New Britain herald., 1916-11-11
ROOSEVELT 8 Co.
F|zzLE OUT WEST
Unable to Hypnotic the Progress
SiVeS Of California

New York, Nov. 1.-THE theory
that the failure of Charles Evans
Hughes to meet Ex-Governor Hiram
johnson on Mr.. Hughes trip to Cal
lfornia last August caused the loss of
several thousand progressive votes in
California and, therefore, the loss of
the presidency, was widely discussed
yesterday in political circles By MANY
it was accepted as an indisputable
fact
cambridge Colby, chairman of the
associate campaign committee of pro-
greSSlVeS working with the democrat
&c national committee who spent four
weeks recently on a Wilson campaign
tour of the Pacific coast states and
who worked vigorously to prevent a
dr1ft OF progressives back to the re-
publican ranks, had this to saw YES
terday:
"One of the most striking aspects
OF the election is the unanimity of
support which President Wilson re-
ceived from the progressive west. The
nomination Of Mr.. Hughes made no
appeal to progressive sentiment His
speech of acceptance contained some
perfunctOry references to progressives
principles, but it was without anv
note Of real sympathy It promptly
accumulated the progressive drift to
Mr. Wilson, and this became more
general from the time of Mr.. Hughes
visit to California. Here it seemed
to progressives that Mr.. Hughes had
ostentatiously made common cause
with the reactionaries, and had adopt
ed course expressly designed to af-
front the progressives.
Johnson Loyal to Hughes.
81 spent some time in California,
during ~-o campaign, and know that
Governor Hiram Johnson worked
loyalty for Hughes, but the progress
sives of California knew what they
wanted, and it was not Hughes or his
reunited party The result speaks
for itself ! think it is safe to say
that 65 per cent. to 70 per cent of the
1914 progressive vote was cast for
Wilson. I have always thought that
the 1914 vote was the just measure
OF the progressive party's strength in
the country. Those 100000 votes
represented the irreducible minimum
after the Roosevelt republicans, who
helped swell the 1912 vote, had re-
turned to the republican party, which
in reality they had never left.
"President Wilson is the foremost
progressive in the country today, and
the returns show that the progressves
him as such.
''The attempt of Colonel Roosevelt
and Mr.. Perkins to deliver the pro-
yressive vote must be viewed as a
allure"
1t was recalled that when Mr.. !
Hughes was in Oregon the middle Of !,
asst August he was visited on his /
rain by Chester H .Rowell, progress |
,ive member of the republican ma
ional campaign committee, who
Joined the Hughes party in Portland
and stayed with the republican can
1idate while Mr.. Hughes was speed
ng toward California. Mr.. Rowell, SO
the story goes, told MI. Hughes that
the fate of the republican ticket in
California lay in the hands Of the pro-
gressives, who were being Inundated
by the Old Guard crowd.
Mr.. Hughes was asked to endorse
Johnson. The republican leaders said
Keep your hands Off" Discussing
The situation following his visit to
Mr.. Hughes, Mr. .Rowell said:
Hughes Ignores Johnson.
"Mr. Hughes, in my opinion, can
1ot afford to ignore Governor John |
son. The Governor is the biggest man (
n the progressive party, not only in !
his state but in the nation, except |
ng, Of course, Colonel Roosevelt He |
also has a powerful grip on the labor
interests. There are 10000 progress
sives who are not registered with any
party who will control the result in
he state. Mr.. Hughes can have
hem if he takes the correct attitude