The Washington herald., 1916-05-24
The Situation IN the G. O. P.

A"S NAsu0tiVh NAC os We
! A comprehensive survey of the preconvention
situation in the Republican party appeared yes
terday in the New York Times. The article,
which tends to confirm The Heralds interpreta-
ton of recent events, follows:
From now and until the opening gavel falls
at the Chicago convention the combined ener-
gies of the Old Guard leaders in the Republican
Organization will be directed toward obtaining
second choice pledges IN favor of Elihu Root
from delegates committed to favorte sons who
will be eliminated after the first or second ballot.
This is piece of Old Guard strategy in con-
nection with the concerted movement to prevent
Justice Charles E. Hughes from getting the
nomination.
After carefully looking the field over the lead
|ers have determined that Mr.. Root has more
strength as a vote-getter than any other candi-
date in the field acceptable to them. They are
equally opposed to Colonel Theodore Roosevelt
and Justice Hughes, and there is a division Of
sentiment among them which is causing some
apprehension as to who would be the least OBJ
IJechonable from their point of view if they
should be confronted with the necessity OF ac-
ceptng one or the other of the two.
The concentration OF Old Guard forces in
favor OF Mr.. Root will leave the small army Of
race berett of every prospect OF landing any
thng better than second place, which is likely
10 come 10 one OF their number after judiciOus
1t was predicted yesterday that the present
wees would see drives not altogether unre-
lated; on, the part Of the Old Guard forces on
one hand and the Roosevelt supporters on the
other for the elimination Of Justice Hughes
" nile the rank and file of the Progressive party
IN IN many sections OF the country reported
! to entertain the most friendly sentiments toward
! the justice and are desirous of seeing him
dominated by the Republicans with Bull Moose
support IN case, as now, seems likely Colonel
| and he
w. ierklnS and majority OF the leaders in
| the inner councils OF the Progressive organiza-
ton are far from friendly to Mr. Hughes. In
ttact, some Of the Republican leaders who have
been sounding Bull Moose sentiment feel con
Vnced that almost any candidate the Republi-
| cans could nominate would be more acceptabIe
ItQ the Progressive leaders than would Justice
| Hughes
From Bull Moose quarters it was reported
Yesterday that the Progressive convention un-
Ider no CIRCUMSTANCES would indorsc the nomi-
nation OF Justice Hughes unless he came out in
ladvance and stated his views on Anlericanisrn
preparedness and other issues which will loom
position Of Justice Hughes would render such
action on his part impossible the report led to
the inference that the Progressives were not
0yerenthuslastc over the candidacy of Justice
Hughes, even as second choice.
| Colonel Roosevelt himself, it is understood,
! will insist upon Justice Hughes declaring him
! self, especially on Americanism and prepared
ness, before he gives him his support While
friends OF Justice Hughes declare that he is
sound on those issues. Colonel Roosevelt is
known to entertain doubts. To an out-of-town
! caller he expressed the opinion recently that
lTshce hughes was too much like President
bil. Tls9n TO m4ke very general appeal to red
While the attitude of Justice Hughes has
made every organized effort looking to his noni-
nation on the part Of his friends impossible, a
! lot Of unOrganized work has been in progress for
| weeks. here have been informal exchanges Of
IoP1nlons between Hughes supporters in this State
@I,d 2dm11Grs OF the justice in the Middle West
AC ~
| MS nomination predict a great deal more CO.
hcsion among the Hughes delegates than those
IoPposed to his nomination are looking for Most
! lot these exchanges have been through letters,
and OF these there has been an endless chain
reaching out, all over the country.
one Hughes man said yesterday that in
case the nomination OF Justice Hughes should
| be found impossible there would be a concerted
move by a majority OF the delegates committed
to him to block any attempt looking to the
nomination OF a "standpatter" In connection
! with this it was intimated that with Hughes out
| OF the hight the Republican National Convention
might md itself with very robust Roosevelt
! OF the Hughes delegates from the West would
unite on the Colonel as their second choice
In this the Hughes supporters from the West
would not be joined by any considerable proper
| ton OF the delegates from this State who are
committed to Justice Hughes From Gov.
! Whitman all down the line the New York dele
hostile to the Colonel With Justice Hughes
out, it is more than likely that they would
transfer their allegiance TO Mr. Root
- Republican State Chairman Frederick c.
Tanner said yesterday that in his opinion Jus
tice Hughes would be nominated.
"The result in the Oregon primaries where
! Justice Hughes name was on the ballot and
| where without any effort in his behalf and
without any organization he polIed more votes
than two OF the other candidate who had con-
! Quoted an active campaign in the State fur
nishes an indication of his strength" said Mr.
| Tanner "Thc Oregon RCDubIiCans in nv oDir-
ion voiced the sentiment of Rer1bIicans
| throughout the country"
Fire Losses.