New-York tribune., 1911-01-21
"OLD GUARD" MAY MAKE
BARNES STATE CHAIRMAN
wadsworth Has Been Asked to
ACCEPT, but Albany Leader May
Be Chosen if He Declines.
AWAIT WORD FROM ABROAD
progressives Willing to Join in
Choosing Former Speaker-In
Control of Committee, Says
Friend of Barnes.


Friend of Barnes.
uerlbers OF the Republican State Com
r,,,ta who are 10 meet at noon TO-DAY
70 receive the resignation of Ezra P
prentice as chairman and 10 elect a
successor. were waiting last night TO get
cable message from James w Wads-
north. jr., former Speaker Of the AS
.smbly. He has been asked to take the
MACE. and if he consents will undoubt-
.5,y be chosen. as he is not only accept
sb'e 10 tho members Of the "old guard"
srt also 10 a majority Of the progress
sives
Il there is no word from Mr.. Wads-
yo-th it is rot altogether unlikely that
William Barnes. irr will be nominated
~ his friends who would like to have
rim elected 10 vindiCate the "old guard"
tor the defeat IL suffered at the Saratoga
state convention.
we are I'm control Of the committee"
said one Of the members of the "old
Guard" and can elect Mr.. Barnes If
Ss will consent 70 run He has made a
canvass Of the situation and knows Just
where We stand. We understand that
How'd C. Griscom, the leader of the indie
ps7dents has been working, too but ap-
rs-sn,Iy his work has been ineffective,
ss We understand he has no pro-
ramme.'
is understood that Mr.. Griscom
would be agreeable 10 the choice Of Mr.
wadswor'h but that if any attempt Is
wade 70 rvt up Mr.. Barnes there will
b fight
Congressman Cocks brought word
straight from Theodore Roosevelt yes
,.-dsv afternoon that ho must he counted
OF. and that he did not purpose TO make
sry suggosuons. The Congressman also
hai similar word from President Taft,
the sane as that received by other mem
hers of the committee in Washington on
-h1rsdsy
Barnes ana Friends Active.
Mr Barnes and his friends have been
extremely active since Thursday night
vlsn he engaged a suite Of rooms on the
seventh floor Of the Hotel Manhattan.
hat night he had a long conference with
Vie. President Sherman. Uho was beaten
Nf the place of temporary chairman Of
es stats convention through the activi-
les Of the Prog-essives. He is under
good 70 be anxious to have Mr.. Barnes
a. in srd take control Of the committee
As'emhlvman r A Merritt, jr., has also
usss ~. Barnes 10 become candidate
fr tha -h8trnsnship
Nr Ba~ros himself would not say last
rsh, 7t8' his attitude was on that ques-
ten f am thinking = over" he said.
lido not know Just what to do. We will
not decide nU oUr programme until to-
norroE morning. or the chance that we
may G., reply u a cable message I
s'nt 10 Mr. Wadsworth three days ago"
has been learned that Mr. Wads-
worth left the steamship Cincinnati at
Gibraltar .n sunday He went from
here 10 Algiers. His cable address is
In Paris. and Mr Barnes thinks that per
haps he has told his agents there to for
ward all messages to Gibraltar to await
bis return.
The Barnes suite In the Manhattan
Hotel rsssmh'cd a headquarters at a
STATE convention yesterday afternoon
and last night Members OF the state
committee We're going in and out all the
tine. With SIR Barnes was Timothy
l. Woodruff. Mr. Prantice's predecessor,
who seemed 20 ne his first assistant in
The campaign.
Among tho others in conference last
night were Francis Hendricks. Of Syra-
eus'. AsSemblvman Merritt. Charles II.
ss'ts Of Lyons Michael J. Dady, Of
b'ook,yn. and several other members
nom Kings County. julius NJ. Mayer,
,nsTmer Attorney General. also saw Mr..
barnes for few minutes.
Dady Stands By Wadsworth
All agreed in saving that the situation
vas far from settled in the absence Of
sme definite word from Mr.. Wadsworth.
shall vote for Mr.. Wadsworth, 80 said
81 Dady There are others probably
VIC Wi' vote for Mr Barnes
This was taken 20 indicate that Mr.
Oady was in favor Of electing Mr.. Wads-
worth whether word was heard from
Im or not. Some Of the members have
suggested that no action be taken to-
morrow AID tGat time be allowed 10 get
.a.o complet. ,0mnunication with Mr.
"adswOHA others argued, however,
ua' il was important 20 have state
"aasr al once and that the work OF
0-Aa!ng ~ the organization could not
y started too soon.
@f Grslym lid not indicate that tho
'ogressNos Lad any candidates. The
weston had no, been settled he said.
u The ,DJr5 of th- day he had con-
'''Nces with Chairman Prentice. Con-
ssSsinan COcss. H. : Johnston. Of Elm
aust; William H. Daniels, of Buffalo.
w Philip Elung Of Kingston.
4ue Progr ssives do not believe Mr.
ao'Aes could force his own election, al
I'osh members Of the "old guard say
t nave a majority Of the members
'W 'hem 1t is said 10 be doubtful,
e'ef' Il Mr Barnes could line up all
- members OF the "old guard" on the
s'suon Of placing the chairmanship in
us own hands.