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Show Hughes Called on to Bring Together the Progressives and the Standpatters. Ashland, Ore., Aug. 17. All of Charles E. Hughes' political finesse will be necessary to save the state of California to the Republican party in the November election. The Republican nominee was informed in-formed this afternoon on the eve of his reaching the' state that old guard manhandling of the Progressives there has put it In serious danger. So far as Is possible, Governor Hiram Johnson John-son and Charles H. Rowell, the latter the California Progressive member of the Republican campaign committee, commit-tee, havo 'been crowded off the political poli-tical map by Francis Keesling, the Republican state chairman. The 400,-000 400,-000 Progressive followers of Johnson are in a resentful mood. This Is the situation: Dsregardng the rule Mr. Hughes laid down that the national committeemen from the various states In co-operation with the Progressives should handle all national campaign matters In their respective states, Chairman Keesling assumed personal charge of the arrangements ar-rangements for the Hughes tour of California. Progressives Ignored. Working through W. h. Crocker, the national committeeman, Keesling has absolutely Ignored the Progressive Progres-sive element. Neither Johnson nor Rowell nor any of their prominent followers In Progressive ranks has membership in any of them figure In the three meetings which Huches will address in the atate-at Oakland, Oak-land, San Francisco and Los Angeles Johnson has not even been invited to attend any of these meetings A suggestion that a compromise be arranged whereby National Committeemen Commit-teemen Crocker introduce Hughes a tho San Francisco meeting an Rowell Introduce him at Los Angele was contemptuously spurned bj Keesling In a letter in which he re minds Rowell that tho recognition given to Progressives was not a Progressives, but as former Progres sives who saw the light and returnee to the fold. He was Informed also that Johnson's presence at any of the meetings would be highly unde sirable. With Crocker, reactionaries of the old type havo been selected to preside at the meetings and keep close to the candidate during his entire en-tire stay In the state. If Johnson and Rowell meet at all It must be as private individuals without any standing in the organization which Is supposed to be unitedly supporting support-ing the Republican ticket. Fight for SerTatorshlp. Mixed up in the situation is the fight -between Willis H. Booth of Los Angeles and Governor Johnson for the senatorial nomination in tho impending im-pending primary fight. Booth has the support of Keesling and the old guard element, and It is openly charged that Johnson and the Progressives Pro-gressives have been crowded out as part of the Booth campaign. Chester Rowell came to Portland lasl night to' put the matter up to Hughes and followed the candidate aboard the train. They had a long talk today, at which tho above facts were laid before the governor. He. was told by Rowell that there Is a real danger of President Wilson cap-1 turlng tho state If tho situation which has been created by the old guard is not remedied. At the election of 1914 Johnson was re-elected governor by 400,000 votes to 250,000 for the Democrats and about HC.OOO'for the Republicans." Rjwell told Hughes today that of this tremendous strength about 60 perl cent will vote for Wilson, while the' remaining 40 per cent Is "waiting to see how the cat will jump." Loyally Supporting Hughes. Rowell explained that he and John son wore loyally supporting Hughes and the Progressive element asked for only the treatment due loyal supporters. sup-porters. He declared that the selection selec-tion of a few Progressive vice presidents presi-dents to sit on platforms did not meet the situation and po.litely asked the nominee what he would do about it It is the consideration of this problem that is spoiling Hughes's day of rest on this long jump from Portland to the Golden Gate. His lot Is not made any easier by the fact that at the California border, some time tonight, Keesling and Crocker , will board the train and present their side of the case. Hughes is lanxious to keep out of local matters. Rowell is frank (to Bay that It Is too late now to upset the arrangements made for the candidate's tour of the state. What he looks to is the future. He has suggested that Hughes say a kind word for Johnson In his talks. But that would seem to drag Hughes into the senatorial contest, which is just what he wants to avoid, and, on the other hand, he doesn't want to offend of-fend the large Johnson following. But neither does he want to bear down too hard on the representatives of the old guards. There has been a lot of that recently in various parts of the country and complaints are coming com-ing in. Yet he doesn't want to endanger en-danger the chances of carrying the state, which Is what is likely to happen hap-pen if something is not done. Sidelight on Situation. An Interesting sidelight on the situation, situa-tion, which shows that the trouble brewing in California Is not confined-to confined-to that state, is a telegram which Na tional Chairman WIllcox sent recently to Rowell, urging that tho factions get together. In this telegram Mr. Will-cox Will-cox repeats a telegram he is sending to Crocker, in which he informs Crocker of what Rowell has wired him, and says to Crocked. "Of course, I do not know the actual ac-tual facts, nor do I regard it as my duty as chairman to interfere with local arrangements. It would be, however, how-ever, most unfortunate and I desire to record my earnest 'protest against any reprisals being placed upon those who are now supporting Hughes and Fairbanks and who may not have supported sup-ported our ticket in past years. "I had thought a happy solution was reached when it was pointed out that you (Crocker) would preside at San Francisco and Mr Rowell at Los Angeles. An-geles. This, it seemed to me, would l in no sense drag into view the local i fight on senatorship, but would show ' ; a harmonious desire on the part of all 1 ' persons supporting Hughes to forget ; their differences for two days. Any- ! f thing short of this kind will work 1 harm to the party throughout the nation na-tion and I should suppose It would in your state. "In Chicago, where local differences ' are quite bitter, a committee, made up of all factions Republican, Progressive Pro-gressive and independent had charge ot the meeting which was one of the t largest and most enthusiastic I ever attended." But Crocker and Kessling have gone ' ahead In disregard of the national chairman's warning of harming tho party throughout the nation and the problems Is now distinctly up to Hughes. |