New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-08
HUGHES SL0WEST
TO ACCEPT NEWS
Not Until Democrats Sur
render Does He Claim
Victory


1:l5 o'clock this morning. He then
closed up his personal headquarters,
slenced the telegraph instruments over
which he had been receiving returns
and left instructions that he was not
TO be disturbed, no matter what news
belated dispatches contained.
Mr.. Hughes expected to get up at 7
o'clock this morning to receive further
reports. He declined to make any com
ment on the reports received up to bed
time.
The successful candidate was per-
haps the slowest man in New York
last night to accept the news flashed
against the sky by the searchlights. To
hundreds Of thousands in the streets
the stesdfast shafts meant fnality
beyond appeal-the unquestionable
passing Of the pride that would not
fight.
Hughes In No Hurry
But the man they cheered was in no
hurry 20 relinquish his private citizen
ship for the honors of the Presidency
elect Brass bands might 6erenade
him, friends dance and sing in jubi-
lation outside his door; kilograms
might come in showers bringing the
congratulations of followers and we'll
wishers throughout the country, and
the mighty shouting of his name might
crack the long-suffering welkin. Still
there was something more required to
spell victory-the official surrender Of
the Democratic leaders.
Until that was forthcoming Mr..
Hughes declined to be anything more
than an interested observer of the ma
tional returns. High up in the Hotel
Aston, with his wife and children and
grandchildren about him, he calmly
waited the moment when President
Wilson's campaign managers should
admit defeat.
In the corridors Of the eighth floor
of the hotel, which was given over en-
tirely TO the Hughes party, reporters
were clamoring for a statement. A
dozen times the word was sent out:
"Not yet. Wait. Not until no doubt
remains"
Less impatient than the reporters and
infinitely less elated than those who
relayed to him the returns appeared
the man who was to win or lose in the
next few hours the highest award in
the gift of the nation. The judicial
temperament-lately target for Demo-
cratic stump speakers-was vindicat-
ing itself.
Able to Woo Sleep
Temperament it was, undoubtedly,
that enabled Mr.. Hughes to pass I'M
ruffled through the trying day. In the
afternoon. quietly settling himself down
to rest while the city about him was a
tremble in the grip of its quadrennial
political ague, he had to WOO sleep only
a moment before it came.
Waking, Mr.. Hughes took his place
at the head of the family table, in his
suite far back on the Forty-ffth Street
side of the hotel. Through the win
dows an electric sign, blocks away, but
built up high over intervening roofs,
kept flashing returns between and with
courses.
Compared with the returns that
came from the Western Union and
Postal telegraph wires in the next room
and from the big news agencies, 1t was
an incomplete and hopelessly inadequate
service the twinkling sign offered. But
nine-year-old Elizabeth Hughes, the
candidates youngest daughter, saw
that the bulletins flashed on the sign
got their share of attention. A small
town in Connecticut gave her father q
plurality, and straightaway she claimed
for him the whole state. few scat
tered districts in New York City put
Hughes over Wilson, and Elizabeth
gloated over the capture of the city.
Distinguished Messengers
In the meantime distinguished set
of messenger boys were carrying IN the
bulletins that counted-Travis Whit
new. of the Public Service Commission;
Robert Fuller, Of the Merchants As
ISOLATION. who was Mr.. Hughes's sec
retary at Albany; Laurence II. Green,
his present secretary, and Carl ID.
Sheppard. his publicity representative.
Sometimes Charles +. Hughes, Jr., lent
a hand-or leg.
When a bulletin was brought in, just
before o'clock, saying that New York
State was conceded to Hughes, his only
comment was addressed to his wife. 1t
was. as gleefully carried out to the
press room:
"Please pass the butter, my dear"
Pivotal states and important cities
elected like remarks from the person
chiefly concerned as they sent in their
results. But even Mr.. Hughes joined
in the happy shout that went up when
the returns came from Bridgehampton,
Long Island. where is the Hughes sum-
mer home. OF 2S9 Bridgehamptonites
who voted, 212 were for their fellow
townsman.
One by one the newspapers-friends
and foes of the campaign-sent word
that the victory Of the Republican ma
tional ticket was certain. AT S:4O CLOCK
1.-THE World" was announced as having
conceded the defeat Of its candidate.
Mr.. Sheppard went in TO see what Mr..
Hughes had to say.
Waiting for Certainty
"Not yet" announced Sheppard, when
he returned a moment later. The Gov
ernor Just sends his love to the boys.
A few minutes later Dorothy Radley,
granddaughter Of William c. Muschen-
helm. proprietor Of the Aston, followed
n big basket Of roses into the hughes
suite and extended her grandfathers
congratulations and her own. Then
Mr.. Hughes received the congratula,,
tions Of Mrs. Hughes, OF his son ana
daughters and grandchildren, and OF
Dr Colin Carter, his brother-in-law.
On the roof of the hotel red fire
burned in buckets. and searchlights
we're set 10 playing on a great Amer
ican flag. while over the sidewalk
bi@ electric sign, spelling II U G S"
was swung out. -,
And still the word from the candi-
date with the judicial temperament
was: "Not yet"
Ia+er came stirring demonstra-
ton Led by two bands, a thousand
M rcbers from the Union League and
pan,hIican clubs tramped through
w - c.-ont and came TO halt