The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-10-21
HUeHEs, TAFT AND cRoNAM

SouaiIEy WiIIlln lHo past tuTee UT IouF years there appears yet to be a iik- ing among many for the older fash tened methods of action and speech, The galleries are by no manner of means empty, but the persons whom we have for the moment in mind per- sist in directing their attention to other corners of human assembly. In wishing them enjoyment in their at- titude of mind and courage in hold ing to it we trust we may not be mis- understood. The golden mean between the life strenuous and the life sim pie is yet worthy of achievement.
 In speaking first of Governor Hughes as a personifcation of the calm spirit in public affairs we do So because for the given moment more was expected of him than was eX- pected at the same moment of Sec. retary Taft and Lieutenant Cronan of the navy, Governor Hughes was scheduled to speak before hDpubh- can club in the city of New York a few hours after Chairman Parsons of the Republican county committee had concluded his preposterous deal with the followers of MT. Hearst. It was thought that he would rise to dizzy heights of independence and de- nounce the political conspiracy. lie YVES publicly told that if he did so he would have the Republican nom ination for the presidency at hIs beck and call. What he did was this. He attended the banquet, acknowledged politely the cheers given him and then proceeded to assure his audi ence that the extent of his ambition was to be and remain while in office the Governor of the State of New York. He declared that he did not conceive it to be part of his busi- ness to either undertake to ooss the General Assembly or to interfere with the movements on the political chess board as made by party man. agers. T want simply to be governor during my term" Whatever his per- sonal opinion may be of the Parsons Hearst deal he manifestly does not consider 1t his duty to comment upon tt in public. It does not concern his duties aa governor and therefore he confines his attention to matters and things as they relate to that office. This as a more or ssss obsolete way of looking ct things, but there are signs of its being overtaken by popu- lar acclaim. It is by minding his own business that he conceives his greatest usefulness can be fulfilled. A very pretty and convincing notion if we may be permitted to say %.
 While Governor Hughes was giving this fine revelation of his sense of duty to an audience in the great city of New York, Secretary of War Taft was addressing lot of enthusiastic hanqueteFs at Manila. Knowing full well that his name has been conspic- ueusly mentioned in connection with the next Republican presidential nomination; realizing that earnest friends at home are busily educating the people of the country in his capa- bilities as possible President he nevertheless with characteristic fldelt- W to the business he has in hand thinks and talks about something else. In his calm and philosophical way he told his friends that he had paid tsaeee visits to the Philippine Islands and that in two years he expected to visit them for the fourth time, "but then he would probably come as a private citizen" For all he is com earned the battle for delegates may run it's course. He has never in any sense whatever been an aggressive candidate for Che nomination nor has he permitted himself to be carried away with the idea that the eoun. try was clamoring for his services ir that office. Built as he is on broad lines. intellectually and physically, ht knows without being told that if the people of the country want him fol President theirs is the easy way tc say so; that if they do not want hin fin that office all the misspent labor: in that connection will yield him noth' ing. It is not the modern way of ap' uroaching the subject we agree, bu it assemblies nicely with the oid-fash' soned theory that the office shoult seek the man, not the man the office He is unconcerned at the cry that ht shall shake of the burdepsome sup port of the administration and con tfnues in every way to show his f1del itv to the of1ce he holds and his con scaenuous obligation to the admins tration of which he is part. He i the man before he is the politician. very pretty and convincing attitude o mind if we may be permitted to say SC