New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-07
HUGHES FORCES
PUZZLE GUARD
Plans to Wait Several
Ballots Before Max
ing Choice.
fy,om . s,.r Correspondent, Of The rnsunel

Chicago. June 6.-Justice Charles ~.
Hughes held his lead to-day. Ex-Sepa-
tor El!hu Root was a bad second, but
with hi, friends working hard. All the
favorite sons are in the ruck and are
not looked upon as having a chance OF
winning unless Hughes or Root drop
ont OF the contest. Colonel Roosevelt
IA no longer considered by the "allies.'
This Is the way leading members OF
the "old guard" size up the complex
situation on the eve OF the most I'M
nortant convention in the history Of the
Republican party 1t Is the same oAu
guard" which in days gone by wer'
wont 20 select candidates In q COM
Portable room in the Congress Hotel
They want to go through the same per-
formance this year, but the candidacy
Of the justice has interfered with
their plans.
The "allies" don't know how strong
the boom for Hughes is or how many
delegates il has back Of IL If trey did
thew would know how to handle It. As
It is all they can do is to fight 1t Wi'h
the candidacy of ex-senator Root ana
this is proving no easy task CONFER
o,cos nv the score were held by the
various members Of the "allies" to-day
but no definite solution OF tho hugheS
candidacy was arrived at.
It now looks as though the "oio
guardsmen" will wait until one or TWO
ballots have been taken SO that the
strength OF the Hughes candidacy can
be ascertained. After that there VIII
he a get-together and every ehor' maze
TO concentrate on some one aeeepIaoie
to all hands.
Root Men Still Optimistic.
Tho Root men continued their drive
against the Hughes candidacy to-day
hut were not as optimistic tonight as
becomes the friends of winning can
III we could only get Pennsylvania, y
one of them said to-day, I'VE could
make a bully good showing with the
Jersey and New England
Senator James Wadsworth, Jr, the
leader OF the Root campaign, shared
this opinion to-day.
"The contest is between Hughes and
Root" he said, "with ex-senator Root
gaining steadily. There Is no doubt
about the strength Of the Hughes sem
timent. but we expect TO overcome 1t
when we get TO making nominations.
I don't believe that Colonel Roosevelt
can be named"
Senator Boies Penrose, Of PeLnsyl-
vania. however. continues to be the
most sought after of the "old guards
men" He showed his control Of his
delegation to-day by being elected
unanimously as chairman and also as q
member Of the national committee, and
il certain kind Of wire pulling ana
log rolling that is now going on Is sue
cessful he will be able 20 deliver az
least seventy out of the seyenty-six
Pennsylvania delegates TO any candi-
date he chooses after the first ballot.
Penrose Sees No Choice.
In an impromptu speech 10 the Penn,
sylvania delegates Senator Penrose sara
there was no evidence as 70 who Will De
nominated by the convention. 30 far as
he was concerned, he said, he would
cast his vote for any one majority
can be brought 20 agree upon.
There is no factionalism here IN the
usual sense of the word, no obnoxious
effort is being made TO coerce the cam
didscy Of any one" said Mr.. Penrosse
There is no evidence to-day as TO VINO
will be nominated. Discussion IS the
predominating element of this occasion.
There have been previous occasions
when the candidacy of some one man
was a foregone conclusion. This is not
such an occasion. 80,
"The nomination for PRESIDENT VIII
not no made in the course Of parlia-
mentary procedure until late on Satur-
dsv of this week. and the delegates as
sembled should have full opportunity
for interchange Of thought and discus,
sion. I have frequently said rat /
cana here with an open mind, free from
nar.iaiitv and nreiudice, and so far as