The Washington times., 1916-02-10
HUGHES BOOM MYTH,
HITCHCOCK ASSERTS
TAFT Aide Says He Is Not. COL
lecting Delegates For JUS
tiCe, AS SIemp Charges.
Continued from First page.)


Justice Hughes was asked by Mr..
Ssiemp " Justice Hughes knew of Mr..
llitchcock's Virginia campaign for dele
gates.
The entire story has set politicians
buzzing today and furnishes diverting
pre-campaign reading
Mr.. Slemp's part in giving publicity
10 the newest turn in the liughes move
ment Is due to the fact that letter
intended only for another fell into the
hands OF the Virginia member. lhis
letter was written to an unnamed Nlr-
Enia politician by S. Brown Allen. for'
mer postmaster and United States mar
shal at Staunton. Va, and Repubilchn
leader of the State. Mr.. Allen. how
ever. does not belong to the S!emp po-
litical faction. and when he wrote let
ter explaining about Mr.. Htchcock
delegate-gathering activities me per
son to whom It was addressed sent 1t
10 Mr.. Slemp, who was quick 70 publish
It.
Aliens Letter.
The letter of S. Brown Alien. OF
Staunton. which came into the hands
of Mr.. Slemp. follows in part;
Il am n little late getting into the
fight along the lines ] am going to
lay before you, because the national
Republican leaders themselves only
got together a week or ten days ago
IN New York an dlaunched their hght
for the Presidency for Charles r.
Hughes. The first intimation had
of it was when | learned through the
papers that Governor Whitman an
nounced his withdrawal of his candl-
dacy for the Presidency. and asked to
he placed at the head OF the New
York delegation to Chicago as on" or
tho delegates lat large, knew thef"
waS something doing, but pretty soon
after our Old friend +. H. Hitchcock
called me up over the long distance
telephone and told me to go 10 Klch
mond and get IN touch with y. r
cabell. Late that night Ny. tabell
called me up and said Mr.. liitchcoc X
had advised him to get in touch with
mo at the earliest possible moment,
and that he wanted me to come to
Richmond early the next morning.
which ] did.
MIR. Cabel laid before me the cam
paign, which is a. follows: The frien-S
OF Justice Hughes. with Governor
Whitman at the head. got together
| ana sent for Mr.. Hitchcock. who was,
! as | suppose you know. about the best
politician in the country, and Ar
ranged to place him in full charge OF
! the Hughes campaign. The arrange
ment Is not to antagonlze RooseNe. l.
! because 1t will surely be Hughes or
| I;Doscvclt, and under the arrange
| mcnt Hitchcock. Of course Will be
: Postmaster General. and the premier
| OF the next Administration. He Will
| be mad" at Chicago chairman OF the
national committee in place OF Hiiles
| and will be in full charge OF the
| campaign until the vote is counted
| in the November election.
This combination will sweep thu
country as surely as any undevelopeC
| event can he. The fact and truth Ia
Mr.. Hitchcock told me yesterday owe
| the phone that success OF the move
| ment is practically assured. They know
too. full well, that the persons who as
4 fp lF fny ha Nj . q no 4,
! are dead against either Hughes o
| Roosevelt, and persons looking for rec
| ognitlon under the next Administration
| would do well to put q black mari
| through the names on an Endorsement
| | am sorry you did not have these fact!
IN possession before your meeting Sat
| urday last. as you have practically in
struCted against Hughes, Roosevelt. anc
| Hitchcock.
L do NOT think your delegate will fee
| bound BY these instructions, bscaus,
snap Judgment was taken on you"
The Correspondence.
Mr. Slemps letter to Justice IIughei
read in part:
About ten days ago a movemen
| started in the STATE. directed from New
! York city by Frank II. Hitchcock. for
mer Postmaster General, favoring yol
as the Republican nominee. He hA'
| secured around in our state few o
| MS Ola appOlnteeS, X. T.. CaDell, lOfmel
| Commissioner of Internal Revenue. now
! living in Richmond; Il. A. Davis. post
| master under Mr.. IItChCoCk at Rocky
| Mount. and S. Brown Allen. formel
postmaster at Staunton.
/ Il inClosc you a copy of the letter
| written by Colone. Allen to one OF my
! friends who forwarded the ga ne 10 mo.
| In this letter is explained a movement
! by Mr.. Hitchcock. and ! have utner let
| tcrs of q similar character. You viii
! observe it advocates an attack on me
as State chairman and The or-arizatIOn
, generally. With a statement tnut Mr..
| Hitchcock Is to he chairman OF the
| national. committee. again Iostmast eT
| Geenral and therefore the dispenser OF
| patronage and those who Ind0rSe his
! views and snuDpOrt you a $ Presidential!
! candidate will receive commensurate
cons Iteration afterwaru.
The reply OF Justice Hughes to the
! Nirsinia member was as follows:
NV Dear Nj. Slemp. Your letter OF
/ February Sd has been received. ! am
entirely out of politics. and | knO"
| not thing whatever of the matters to
| which you refer. | am totally opposed
! to the use of my name IN connection
| with the nomination. and selection OF
| instruction of any delegates in my In.
| forest either directly or remotely
! ,Signed. Charles T.. llughes.)
| A statement also VAS issued by Mr.
! Slemp in which ne said there is a gen
! eral feeling in Virginia that the dele
| cation to the Republican national con
| Ncntiou should go uninstTuCted. anC
| he deplored tn" alleged effort Ia Obtain
| instructions for candidates. especially
| by the promise of political patronage.