New-York tribune., 1908-09-21
4HIs own PLATFORM"


cratic candidate for Governor TO repudlate the
Democratic platform and says that just as
Governor Hughes is his own PLATFORM, 50 1dl'
ChanIer must be his The latter part o. lhis
advice would be very hard TO carry out MI
Hughes is his own platform because OF MS
achievements. his record in ONCE MS p[osed
character his well known principles anu ms
demonstrated ability to lead his own party M.
Chanler has none of these advantages before the
voters He is untried. He has never, haa 'ih
opportunity TO accomplish anything ana has
never ACCOMPLISHED ANYTHING. His policies anu
nrincinles are unknown. OF his character little
is known except for his amiable and outspoken
admiration of the Governor. NO one mas lne
remotest assurance that he Will be aDle 10 ledu
his marty in the sense in which Governor
Hughes has led his for the last Two years. anu
if reelected will continue TO lead it for the next
two If Governor Hughes is reelected, we know
what the next administration VIII be. IL Nh
Chanler is elected, what certainty is there that
no will dominate the next administration in the
sense in which Governor Hughes will If he occ1l-
MOS the chair? In the nature Of things 1t IS
very unlikely The qualities that have mace
Mr. Hughes the leader that he is are exceptional
and without them it is improbable that Demo
cratic Governor would possess the popular sup
mort which has given the present executive his
ascendancy. over his party.
Of the manner Of man he is and because of what
he has done. That Mr.. Chanler cannot be. He
NAV declare his own personal platform, but
what guarantee is there that his platform and
NOT Mr.. Murphys and Mr.. Conners's or, as the
general impression has 1t, Mr.. Ryan's, Will be
the controlling influence in the next admlnlstTa-
tion if Democratic? Certainly nothing tnat
Mr. Cbanler has done and nothing that Is known
of his character and personality can be held TO
supply such a guarantee. Mr.. Chanler is Il
breezy. attractive man. Of good family, with the
freshness and candor of youth about him, or
fine though somewhat romantic and unstable
impulses with a character above sorddness'
hut with none of the iron in. his nature that
has made Mr. Hughes so powerful leader OF
the people At the most generous estimate, his
equipment seems most unequal to task-lhe
task Of making himself his own plattorm-Jhat
has called for all the resources of Governor
Hughes his great intellectual force, his I'M
movable resolution and that purity and disin-
terestedness which have placed him above cavli
and above suspicion.
It Is no light task. Mr.. Chanler, II he is TO
be the same sort Of figure In the Democratic
party that Mr.. Hughes is in the Republican
narty-for that Is essentially what "The World"
generously invites him to be- and there is reason
TO believe that the people would not prefer MIN
10 the Governor If he promised to be anything
| less-if he is to be this he has his work cut
ont for him. He must begin where Mr.. Hughes
| hpgan two years ago, two years back of where
| Mr.. Hughes is now. Mr.. Hughes has already
established his hold upon the people and made
his leadership in ideas and principles predoml-
nant in his party. Mr.. Chanler Is on ulai-
| Can he do these things? He will have TO prove
| that he can make the state respond TO his ap-
peals. and he will have stubborn and refractory
material to work with in bis party before he
can gain any such influence over its AFFAIRS as
| Mr. Hughes has over his.
In this regard he will face more difficult
situation than Mr.. Hughes faced originally Inc
boss system had broken down in the Repubhcan
nartv when Mr.. Hughes became Governor. In
its place was a group Of loosely united local
| leaders In the Democratic party the boss sys-
fem has reached its highest development. Not
| in many. years has the control Of any man or
men been so absolute in the Democratic party as
that Of Murphy and Corners Their authority
except in Kings, and a Democratic moral
| leader would find little encouragement from
the independence of Kings. Moreover, the bulk
of a Democratic Governors legislative support
must come from this city, where appeals to the
people" have mighty little effect: Playing the
| Hughes role IN the Democratic party would call
| for greater powers than Hughes himself has,
and unless Mr.. Chanler could gain the same
sort of ascendancy Mr.. Hughes has, his own
platform would count for little after election.