The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-11-09
HUGHES Being
GRO0MEO FOR
THE PRESIDENCY
Conservative Leaders Are
Turning to Him as Prob
able Solution
BOOM IS BEING QUIETLY
WORKED BY ITS PROMOTERS
Claim Is Mad. That Hughes implicitly
Agreed To Keep Out of Taft's Way
When He Accepted Appointment on
the Supreme Bench.
fRy Judson G. welliver.)


Washington. Nov. 9--Big, potent, sf-
lent influences within the Republican
party are organizing a movement to
displacc President Taft as the party's 8
presidential candidate and to substi-
tute for him no less person than Su-
prene Justice Charles e. Hughes.
The Hughes proposal is not a boom.
and is not intended to be a boom. 1t
is being kept just as quiet as possible.
New York than anywhere else, yet 1t
gets no publicity in New York. In
New England it is recognized as we'll
developed propaganda, yet the public
prints know 1t not.
In political centers in the middle
west it is talked, but quietly and un-
der the rose. The time is not come
to give it notoriety. That time may
never come, but the people operating
the scene shifting devices believe they
will be able before many months to
turn the calcium suddenly on the CEN
ter Of the stage and reveal a new fig
ure there.
Wilson spoils Old Plan
Fearing that Taft cannot be elected
II nominated and that Wilson's nomi-
nation cannot be prevented, the con-
servative interests in politics which in
general are nonpartisan. are casting
duouS lOT d IucduS u ScCuTe COulTOI
through the nomination Of different
Republican.
A year ago the conservative plan
was to let Taft be nominated and then
be defeated by Harmon. That plan
has been spoiled by the rise Of Will
son. wilson is regarded by the old
line Republicans and the Parker sort
Of Democrats as no better than Bryan.
So it has become necessary to trans
oil hao IN MI
can party in the hope of displacing
Taft by some man whom it will be safe
to support as against Wilson.
Hughes, all things considered, has
appealed as the man most likely to
win at both convention and polls. 1t
is calculated that Taft is now 30 far
broken down under the assaults of
the progressive Repuhlicans, that Il a
serious schism should develop TN the
east he would soon be forced out of
serious consideration. And Hughes IL
the man now being tried out in the
larger political considerations of
strategy and tactics.
Would Hughes Consent?
Can Justice Hughes be induced to
permit the use Of his name? That is
the big question at the moment. The
people who are engineering the deal
for him don't care; they would not
over their plan and feel secure in
conviction that no man is going to
refuse his party's nomination for
president.
There Is, however, a disturbing re-
port that when Mr.. Justice Hughes
was named for the supreme bench,
he. In substance, pledged himself not
to interfere with the future Of Taft.
The story-and it is related on such
is entertained that it will not be de-
nied-that when Mr.. Hughes was
rendered the judicial post he now
holds. it was through a letter which
in substance said:
Having heard that you intend to
withdraw entirely from political ac-
tivities, the president would be
pleased to know whether a tender of
a position on the supreme bench,"-
ETC., etc.
Talk of Implied Pledge
That, it is declared by people who
assume to have learned the substan-
tial contents Of the letter, amounted
to commitment of Mr.. Hughes to
keep out of politics. Accepting the
proffer on that condition. Mr.. Hughes
1t is maintained, is now estopped. in
honor, from violating the implied
pldege to Withdraw entirely from
political activities
Whether this story is an accurate
presentation OF the condition, It is
known that this view has given the
Hughes supporters some worry. What
they want Is to get a man to the front
of the Republican stage in time to
from Taft. They want. moreover, a
man who can hold on to some OF the
progressive strength and Hughes, after
careful canvass, has been decided upon
as the one man qualified for that task
From New York comes the circum-
stantial story that Sherman is to be
pushed out as candidate for that
states support. The organization there
thinks 1t can handle the situation for
the time being and at the right mo-
ment switch to Hughes. Sherman. II
is realized would not be a good man
to nominate or to invest with the New
York support
But he is a good mask for the
Hughes movement. He can be kept in
long enough to organize the desired
situation; then Hughes can be sprung
in such manner as will make the presi.
Dental lure look good enough to keep
aim from kicking over the whole pail
OF milk by fiat and unqualified re-
fusal.
There is the whole plan. It is based
OF the twin axiolns Of Republican reg
ularity that Taft can't be elected q
and "I,aFoliette must not be nominat-
ed" There Is no effort among the
LaFoilcttc people to deny that the
Hughes development worries them.
They ind II in New England, in Jersey
And all over the east. That would
not be so grievous standing alone, for
I1aTol!ette has small chance of secur-
ing much strength In this region III
= his own right. The trouble with
Hughes IL that he also IL strong In the
middle west. and even In the far west.
He looks good to 8 lot Of people who
have been following LaFollette. Cum
Minis. Bristow and the rest OF the
western progressives. That is the very
thiEg that makes him available for the
purpose Of the peopio who are nov