New-York tribune., 1916-07-25
N. Y. State Committee To
Be CanvaSSed to Show
Sentiment for Nominee.
OPPONENTS TO NAME
SEABURY COMMITTEE
Whitman Must Enter Progress.
Sive Primaries if Democrat
Does, Says Johnson.

The Hughes wing of the Progressive
party in New York State is getting
ready to turn the tables on the anti
Hughes element. A letter is being pre-
pared which will be sent to the mem
bers of the state committee, and which,
1T is expected, will secure proof be-
yond shadow of doubt that more than
100 of the $50 men on this committee
are for Hughes for President
1t is the intention to send this letter
out tomorrow, and until the replies
are received the leaders Of the Hughes
wing will not talk extensively for pub
lication. They insist that they had
enough votes Saturday to have in
dorsed Hughes for President but for
the trough house tactics of the anti
Hughes men, and that they controlled
enough votes to have prevented any
state ticket Endorsements.
The anti-Hughes element is also ac-
tive. Men at the New York County
headquarters statn1 today it was their
belief that regardless of what the New
York State Democrats do, the Progress
sives will vote on the name of Justice
Seabury for Governor in the Septem-
Der primaries. A special committee
will be formed to handle this work.
Whitman May Enter Moose Primary.
w. Fl. Hotchkiss, who led the Hughes
Endorsement fight Saturday at SYRIA
cuse, gave it as his opinion that Gov
ernor Whitman would have to enter
the Progressive primaries.
Walter Johnson, chairman of the
state committee, remarked "lf a Demo-
crat enters the Progressive primaries
for Governor, then certainly a Repub-
lican (meaning Whitman should"
Mr.. Johnson, when asked about re-
port that he had said he would call an
other meeting Of the state committee
"as soon as the leaders have had time
TO cool off after the Syracuse meeting"
emphatically denied having made such
a statement. what | said" Mr.. john
son added, twas that there will not
likely be another meeting Of the state
committee soon. There is no occasion
for it, The leaders from over the
state and the committee members are
coming in from time to time, as they
always have; the sentiment OF these
various men is being gathered, and all
are quietly but effectively going about
the business of getting votes for their
Presidential candidate.
"But," said Mr.. Johnson, "if another
meeting of the state committee Is
called action will likely be taken"
Says Perkins Men Drifted Away.
Bainbridge Colby said yesterday that
before the meeting was called 10 order
at Syracuse on Saturday the Perkins
element did have a healthy lot of votes.
But" he added, "it was just like Sc
lecting neckties, for as fast as tho
members were told the actual situa-
ton they came over to US without
reservation. In the morning the Per
kins people were naughty, at noon they
were civil, by evening they were so
licitous, and by night they had fed
the town" He gave it as his opinion
that President Wilson would get 90
per cent of the Progressive vote.
To offset this, Mr.. Hotchkiss tells
Of the postal card canvass of Progress
sives made last week, in which 70 per
cent of the returns showed for Hughes,
with 27 per cent scattering.
The Hughes supporters say that the
national meeting OF Progressives, which
has been called for Chicago, August D,
will be but little more than me
mortal service And on this point the
anti-Hughes Progressives are inclined
to agree with them.