Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-01
At SEA OVER HUGHES
Curiosity to Know What He is
Going to Do.
WHERE PLUMS WILL FALL
Politicians Wait in Dismal Uncertain
ty for First Move.
NOT MUCH OFFICE SEEKING
There Are Some Very Fat Offices to
Be stributed-Railroad Com
missioners at $4,000.
NOT MUCH OFFICE SEEKING

ing to cheer up and welcome the New Year
under adverse and depressing circum-
stances, the most popular of the The King
Il Dead-Long Live the King roundelays
was something like this:
Rufus Republican Johnsing Brown,
Wad yer gwine ter do when Hughes gets
round?
Wad yer gwine ter say?
Wad yer gwine ter pay?
Wad yes gwine ter do when Hughes gets
round?
There was no answer to the question, for
nobody could answer it. Mr. Hughes, who
will be the first Embossed governor of the
state since Grover Cleveland came to Alba
ny twenty-five years ago under almost
analogous conditions, could answer it if he
wanted to. but he doesn't at least he will
not.
"Pols" Can't Fathom It.
Already they are referring to Mr.. Hughes
as The Iceberg" THE Sphinx" THE
Marble Heart and In other things calcu-
lated to make the average citizen wish Mr..
Hughes very happy New Year.
1t is a strange and bewildering condition
of affairs-the politicians do not understand
1t. and say so with amazing frankness. "A
clean slate today at noon. After that
Here they put in very large interroga-
ton point.
The entire lack of mystery as to the
intentions of Mr.. Hughes is in itself made
a mystery by the politicians.
They cannot or will not understand or
believe the direct. positive. prosaic state
ment of fact made by him to the effect
that he has no program other than that
of serving the people without reserve.
Past experience has led them to believe
where in Mr.. Hughes declarations They
do not see how it is possible for a man to
become governor without becoming a Ooss.
Mr.. Higgins, who retires from office to-
day. was both governor and boss. The
only persons who lament his going are
those who held office under him and the
members of his Kitchen cabinet" These
men constitute the tragedy of politics as
revealed in Albany. Most of them
face the horrible fate of having to go to
work when Governor Hughes gets around
to a consideration of their individual cases.
But by all odds the strangest feature
of the situation is that there are few
asprants for public office under the new
administratiOn-that is, few politicians. 1t
seems to be a generally accepted conclusion
that political influence will not have any
weight
Odell the past master of party manage
ment is not here, nor Ward, nor Fassett,
nor Warren, nor Payn, nor Black, nor any
OF the old war horses of the republican
organization. There is a mere smattering
OF the so-called reform bosses like Par
sons and W. W. Cooks. the Quaker con-
gresham. who acts as the mouthpiece of
President Roosevelt when the latter desires
to unload an unofficial opinion on the Bull
garian situation by way of Westbury l.. 1.
Chairman Tim Woodruff got into town
yesterday but was not visible to the naked
eye for any length of time. Unlike most
state charmen of a party which has just
elected its governor. he had compare
lively easy time of 1t, principally for the
reason that everybody seemed to realize
that his word would not have very much
more weight with Governor Hughes than
that of any partisan of humber station.
To Woodruff as we'll as the other re-
pubicans. Mr.. Hughes was an inscrutable
mystery. He received everybody alike. He
was courteous attentive, listened with APP
parent sincerity to all that was said to him
smiled genially and unaffectedly, gave each
caller good firm grip yet without inviting
condolences of a sort that most governors
coming into office usually solicit.
Hughes With Higgins.
Mr.. Hughes went to the Ten Eyck Hotel
yesterday afternoon and spent half an houl
with Gov. Higgins He walked through the
lobby of the hotel, which was crowded with
political bosses Of last years vintage and
ofiice-holders whose nervousness was mani
fest by their shifting and shiftless move
ments and their unusual politeness to the
newspaper correspondents. The most nerv-
Gus men were republican ofhce-holders
whose terms are soon 10 expire BOSSES
Barnes and Aldridge and State Chairman
Woodruff were appealed to by the office
holders to put in good word for them
with the new governor. Even ex-Gov
Odel importuned to go to the front
The private telephone booths were filled las
night with upstate politicians, sending
urgent messages to Odell and to other out
Of-town leaders.
MANY republican state committeeman
were here today to use their influence in
behalf of constituents desiring favors
Among them was Col Mott of Oswego, who
sized up the situation in this fashion:
There a lot of people here who would
like to get word with the new governor
but they don't know just how to tackle
him He's an uncertain proposition. He's
new in politics and he's got to be ap-
preached along new lines
Gov. Hughes Will act in way that will
materially strengthen the republican party
The people are willing to take his word
And IT, he proposes to do i'll the case OF
the banking department he directs the
chief of department TO make investi
cation for him. there will be no public
clamor for Legislative investigation. The
people will have faith In whatever he does
And that's great advantage to governor
who wants TO do the right thing.
Jobs for Hughes to Fill.
After he takes the oath OF office Gov
Hughes will have some fat jobs TO fill
There are two railroad commissin
ers at 5000 apiece, a supern
tendent of banks at 500. a tax commits
soner al $1,000 superintendent of pub
lie works at $1,000. state architect a
1850. Il fiscal supervisor of state charitie!
at S6ono, health officer of the port o
New York at $1,000, five port wardens
two commissioners of quarantine and tire,
state fair commissioners
The rev governor. II was announced, in
tends to cut down legislative ex
penses. This means a reduction of tn,
clerical force In each house and the lop
piug-off OF many of the extras which
have heretofore been collected by employs
of the senate and assembly.