The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-14
HUGHES DEFINES HIS POLICY.
NO ONE WILL HAVE A KEY TO TEE
GOVERNOR'S BACK DOOR.
He VIII Conduct His administrators with
out HAS, without Favor 10 Political
Friend. 10 Campaign COntribut or or 90
the Mighty In Commerce or Finance.

ROCHESTER,, Dec. I3.-Govemor-elect
Charles f. Hughes was the que st OF ono
az the banquet of the Chamber Of Com
neroe this evening. He responded to thu
toast "The State Of New lork,- and said
in part:
The earnestness which characterized the
campaign did not cease with It's close IL
was not spasmodic or tempo rary. We must
take account not of tempestuous waves pro-
duced by a passing storm but Of q deep.
strong current. In this nourishing COM
munity, the capital OF a valley OF remarkable
fertility. with It's natural advantages in
sources Of power and in outlets to markets,
With It's important university and highly In
telligent population, you have had sharp re-
minder OF its strength and direction. To
understand II you must look beneath super
fetal conditions. beneath the conflict OF opin-
ION with regard to specific measures and
particular men. II Is the steady. persistent,
Tesis,less demand for the clearer recognition
and better enforcement of popular rights.
II is Characteristic Of the day that the
obvious and the fundamental are the subject
Of extraordinary emphasis. that the ancient
Commonplsces of platforms have been revival
i7ed, and that our attention In fixed upon the
essentials of government OF the people, by the
people and for the people. The spirit OF l77s
is in essence the spirit OF 1905. What we need
~ the courage and wisdom Of our fathers to
give IL just and reasonable expression in
policy and in deed. 1t il not our part to plan
an ambitious scheme for the reconstruction
Of society. Our immediate duty ID more
practical than that. IL IL to obtain from our
existing institutions that full measure Of
freedom Of political action and OF equality
of opportunity which they were intended and
are able TO confer.
The people are not content with technical
representation They want the substance
and not merely the form. Nor will they
permit the imposing array OF benefits which
they really enjoy 10 turn their attention from
the abuses which they no longer will tolerate.
IL was not the amount Of the tea duty, but
the fact that It was imposed that Infatuated
the colonists. And our present prosperity.
and the excellent work that has been done
and IL being done, cannot avail TO excuse
a violation Of the democratic principles Of
our Government. One Of the pa ramount
demands Of the hour Is that those who are
elected OF appointed TO Office shall recognize
their responsibility to all the people. The
people want representatives who are re-
sponsive to public sentiment. They want
men who do not attempt to serve two masters
and who do not place between the lines OF
their oath Of ONCE the promise Of a different
allegiance. The strength of any party in
the public confidence will depend largely
upon is sympathy with this wholesome
sentiment and upon its ability to establish
the popular conviction that IL has a code
of honor which requires Of its members who
may attain oficial position answering
fidelity to the State.
This involves, and the public demands
II would be difficult to find anything TO which
they attach greater Importance that ad-
ministration shall be wholly impartial. IL
Is not enough that the general routine OF the
business OF the departments shall be con-
Quoted without respect OF persons. There
must be no exceptions. We must by single
minded devotion to public duty purge the
public mind of all suspicion that any interest,
by reason of its power, it's wealth or It's friend
ship, ia able to get the slightest favor OF
aught but justice. The great business OF
administration must be conducted without
bias. without favor to political friend, TO
campaign contributor or to those who are
mighty in the world Of and finance.
In the even justice of administrative action
Government must know neither rich nor
poor, neither strong nor weak, neither friend
nor foe, save AS each receives due considera-
ton according to the law OF the land and
the merits Of each case. Let me add that the
business man who strives TO get a pull" is no
better than the faithless officer who permits
himself to be pulled" As we consider the
present situation, what greater contribution
can be made to the security OF honorable
business in our great State than by so con-
Quoting ourselves that we shall convince the
nnnnlQ thai WnAIeVeT Int pOlllNdl
If chiefs and deputies there il no department
wbere official discretion il used to pay political
dehts or the door 10 which can be opened
with n private key?
But We need something more than has
hitherto been regarded as good administra.
ton There are great organizations en-.
sseed in necessary public service for private
rroAt. They are created by the State. they
are given vast powers by the State. and the
reonIs in their business life and in their pri.
yste life are absolutely dependent upon
them. In public privilege they live. move
and ha We their being. 1 allude. of course. ia
our public service corporations.
Cow in the capacity to control and regulate
these great enterprises. despite the influence
which they are able to exert, and despite the
conflict in many ways between private anc
public interests. we find at this time the tesI
Of the efficiency of our democratic institutions
There NAV be some who have SO magnihec
the creature at the expense Of the creator
that they consider the extension of govern