The Washington herald., 1916-06-04
Hughes Retains the Lead.

Reports from Chicago tell that almost at the
eleventh hour the support which certain big busi-
mess interests are giving to Col. Roosevclts S
Presidential aspirations is being seriously consd-
erred, and that there is growing impression that
it will handicap him in his struggle for the Re-
publican nomination. The Coloners denunciation
Iof predatory wealth" when he was running
iamuck" in 1912 is quite fresh in mind and it is
now regarded surprising that the Gary dinner
several months ago, at which he was the central
figure, has not been used against him with
lgreater effect. The appearance of full page ad-
Ivertisements in the newspapers cxtong his vir
tues, signed by Clifford Pinchot, has served to
vive interest and speculation in the moneycd in
ItereSts behind Col Roosevelt, and in Chicago
They are asking how, since he regards himself
SO we'll qualified for the nomination, he can con-
Isstently oppose others with similar though not
Identical affiliations 1t is recognized, of course,
that no ordinary rules apply to the Colonel, who
las a statesman is in a class by himself. He is
conceded the right to a variety of poses and is
lcxpected to please in all of them; he is the nat
iural foe of consistency
There is every indication, however, that the
Iconvention will devote itself calmly and delber-
lately to the task of selecting the candidate with
ithc best prospects of winning, and that Col
Rooscvelt's weak points will be subjected to a
lmorc critical examination than at any time in
his career. AS the nominating day approaches
ut becomes more and more apparent that the
choice lies between Col Roosevelt and Justice
Hughes, with the possibility that they may kill
each other of and make way for dark horse.
Hence the talkatve Colcnels winning abl-
Iity is to be scrupulousy weighed against that Of
the silent Justice Hughes, and it may be de-
pended upon factor will be overlooked in the
analysis. Should their policies and principles be
found equally satisfactory-if such a possibility
may be considered in the case of two such widely
different characters-and the question of their af
hIIatlons should come up for inquiry it will be for
lthe purpose of determining whether the Gary
dinner candidate or the with the record in
Ithe life insurance investigation and reforms is
the more likely to win support at the polls.
Conceding that the convention will be actu-
lated only by determination to select the man
with the most convincing appeals to the voters
the conclusion be avoi1cd that Justice
Hughes will have the advantage. Never was
there stronger evidences Of a spontaneous de-
mand for man for President coming directly
from the people. The demand from the very be-
ginning has resisted a Ccasecss effort to repress
lit, even the part OF Justice Hughes himself;
and today it is a surprising fact that, without a
islnglc representative in the field to urge his
Iclalms he is recognized all sides as the leading
candidate. In behalf OF other candidates. includ-
ing Roosevelt, large sums of money have been
spent and endless effort to secure publicity, and
yet not one Of them ha, been able to get abreast
Iof Hughes in the running. The candidate who cx-
poets the convention to sacrifice such valuable
Eassct as the popular confidence in and stcadfas
demand for Justice Hughes is optimistic, if not
Ipresumptuous.
The convention will proceed with the work of
selecting a candidate fully assured that Col
Roosevelt will support its choice. No other pos
sibe course is open to him. 1t is possible to
conceive of hopeless deadlock between the sup
lPorters OF Roosevelt and Hughes that may lead
ito the nomination Of Knox, Mccall, Burton or
Fairbanks, but deadlock appears to be their one
chance. COL Roosevelt cannot place an obstacle
I'm the way OF the election Of any ono of them
But, all things considered, almost on the eve
OF the convention, it appears that Justice Hughes
will be the nominee OF the Republican party and
that he will accept.