Evening star., 1927-09-08
Great Gain in Strength Seen
Since His Defeat by VIII
son II Years Ago.
PRESTIGE OF HOOVER
BELIEVED INCREASING
Nomination of Smith Appears More
Likely Than It Did Short
While Ago.
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.
staff Correspondent of The Star.

N6W OIeAp september o.-NeW
York Republicans are for the nomi-
nation of Charles Evans Hughes IL
President Coolidge is definitely out
Of the race. This is the view taken
by some of the party's most respon-
sible leaders here.
Should both Mr.. Hughes and Pres
ident Coolidge eliminate themselves,
then the New York delegation to the
Republican national convention next
year in all likelihood will be split
several ways. Secretary Hoover Of
the Department of Commerce has
his friends here. 1t is not unlikely
that as time goes forward much
sentiment for his nomination may
crystalline. He is far more popular
here than he was in 1920, when his
name went before the Republican
convention for the first time. So.
too, are former Gov. Frank o.
Lowden of Illinois and Vice Presi-
dent Charles G.. Dawes and Speaker
Nicholas Longworth.
Mr.. Hughes, by his interview on
his return this week from Europe,
has not eliminated himself from the
group of foremost presidential possi-
bilities for the 1928 nomination. He
has merely reiterated his statement
made earlier in the year when he
said he was for the denomination OF
President Coolidge, first, last and
all the time." He added at that time
that he himself was too old" for the
job. But the latter part of his state
ment is not taken seriously here,
however serious Mr.. Hughes may
have been in advancing it as a
reason why he should not be nomi-
mated.
Never. Announced Candidacy.
The next move, so far as Mr.. Hughes
is concerned, is clearly up to President
Coolidge. Mr.. Hughes will say nothing
more. He believes that the President
has not yet said that he will not accept
the nomination if the party and the
country demand he be renominated.
Even if the President some fine morn
ing should amplify his "I do not
choose" statement, saying that he
would under no consideration accept
the nomination, 1t is unlikely that Mr..
Hughes would have any announce.
ment about his own candidacy. He
would be stepping out Of character If
he did. He has been Governor of New
York and the nominee Of the party
for President, but he has never been
an announced candidate for nomina.
ton for office.
In 1916, when the Republican ma
tional convention nominated him, Mr..
Hughes was member Of the Supreme
Court Of the United States. The con.
vention had had no sign from Mr..
Hughes that he would accept the NOM
ination If rendered him. The fact Of
the matter was that the convention
nominated Justice Hughes and then
waited anxiously for 80 minutes be.
fore its mind was relieved by a state
ment from Washington saying that
Mr.. Hughes accepted the nomination.
New Yorkers regard the nomination
of Gov. Al Smith by the Democrats
as far more likely than they did
short while ago. They believe that
the Empire State will become a real
battle-ground in the event Of Gov.
Smiths nomination. For that reason
they believe further the Republican
party will turn to New York for q
presidential candidate to make the
race against Gov. Smith.
Avoids Instructed Delegations.
They may or may not be right in
this conjecture, but they are quite
sure that if any New Yorker is to
be selected it will be Mr.. Hughes.
AS a matter Of practical politics.
New York does not send instructed
delegations to the Republican national
conventions, but when they go to the
conventions it is pretty well known
beforehand for whom they will vote
1or the presidential nomination. So
the delegates to the 1928 convention
VIII go uninstructed and ungoverned
by any unit rule. If the President
remains silent and makes no further
statement about the presidential nomi.
nation, and Mr.. Hughes in the same
way Is eloquently silent, the delega-
ton will go prepared to support one
or the other, or both, as occasion NAV
demand. President Coolidge is ire.
mendously popular in New York.
Inere is no mistake about that.
New York leaders and the rank and
me generally had believed and hoped
tnat Mr.. Coolidge would be renomi.
nateo and reelected. They believe
now tnat the President was sincere
pa saying that he did not choose to
r1n 1or PRESIDENT in 1928. But many
or them, like Mr.. Hughes, do not he.
leve that he has finally closed tha
ioor. For that reason the delegation.
IKE the delegations Of Massachusetts
ana Connecticut, will in all probability
leslre to be in position to turn to
Mr: Coolidge If the way is still open.
one reason for the denomination of
Mr. Coolidge which is strongly urged
N some quarters here is that such
nomination would foreclose any con.
est among the Republicans. Repub-
leans. insist that he can win the elec-
ION, that he can carry New York
state against any Democrat who NAV
De put up. They want winner. They
believe that a Coolidge nomination
would be to the best interests Of the
party and the country. There you
ire.
1915 Conditions Unusual.
The only two reasons which NAV bS
ldvanced against the nomination of
Or. Hughes, should the President be
lnally out of the picture, New York.
RS say, are that he was a candidate
nee before and was defeated and that
10 himself has raised the question of
lis age. Republicans as a general
hing have been char yabout nomi.
lating candidates for high Office who
ave previously been beaten at the
oils. But Mr.. Hughes was a candi-
ate for Office IL years ago, under con-
itions that were abnormal. Wilson's
Importers raised the 'he kept us out
{ war" slogan, which carried several
tates that under normal conditions
,ould have gone Republican as regu.
lrly as clockwork. So the fact that
A~p~ L. IL