The Washington times., 1916-04-10
ROOT 0. K: STARTS
MOVE FOR HUGHES
Admirers of Justice Regard
Statement lndorslng Former
Senator as Challenge.
BY P. t. RELLIHAN.

delegation to the Chicago convention
may be nailed down for Charles E.
Hughes. and that before many days. Il
! was learned today. II Republican party
leaders friendly to the justice go for
ward with plans now under considera-
| tion.
What started the movement. Accord
ing TO report, was the actIon OF q few
, OF Iclihu Roots admirers in getting to-
gethcr In the Union League Club and
setting forth his claims to the Presi-
The Root manifesto. II is declared. is
likely TO have consequences not con-
templated by It's elgners.
Hughes Men Belligerent.
Hughes Republicans regard the Root
statement as n challenge to Republican
public opinion that should not go unau-
swered.
The Hughes men talk OF a conference
OF the national delegates from this state
to be held In advance OF the trip to
4 Chicago.
The plans as yet lack completion.
The Hughes men did not know where
the conference would be held or the
exact day of the meeting. 1t might be
In Albany. they thought. and probably
not later than the FIRST week In May, or
| sooner. perhaps.
The Hughes men. as a result of their
victory In the State committee fight on
Saturday, are feeling their oats; they
are eager for another test of strength.
| confident they can win again. The
Root manifesto Is criticised by them as
a virtual violation Of the understanding
that delegates to the national conven-
! ton were to go there unpledged.
| II permitted to 20 unchallenged. the
Root statement. II was said. might work
a mlschievous misunderstanding In
other states as to the attitude OF tne
Republicans OF New York on the Presi-
| Dental issue.
All the Root men could muster in
| favor OF their candidate, 1t was point
| ed out, were seventeen delegates ana
ceeded to pad the list of signers by
| the inclusion of the names of Repub-
licans far and wide over the state
! some of whom are strangers to the
political world.
| A conference OF the entire New York
delegation to Chicago. II was said.
would have great value in clarifying
the Presidential atmosphere. 1t would
be notice to the Re2ublieans OF other
licans. officially represented by their
dates.
1t is quite possible. of course. that
Root delegates acting on orders from
the managers of that candidacy might
! refuse to join In a conference or. with
out formally refusing, absent them
| selves.
That contingency is not being over
| looked, II was said, by the Republi-
| can leaders. who are satisfied a con =
ference would be a mighty good thing.
The Root leaders could not instruct
their delegates TO stay away from a
conference without thereby admitting =
their numerical inferiority. It was a
safe bet Republicans said. that Ii
| there are any Roosevelt men among
the delegates they will not get
request from the colonel TO stay away
| from any planned test of strength.
l,but,. on the contrary. II is probable
they win be urged To attend. whether
few or manv, and fight for their man.
Opposition Not Expected.
The question was put whether the
holding OF a conference such as was
sAid to be planned would not be con
trary 10 the wishes of the voters who
selected the delegates in the prim-
airy elections. In reply IL was declared
there could be no reasonable opposi-
tion to II on that ground.
| III virtually every case, IL was SAID
district delegates to the Chicago con-
| Vcntion were chosen with n definite
idea as to the Presidential preferepca
| OF the district. If the VoterB omitted
| positive instructions, II was only with
a view to leaving the delegates with
| greater freedom OF action.
There Is nothing in the situation, II
was asserted. that makes II improper
| for the delegates to assemble and ais
cuss candidates. and, II they so de-
| eide, to pass resolutions OF indorse-
| ment. They must OF necessity mold a
| meeting Immediately on their arrival
in Chicago TO elect a chairman of the
delegation and settle on the men who
will represent New York In the vari-
Gus convention committees.
| II Is believed Governor Whitman
| favora the idea OF a conference of the
| delegates in advance of the arrival In
| Chicago. The governor Is known to be
/ cardidSse for the chairmanship oi
the delegetion, HIS oid Guard rival foi
| that honor Is Senator James w. Wads-
| worth, jr.. who led the defeated forces
in the State committee contest.
| whitman has everything to gain BY
an early showdown and his friends SAY
now is the time to strike while the iror
is hot.
But the big advantage in an early
meeting of the States delegation i,
held to be In the line II would furnish
mooted and disputed question of who
has and who has not the majority O.
the New York State delegates.
The Hughes men who talked of tn,
plan to hold the advance conference dis
claimed any thought of trying to com
nit the entire delegation to their can
didate merely by the vote OF a majority
There would be no Jamming through
of Hughes Endorsement, they said
but such action II finally taken would
be the result OF free discussion and II
response to evidence that the State o
New York is for Hughes.
|
RrIJ m b1unb HLaoL