Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-02-28
HUGHES A GROWING MAN.


paign last fall, predictions were made
freely that Charles Il. Hughes, II
elected governor, would loom up very
strong us Il Republican presidential
possibility In 1908.
Since the election of Mr.. Hughes by
n decisive vote this presidential talk
has been on the increase. and Cover
nor Hughes has been greeted as n
probable candidate OH frequent occas.
ions. While he Is attending strictly
10 business In the executive chamber
at Albany and is doing nothing to en-.
| courage this talk, 1t Is very plain to
those around him that the mention
| of his name in connection with this
nomination does not hurt his feelings
| in the least.
Mr.. Hughes is strong man and Is
performing the duties of his office in
| n manner to justify hi. erection. In
addition to being n strong man there
Is no lodging the fact that Governor
Hughes is about the chilliest PROPOSE
ton that has been discovered in New
York political life In many years.
This makes him doubly dangerous to
the plans of President Roosevelt and
other Washington statesmen who
have been going ahead with their own
ideas concerning what the Republican
National convention of 1908 should
do.
When Governor Hughes was inves.
tigatlng the lighting combine OF New
York and then was investigating the
insurance companies. he demonstrated
to the satisfaction OF the rnhlio that
he was n man of determined ideas
concerning the conduct of public Off
Gals. On the strength of this he was
elected governor and. in his two
months In office, certainly has carried
political death and desolatlon into the
headquarters of machine politicians.
The fact that Mr.. Hughes was elect
ed as u Republican has contained no
grains OF comfort for his party asso-
ciates. Had he been Democrat he
could not have been mere ruthless in
his pursuit of Republican officehold-
ers who did not come UP to the stand
ard he had set. The result is that his
two months in office have given salts.
faction alike to clean Democrats and
clean Republicans, but have caused
terror among those in the machine
ranks.
| Not since the governorship of Gro
Yer Cleveland, now quarter of n CEN
tury ago, has the State of New York
had an executive determined to Sc
cure political reform by first cleans
ing his own party. Hughes, like
Cleveland has stirred up bitter strife
in the ranks of those who worked
for his election. But it was this &C.
ton on the part of Governor Cleve-
land that made him the candidate of
his party for the presidency in 1854,
and many close students of political
affairs believe that history now is re-
peating itself.
During his two months in office,
the Governor has beaten the Legisla-
: ture into submission, has named his
: own man as Superintendent OF Pub
: lie Works to build the $101 900, 900
, barge canal. has instituted searching
, reforms In the National Guard, and
has gone after the State Insurance
Department In manner mat promises
its complete overhauling. He also is
responsible for legislation to com
pletely remodel the State Railroad
; Commission, and. SO far, has only be
l gun.
r Whether or not Governor Hughes i.
5 destined to become his party's candi
n date for the presidency next year, a
4 the present time he certainly is cast
y ing shadow that can be seen from
|. tho White House without the aid o
t glasses.