The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-31
HUGHES FAILURE ON TRIP, C. 0. p.
 LEADERS AGREE
Party Heads Get Together To Devise Means of Off
 setting Loss.

to date and alarmed over the reports that the western trip of Charles E. Hughes has been more or less a dis
 appointment, nine members of the newly appointed advisory committee of the national campaign committee, held long conference at headquar- ters, 511 Fifth avenue, yesterday, and decided upon a radical change of pro- gram. From now until election day the Republican managers will make every effort to retrieve lost ground and put more animation into the campaign.
 Yesterdays conference was the first to be held since the campaign began. and there was a lot of straight talk" National Chairman William R. Will cox was told bluntly that MT. Hughes Swing around the circle was mis- take, and that new method of cam paign publicity would have to be adopted from now on if the voters were to be convinced that change of administration at Washington was desirable. The chairman was in- formed that there had been too much "pussy'footing." especially on the part of the presidential candidate, and that if different method were not speedily employed the committee might have to see Colonel Theodore Roosevelt supplying all the ginger" the campaign is to have.
 Members of the advisory committee did everything in their power to keep their deliberations secret. When the conference broke up and each mem Der strolled out, the reporters were refused information as to what had taken place. The members had giv- en pledge to keep secret what had taken place, and only a perfunctory statement was issued by Victor Rose water of Nebraska, secretary of the | conference.
 Hughes Trip a Failure.
 MT. Rosewater said that after a | general discussion of the situation, l suggestions for future action had been | made and put in writing so that the national chairman should know just | what particular lines to follow here- after.
 Despite the secrecy thrown about the deliberations, it is known that the committee made six recommendations for the guidance of the chairman and the campaign committee. All of these bore upon the main fact that the Hughes trip had admittedly been a failure and that some positive action would have to be taken to make up for lost time.
 It was the concensus of the con- ferees that the trip had been a failure, because it had been made too early in the campaign, and that the visit to California with the consequent lining up of the Republican and Pro- gressive forces was particularly un- fortunate. It was suggested that if MT. Hughes was to make any more trips his speeches should be prepar- i. ed some time in advance, and more care should be given to just what he was to speak about. Several of the members thought it a mistake for MT. Hughes to ignore entirely the hy phenate vote, but others took the view that this subject could better be left entirely to Colonel Roosevelt.
 In answer to the charge of misman- agement of the Hughes trip, Chair man Wilcox explained that any fail ure was due more than anything else to the fact that never before had a , Republican candidate begun a presi- dential campaign so early; that the midsummer heat had it's effect as ] well as the fact that attention in the various states was more centred up- 1 on primary fights than upon national issues. The point was made that the ] had reached it's lowest about two weeks ago; that the slump could not go any further, and that things were now looking up.
 The presence in the conference of Frank H. Hitchcock, who managed the Taft campaign of 1908, was re- sponsible in 8 great measure for the decision to change tactics and put more ginger" in the campaign.
 MT. Hitchcock hurried out of the , conference to go to Indianapolis to ; take part in the notification ceremcn- ! ies of Charles w. Fairbanks. From there he will go to Chicago and take a vigorous hold on the western cam paign until September IS, when an- $ other conference of the advisory coGn- $ mittee will be held in that city. I
 Wilcox Will Be Guided. t
 One thing decided upon was that the advisory committee should take hold of the entire campaign and do all the planning hereafter. Chair man Wilcox is expected to follow its to the letter. When MT. Hitchcock was asked what the { conference decided upon, he laughed and said:
 ''Well. we had a. real pleasant con- ference"
 What did you talk about?" t
 Politics. he replied with another ( laugh, and added that at the morn ( ing session the general situation was I discussed in detail and in the after ] noon the recommendations were for l {
 Just what were those recommen- ( dation?" he was Asked. s
 T cannot tell you,' was the re- t ply. l
 Twill you take an active part in the 6 
 Wait and see,'' he said.
 What do you think of the general s g
 Being a newcomer" said MT l with a grin, don't you c think it would be ill-advised for me q to make prediction?' l.
 Wont you even predict the cleo q ion of MT. Hughes?" some one asked.
 Mir. Hitchcock acted as if he didn't n want to commit himself to this ex- VI ent. but after a moments hesitation le replied:
 "The reason we nominated MT. t Hughes was because we were sure of lecting him. I have seen no reason o change that opinion"