The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-03
HILLES FINDS ROOT
HAS Big FOLLOWING
g. o. p. Chairman Says 50 Of
50 Committeeman Will Be
at Meeting Dec. IL.
HAWAII ASKS CONVENTION

Charles n. Hilles. chairman Of the
Republican National Committee. said
Yesterday that fifty OF the ffty-three
members of the committee will attend
the meeting in Washington on December
IA. at which the time place for hold
Ing the Republican national convention
Of 1916 will be determined.
Mr.. Hilles has talked with every MEM
Der Of the committee during the last few
weeks and has been getting expressions
OF sentiment from them not only with
respect to where the convention should
be held but also as to the chances OF
any one Of a dozen available candidates
to head the Presidential ticket.
The committeeman report that one
doesn't have to look hard to find persons
who favor any OF the men who have
been mentioned. to say nothing Of those
who are vowed and active candidates.
Many Of them think Supreme Court jus
tice Hughes would be the strongest cam
didate In a contest with President Will
son, but they are inclined to believe that
his action In the Nebraska matter will
convince many OF his supporters that 1t
Is useless to try TO get him to run.
Contrary to a notion that a gone
abroad. 1t has been reported To Mr..
Hillcs hat f:lfhu Root has a large fol-
lowing In the Western States. The de-
feat Of the new constitution for this
State, which he fathered. is held not to
be conclusive as to the opinion which the
voters hold Of Mr.. Roots abilities or his
fitness for the Presidential Office, and the
oft repeated declaration that he would
be a poor vote getter II not taken too
seriously. Whil. Senator Roo main
tains silence, his friends are pointing
out that the real causes OF his retirement
from the Senate have now been wiped
out by the European war.
Although the opinion Of many who
look at the surface Of things Is that
Senator Root declined to he "a candidate
for reelection because he feared the vote
of the people Of his state. his friends
are saying that his real reason was that
he wished to devote the rest OF his life
10 large plans pertaining To interna-
tional arbitration. Another reason said
to have had weight with him was that
he was IA member of the minority at
Washington and 40 Unable TO md FIX
for his unquestioned abilities.
particularly in the field OF foreign rela-
tions.
WI hNp'' = SolB' h''' ~ ~ F"s w
his plans for arbitration of inter-
difficulties have been knocked
sky high by the European war, hut that
the settlement of that conflict will in
evitably draw the President Of the
States into the larger problems
If foreign relations. They think Mr..
Root would Ike that kind " job. From
the reports made to Mr.. Hilles. that is
why they want him to he a candidate for
the Presidency.
As to the place where the convention
should be held. many Of the committee
men have been pledged to certain cities.
st. Louis. San Francisco and
Philadelphia. Charles A. Rice, the COM !
from Hawaii. has put in "A ,
bid for Honolulu. Hawaii wants state
hood, and thinks a Republican national
convention would help.
The Republican National Committee
also reapportion delegates to the
national convention In accordance with
he rules adopted AT the 1913 meeting
md since then approved by State con-
ventions throughout the country. Under
he new rules the number Of delegates
will be reduced to e!ghty-nine.