The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-06-03
Progressives Said to Be Willing
to Accept Him If Republi-
cans Make Him Candidate
HITCHCOCK NOT TO BE
PIE-PASSER In CHIEF
Justice Hughes Declares No
body Is Authorized to Re-
present Him-Penrose Says
Its an Open Fight
BY JAMES J. MONTAGUE.

Chicago. June 2.--Charles E. Hughes
chances for the Republican nomination
received two very considerable boosts
in today's preconvention developments
The first Of these was the statement
of Walter c. Brown. of Ohio, that In
his opinion the Progressives will nom
mate the Justice II the Republicans
do. Brown Is among the ablest poll
ticians in the Progressive camp. He
left the Republican party and worked
hard for Roosevelt four years ago. He
has hitherto been regarded as a first
to last Roosevelt man.
The second boost to the hopes of the
Hughes men was given by the justice
himself In his statement. through his
secretary that neither Frank Hitch
cock or any other man 10 authorized to
speak for him In Chicago. This was
taken by every one to mean an as
sursncs to the Hughes supporters that
they mead have no fear that Hitchcock
WIFI be the man higher up II the justice
10 elected President
It was generally noticed and com.
mented upon that nowhere in the state
ment could be found In the remote
degree a refusal of the nomination II
rendered him. The one fear OF many
Of the Hughes men has been tina,
Hitchcock would be head pie-passsr
were their candidate promoted TO the
presidency. Hughes elimination OF
Hitchcock is taken as straight bid
! for the nomination.
Browns Statement.
Browns statement follows:
, Il think that the Progressives will
nominate Hughes If the Republicans
are willing to take him as their candi-
date. There may be some difficulty
/ n hat4 fr 70 ~
+ the unconditional Roosevelt men. and
the Progressives who do not like the
Hughes continued policy of silence. Blu,
believe this opposition can be over
come. Meanwhile the across-the-
border conferences. which have lona
been expected began. George w. Per-
/ kins, the general commander of all the
Roosevelt forces, met and talked witt
/ a number of the old guard leaders
! There has been previous exchange oil
notes. but little direct dtckering. The
! conferences. it was learned from Mr.
Perkins. were marked with great cour-
/ tesy and a common purpose of avoid
Ing any of the brick throwing thu,
formed such an interesting feature o.
the battle four years ago. While hs
aid not go into any details when asked
about them, Perkins said: We speat
as we pass by. We are not bitter enc
niles any more"
| 1t Is now practically assured tha'
! the Progressives will stand quietl,
| hitched, while the Republicans are get
| ting together on a candidate. Browns
statement makes 1t almost equally GER
tain that they will take Hughes II the
Republicans take him. That ends the
sinister thought Of q bolt that has been
troubling the old guard leaders.
KpupA
II must not DO understood. however
| that tho fight 10 all over. Perkins
Brown and the rest Of the crowd. In.
ciuding Hi" Johnson. Of California. Ar>
going to make hot battle for Rooss-
welt They will put him over II they
can. They will not use strong language
or throw oabbages. but they will ex-
haust all proper diplomatic means be.
fore they finally accept Hughes.
| There Is furthermore a growing dis
| position on the part Of the old guard
men to take the Justice II they must
in order to avoid four more long lean
| years of ofTiceless existence. 1t IL
known that Penrose Ia willing to ac-
cept him 1t is certain that many
others of the old crowd will do SO. In
fact they would prefer him to Rooses
welt. And they are men who do not
deny themselves their preferences when
there Is any way to get them.
| Penrose and Crane got in this morn.
Ing. They hunted up Smoot. Jim Keat-
! ing. of Indiana, and others among the
high command of the G. o. p. to find
out what was doing. 1t was eviden,
that any tendency of the delegates to
be in a hurry about anything wal
checked very promptly as the result,
of their conference.
| Senator Penrose. when asked what he
thought about the game generally
said:
In my opinion. no candidate will
receive more than 200 votes on the nrst
| ballot. 1t will be An open fght and
It IL still impossible to make any pre-
| diction as to the result that is worth
anything. Nothing definite will be
known about the nominee before Mon
day or Tuesday at the earliest The
delegates win be here then and will
get together and make known their
preferences. As have said before this
10 Going to be an Embossed convention.
In the Pennsylvania delegation
which Penrose heads there are thirty
votes for Brombaugh, Penrose will
on the first ballot cast the remaining
forty-six votes for Philander c. Knox
although Knox will not be placed in