New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-30
Justice an Overwhelming
Choice of Republicans
in the Legislature.
ROOSEVELT SECOND;
FAVORITE SONS OUT
Many of Majority Would Accept
Colonel as Compromise
Candidate.
Nv HOWARD u. HADLEY.


Boston, March ~ haIe'er Po9
sibility existed Of compromise between
the Roosevelt first and the "un-
pledeed" forces in the Old Bay State
has been swept away by the expiration
Of the time limit within which with
drawals or substitutions could be made
under the direct primary law.
Lots were drawn to-day for positions
on the ballot, the "unpledged' forces
boing on the whole the luckier, for
while the Roosevelt hrsts" won first
place on the ballot for their delegates
at-Iarge, the "unpledged' district ticket
won first place, supposed to be OF some
little advantage in twelve out OF the
sixteen districts.
All talk Of compromise came to moth
thing. because this is not a straight-out
Roosevelt and anti-Roosevelt fight, but
a fight for control IN Massachusetts. If
II had been straight-out fight be-
tween the real friends and the actual
enemies Of Roosevelt, it could. and I'M
doubtedly would, have been settled.
The unpledged forces will win for
two good and sufficient reasons, one
being that a majority Of the Kepub-
leans here prefer 20 be represented
ut Chicago by Lodge, Weeks, Mccall
and Crane rather than by Gardner,
Cushing. Bird and Washburn. and the
other reason being that the overwhel I'm
ing majority OF Republicans and Pro-
gressives here favor the nomination OF
Justice Hughes for President as
against either Colonel Roosevelt,
Weeks, Mccall or anybody else-over
all others combined In fact And this In
a state where the Progressive party IS
still probably more potent factor
than in any other state In the Union.
Poll Shows Hughes Wanted.
This estimate. so widely held. re-
ceived striking confirmation by the
publication this evening by The
transcript" of the results of a careful
confidential poll of nearly all the he.
publican members of both houses OF
the State Legislature.
OF the 1919 Republicans 40 were in
terviewed, the others being away or
out OF reach. Each legislator was
asked: "Who Is your choice for the
Presidency % and when a member did
not quite understand the question he
was asked: "Who, in your opinion, is
the best man for the Republicans OF
the nation TO nominate for the Presi-
dencyP
The result % the poll was: Hughes,
70; Roosevelt, %; Mccall, 9; Weeks, 8;
Lodge, 3; Root, /; Cummings, !; UNI
decided. %.
Several OF the members who were
not prepared 10 make a definite reply
were in favor Of Hughes or RooseveIi,
or "any man who can defeat wilson.
Several who declared shat Colonei
Roosevelt was their first choice SAID
their second choice was Justice hughes,
and a few of the Hughes men said
that. If 10 would be impossible to
nominate him, they would accept Roose-
welt or some other possible candidate
mentioned.
One member recorded in the Roose-
Welt total said he was for the Colonel
. If this country became involved IN war
before the national election; otherwise
he would prefer Hughes.
In the Senate, of the % members
polled, II were for Hughes. tor
Roosevelt, . for Weeks, each for Nc
Call and Cummings and . undecided
In the House, III members were ques-
toned. Fifty-eight were for Hughes,
20 for Roosevelt, & for Mccall, for
Weeks, for Lodge, for Root and II
undecided.
Trend of the Times.
Commenting on the situation, "The
Transcript" says: The poll indicates
as clearly as il possible that Maine
is not the only New England state
that looks with favor upon the Su-
preme Court justice.
perhaps the trend OF the times was
best shown by the fact that few of the
members who declared for Hughes
added that often repeated clause, If
he WILL run"
Quite often the reply TO the report
er's questions was a sharp, decisive
Hughes" One or two even said that
a month ago they would have been
reluctant to make a declaration for
Hughes. At that time they doubted
whether he would run. They pointed
out that Hughes had never said he
would not accept the nomination II IL
were rendered him by the national con-
vention next June. Some were in favor
Of CONSUMPTION II such a move should
become necessary.
"A most interesting result Of the
poll was the marked decline in the
'favorite som sentiment. Governor
Mccall and Senator Weeks together
polled only fifteen positive votes, or
onC-ffth OF the total for Hughes. IL
should be said. however, that a number
Of the members who declared them
selves for hughes or Roosevelt said
that they would like 20 see Mccall or
Weeks get a.. and would have declared
for one or the other II they thought
either had chance.