The Washington herald., 1907-09-20

Gov. Hughes, of New York, If he bulks
largely in the minds OF certain citizens as
a Presidential possibility, has given no
sign from himself that his aspirations
lead toward the White House. Calmly,
without any suspicion Of playing to the
/ galleries. he goes on about his appointed
task, and day by day the feeling is grow
ing that here IS a calm, self-contained
man who does things and does them in
the right way
. II would seem that we are getting
happily past the time when, as a people,
we come to have faith IN a leader be-
cause he is able 10 shout that this is the
greatest country on earth and flatter our
vanity. And If it is indeed true that the
day Of the hifalutin Hp-patriotism is
passing, it speaks volumes for our prog
ress and for the growth Of our national
intelligence. Gov. Hughes. without undue
waving Of the flag, Is still a strong be-
hever IN the future Of America, as all
good Americans must be, and instead Of
agreeing with those who believe because
OF mistake here and a mistake there. We
are going 70 the dogs, he maintains that
after ali We are doing pretty well as a
people. In his address before the Chau-
tauqua Assembly recently his voice was
the voice Of the optimist He said.
'T believe that the moral standards Of the Amer
lean people were never more sound than they are
to-day Considering the tremendous Increase in the
opportunities for wrons-dong. the seductive and
the refined temptations, and the mateTialistic ap-
peals that are incident 20 cur present mode Of life
and the material comforts which invention and com
merce have made possible. I believe that the man
ueE in which the ethical development Of the peo-
PIE has kept pace with their progress in other di-
rectiOus may fairly be called extraordinary. It is
really because our ethical standards are SO high
that We fail more frequently to take TO account
this fact
That. without blatancy or any suspi-
Cion Of denagOgy, is the highest aspect in
which We may regard the American ideal;
the IDEAL not Of the politician. but OF
the statesman and the patriot, the man
who truly loves his country, believes in
her and has faith in the common sense
and the right heart Of its people. That
optimistic outlook into the future of the
United States speaks volumes for the
character Of the man who voiced II.
We all Of Us know that there are
many things In our social and political
life that need correction. We are by no
means perfect Constantly before our
eyes are such sores as the San Francisco
exposures, the graft in Pennsylvania.
conditions in New York, exposures of
trust methods, and so on.
And yet the very fact that in spite Of
these things we have courage enough TO
face and fight them-in that fact lies the
greatest hope of the American people.
After all, the American ethical ideal
Is, as Gov. Hughes points out, high
one; our aspirations are lofty. we are
trying to attain great things. And there
Is every reason 10 be optimistic. our
tendencies are in the right direction:
ruthlessly. and at whatever cost, we are
casting out evil when We can, and in
spite Of the Seductive and refined temp
tauons' Of which Gov Hughes speaks.
We believe. with him, that the American
trend is steadily upward, toward a high
Ideal.