Republican Party ROpsIessIy o.
vldad ID The Empire State.
THERE'S NO CHANGE F0a HUGHES
aeheved That the Name Of the Gov.
srnor VIII be withdrawn and tho
vates Given to Tan and Cannon
sollslclans Out.

ALBANY. N. Y. Feb. H.
81 Wnether their Affiliations or synlpa-
lines ARE Roosevelt or anti Roose-
ssYtl' the dominant note In the talk
+ eI Republican leaders who come to
sAipany lorders on despair of saving
iNew York 10 their party In the pres
3 enentials election. SO experienced n
veteran us John >Raincs. leader of the
sglate, gays he has not seen such
threatening condition in the party
fluco the memorable struggle between
sSRlWarta and halfbrods generation
ago,
I'm my part of the state" said SEN
ete tor itaines, THE conservative Dem
+ pcrats have gone bnck to their par
W, Brynn or no Bryan and the rndi-
rNl Republicans are threatening to
leave us II the result OF the national
Z cotf ention in June should even be
faintiy tinctrred with the suspicion
81 victory by the 'renctionarles.'
Senator Percy Hooker, who also
s comes from Western New York. talks
: ~ tho same way. and Speaker Wads-
worth holds similar views In brief
nearly every Republican member Of
che legislature takes gloomy view
OF the outlook for his party In this
STATE neSt November,
lf things continue rs they now
are Bald Senator Ralnes "our chief
depondence for success will have to
ne that the Democrats will play the
role General Grant declared they
h eolid always be relied upon TO play
-that of damn fools ut the right
time"
Tn9t Governor Hughes shares this
feeling Is believed by everybody who
Knows aud understands him best. This
Is the impelling reason, say his
friends. that causes him to maintain
slio rigid an attitude OF impartlalty
Sil'Stween the qnarreling factions In his
party. They say that In his purview
tho Barnes Woodruff crowd are just
rs much factionists as are the Odcll-
Black crowd. Every effor,
thna far has failed to extract from
him one grain OF comfort to either
side. 1t goes without saving that
this course pleases neither faction.
The result Is that, as seen from AL
{ banS. the Hughes movement for Pres
ident is utterly leaderless. Because
Sol this experienced partyshghters like
William Barnes. Jr., think II Is spirit
less.
Mr. Barnes was in Washington
nearly all last week, and has returned
TO Albany more enthusiastic than
ever for Secretary Taft His friends
now say that it is extremely doubtful
whether he will ask to be sent to
Chicago as n delegate. His control of
the Albany district Is complete I'M
IStil his last visit to Washington his
name was included In nearly every
list Of delegates ut large. His indif-
ference is now so pronounced on the
$ question of the personnel of the New
York delegation to Chicago that the
politicians generally infer that II In
dictates plan of the anti Hughes
forces to hold aloof from open partl-
clpation henceforward in the contest
in this state. They are said to be
s sconvincad that the real struggle here
is between the followers OF Secretary
Taft and Speaker Cannon. This view
takes no account whatever OF the
Hughes movement except MS a cover
for the Cannon movement
One Of Mr.. Bamea' lieutenants to-
day described what he said was the
anti Hughes program. The plan he
further asserted Is based on the be-
lief in high quarters at Washington
that the Hughes movement Is n
Joke" According to this program
Governor Hughes or his representa-
tlyes will be permitted-indeed. re-
quired--to name ut the state conven-
ton In New York city about the mid
die of April the four delegates-at-
large to Chicago, and also to write
the instructions. The plan contem-
plates that no politician will 5e one
of the big Four Should this poll
ICY prevail 1t is assumed that Seth
Low will be one of tho quartet
The plan further contemplates that
of the seventyfour district delegates
nifty OF them will be for Taft and
twenty for Cannon after Governor
Hughes name has been withdrawn.
The Instructions of the state conven-
ton will In this program be binding