New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-24
State Chairman in Club Grill
room While Diners Upstairs
Call Him Bar to
Progress.
HINMAN SOLE DEFENDER
Message Sent to Hilles Asking
for an Extraordinary Ma.
tional Convention to
Change Plan of
Representation.

Representation.
Some eighty or ninety prominent Re-
publicans of New York State, meeting
at a dinner conference at the Republi-
can Club last night 10 discuss the well
fare of the party. sent a telegram to
Chairman Hilles OF the national COM
mittee, strongly urging the calling OF
an extraordinary national convention
this year to change the rules OF the or
ganization. In regard to the state si'-
uation. the prevailing sentiment was
that William Barnes must go as state
chairman.
Meanwhile Mr.. Barnes sat in the
grill room Of the club and asserted ne
was not interested in the proceedings
upstairs.
The message sent TO Washington
where Chairman Hilles had gone TO at
tend the meeting of the national ex-
ecutive committee gave it as the sense
Of the gathering that the executive
committee should call a meeting OF the
national committee within thirty days.
which should in turn call special
convention 10 provide for proportional
representation at national conventions.
This action was urged first because
Il was right and. second. because IL
was in the best interests of the party.
Attention was called TO the fact that
the delegates from New York to the
national convention of 1905 voted for
the resolution introduced at that time
to change the basis of representation.
Senator Root Sends Message.
Senator Root, who could not be pres
ent. sent a message repeating the state
ment made by him in February in IA
vor OF such action.
message Of similar import will be
sent 10 William Barnes. chairman OF
the state committee. who is opposed TO
the extraordinary convention and has
been working among members Of the
national committee TO prevent any
change.
AS a matter Of fact, IL was the sense
Of the meeting that Mr.. Barnes as
chairman of the state committee. and
the representative Of the state upon
the national committee. was misrepre-
senting the real sentiment of the Re-
publicans here There was consider
able difference of opinion as TO just
how the retirement of Mr.. Barnes could
be brought about. II was decided 70
name a committee, representing the
various parts OF the state TO make
effective the sentiments expressed by
this conference" This means that the
committee will have the task Of con-
sidering how 10 get rid Of Mr.. Barnes
in the most painless and expeditions
manner.
Those present last night were the
guests of Henry l. Stimson, former
Senator Harvey D. Hinman, George ].
Smith. former treasurer OF the state
committee; Congressman William L.
Calder. of Kings County; Frederick c.
Stevens, who was Superintendent OF
Public Works under Governor Hughes.
and Herbert Parsons, who have started
the movement 10 set the Republican
party right before the public. Each
one OF these men presided at one OF the
nine small tables. seating eight each.
Job +. Hedges and two others presided
at the other tables
Mr.. Stmson started the discussion.
He said the conference had been called
because of the desire Of the great ma
jority OF the members Of the party to
have the party move forward along
progressive lines and TO show TO the
public in general that the prevailing
sentiment in the party was along lib
eral and progressive lines. He wanted
TO hear the views Of the other leaders
and IT was intended to let the people
Of the state know that the progressive
members Of the party would be domi-
nant in the organization.
Mr.. Stimson was followed by Herbert
Parsons. Francis Hendricks, OF Syra-
cuse; Senator Elon r. Brown, Of Wat
ertown; Senator Seth G.. Heacock. for
mer Senator Hinman, of Broome; AS
semblyman Harold J. Hinman. Of AL
bany: Congressman Charles l.. Hamil-
ton. of Chautauqua; Job f. Hedges.
A. f. Vass, OF Brooklyn; Judge A. T.
Clearwater, of Kingston, and num-
ber Of others. 1t was long after mid
night before the gathering broke UP.
Parsons Points Out Defect.
Mr.. Parsons said the trouble with the
party was that while the members
were progressive the organization had
not followed the progressive ideas Of
it's members. He said that IL should
be made clear that the party stood for
liberal ideas.
While 1t was not intended 10 make
the conference in any way personal
attack upon Mr.. Barnes. yet it was
the sentiment of every speaker, with
the exception Of Assemblyman Hin
man, who represents the Barnes dis
trict, that the leadership Of Mr.. Barnes
was what was keeping the party from
progressing. and that the only way to
bring the organization in touch with
the people was TO secure the retire.