New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-05

Governor Hughes restated admirably at FL
mira the attitude which he has assumed and to
which he will adhere in administering his Off
cial trust. That attitude has not been affected
by the Senate'S vote TO retain in office a state
official whose removal the Governor recon-
mended on the ground of ineftciency. Mr..
Hughes has not lost heart because his recon-
mendatiOn WAS rejected by the Senate. Nor is
his temper SOured. He does II, I denounce those
who opposed his policy rs backsders and party
wreckers. Yet he puts temperdtey and unan-
swerablr the facts which public opinion can
judge them The Governor holds-as The Trib-
une has always held-that he received man
date from the people TO reform the Insurance
Department. On taking Office seven eight
months after the enactment Of the insurance
legislation of 1906 he found the Insurance De
partment lin substantially the same condition
In which ii at the time of the Investigation
That condition which he felt he could
not tolerate" and. regardless of personal consid
erations. he set about putting the department on
basis (which would command the confidence
''Of the policyhoders of the state and of the
United States
This effort brought him into conflict with the
combination of politicians ntrenched in the
Senate. His aims were public and DISTINGUISHED.
Theirs were selfish and personal. They could
not see that individual interests must yield to
community interests. and they put the vindca-
ton of an official who had acted with good in
tentiOns but with lamentabe lack of insight
above the vindication of the right Of the people
To demand not negative but positive efficiency in
administration The Senators who voted TO re
tain Mr.. Kelsey in office still labor under the
deluson that government exists primarily for
the benefit of the politicians. Their action in
the Kelsey ease is symptomatic of Il perverted
vision formerly much more acute and more
widespread. They represent survival of an
obsolete ideal in politics, and their quarrel the
Governor wisely holds is not a quarrel with
him. but with the forces of progress and popular
intelligence.
Governor Hughes is fortunate in his critics.
He was enabled nj Elmira 70 emphasize his in
depreciation Of his official responsibilities by
contrasting ii with the Bourbonism of former
Democratic candidate for Governor who when
seeking election exuded radicalsm. but between
elections has been a favorite representative of
the interests which oppose an effective regulation
of corporate activities in the publ" interest.
In replying TO Mr. StanchfeldS criticisms of the
utilities bill Mr.. Hughes thus made clear the
dominant motive in his campaign for cleaner
and better government;
stand for the people of the state of New
York against extortion. against favoritsm,
against financial scandal and against everything
that goes TO corrupt our politics by interference
with the freedom Of our legisa lures and admin
istrations- l stand for honest government and
effective regulation by the state OF public service
corporations.
This is a platform on which the Governor
can surely meet and overcome the politicians at
Albany. who regardless of party lines or polt-
ical professions, stand only for the perpetuatiOn
of their own power and the continuation of the
present system of non-interference with under
regulated corporate interests.