Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-10-23
HUGHES NOT A CANDIDATE.

Dy tne hepuDllcan cluD ne Salu
81 did not seek any public Office.
have not sought, nor shall seek, di
rectly or indirectly, to influence the
selection or the vote of any delegate
to any convention and with reference
to the election of any delegate to any
convention there will be no sugge3
tion or thought of influence, protest
or reprisal in the executive chamber. y
Gov. Hughes reminded his audience
auspices of the Republican club after
his election that he set forth the prin.
ciples which would govern his ad.
ministration and said:
81 believe thoroughly in the efficient
regulation of public service corpora.
tions in the interest of the public.
l believe that their transactions
should be conducted in the light OF
lay and under the public eye; that
1 they should be compelled to furnish
the service which they are bound by
their charters to render; and that all
their public obligation should rigor-
ously be enforced.'
The governor sketched the progress
that had been made toward the solu-
tion of various state problems, ca
pressed his appreciation of the sup
port given him by the legislature and
then declared his position toward his
political future. He said:
ITO avoid any possibility of misap.
prehension l may say this further
word-I do not seek any public Office.
The majority OF people doubtless think
| that the distinction and power of
Office are an irresistible attraction.
Ii you had been constantly in my
company during the past nine months.
you would see that another point of
view is quite possible.
''To me public Office means burden
of responsibility, burden of inces-
SAINT toll at times almost intolerable-
which under honorable conditions and
at the command of the people it
may be duty and even a pleasure to
assume. but ID far from being an OBJ
ject of ambition.
"Those whom / have appointed to
Office have been counselled to have
sole regard to the efficiency of their
departments. l asked no man for
favors, but on the contrary, l have
constantly insisted that the work of
government shall be carried on exclu-
sively in the interest of the people.
sit has been stated that / have not
paid sufficient attention to those who
are politically active and who bear the
burden and heat of the day in politi.
Cal campaigns.
sit has been said that regard po-
litical activity as disqualification
for public office. Now, no cause can
be advanced without hard work and it
must be the object of Jealous devotion.
II esteem those who, in an honor
able manner, work for the party Po-
litical activity by virtue Of the ex-
perience and knowledge of affairs
gained in it, so far from being u
disqualification. may be "a most inn
portant qualification for Office. But
l want that political activity to be of
such a character as TO leave "a man free
and independent in the dignity of his
manhood to perform the duties of
office, Il appointed, unembarrassed by
improper influences and unaffected by
obligations.
II am frequently asked to express
approval or disapproval OF party ac-
tion or of particular candidates.
Should l do SO it would fairly be in.
cumbent upon me to pronounce upon
such action or candidates. in advance.
Ii this were done in one case it would
be inevitable that it should be done in
many cases with consequent RESPONSE
bility.
"If such responsibility be assumed
it must be accompanied by action. by
such attention to matters of manage
ment as would be commensurate with
the responsibility and justify its as
sumption.
"The result is certain Experience
shows you cannot stop short of it. If
such course be taken, either the
governor he cannot separate
himself from his office-will be in
undisputed control of party manage
ment and become party boss or he
will be involved in continual contests
for maintenance of his political in
fluence and prestige. Now do not
aim to be party boss. l wish to
simply be governor during my term.
1.-The only alternative to the course
that have criticized is to divorce the
governorship from political entangle-
IucDts. Anu my COhCCptlOu VI
duties. responsibilities and power for
good of that Office forbids me from
throwing its weight or attempting TO
exercise its power except for the pro-
per performing is constitutional
functions.
To prove that the Aurora, H.,
board of health is wrong in attri-
buting a case of poisoning TO peanuts,
Thomas j. Allen, president of the
Aurora College has begun to live on
a diet of peanuts for sixty days. In
order not to do too much violence to
his system, he will mix the ground
peanuts with the nut part of wheat,
in he proportions of twothirds peanuts
and one-third wheat. Mr.. Allen has
been a vegetarian and an experimenter
in special food for several years. An
Aurora man recently became i'll after
eating peanut candy, and the Aurora
board of health has about determined
that there is danger in the peanut.
The aspersion cast upon this favorlte