The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-08
GOVERNOR HUGHES.

TopekanS have had the privilege to-
day of entertaining for a brief time
Charles E. Hughes, governor of the
! state of New York, and who, although
he is running for reelection to the
high office that he holds, is campaign
| ing through the west in the interest
! of Mr.. Taft and the success of Repub-
lican principles.
To say that Governor Hughes is
one of the foremost men in this
country today is to speak well within
| the truth. He stands in the very front
rank of the state executives of the
country. And not merely because he
/ is the governor of the most densely
populated and in many respects the
| greatest state in the union. His claim
to prominence is due to the magnifi-
| cent manner in which he has admin
| istered the affairs of his office during
| his two years of incumbency. His
has been reform administration from
its very beginning and a reform ad-
ministration of the right sort-one
that has been devoid of high sounding
| talk and promises and replete with
the accomplishment of great things
in the interest of the whole law-abid-
! ing and law-loving element in the
great commonwealth over which he
has SO signally presided.
Mr.. Hughes first assumed a position
of public prominence as the attorney of
the special legislative committee which
| investigated, with such startling re-
suits. the business of the mammoth in
surance companies of the country
which have their headquarters in New
| York SfQfa And
complished through the wonderful abil-
ity and energy of Mr.. Hughes as an in
qulsitor and investigator His expose
of the rottenness which had prevailed
in the management of most of the big
life insurance companies for many
years brought to light a condition of
affairs that not even the rankest pessi-
mist could have believed to be possible
1t was a great work that Mr.. Hughes
had performed and he was rewarded
for it with a Republican nomination
for the governorship of the state and
subsequent election at the hands of the
people of the state by a handsome ma
jority. AS soon as he assumed Office
he urged some legislation that his Re-
publican friends. so closely allied as
they are with the multitude of corpora
tions in New York, looked upon as
revolutionary. This legislation pro-
posed the creation of two public service
| commissions, one for New York city
and one for the rest of the state, which
should have supervision over all the
public utilities in the state, railroads,
street railways, electric light and ga
companies. After a memorable fight
Governor Hughes forced these meas
ures through the legislature and his
| good Judgment in fathering them has
| been demonstrated time and time again
by the effective work that these COM
missions are doing.
Scarcely had this big struggle ended
/ than the governor announced his in
! tention of having a law passed which
would prohibit betting on the horse
races which was legalized by a sort of
hybrid statute that permitted it
within the confines of race track fences
but made it unlawful outside of them
Gambling of any sort is prohibited by
the New York constitution and Gov
ernor Hughes insisted that it was no
more than right that the constitution
should be upheld by statute and the
anomalous conditions surrounding bet
ting on horse races eradicated. This
| fight and its successful termination,
Notwithstanding the fact that most of
| the leaders and legislators in his own
party as well as in the Democratic
party were opposed to such legislation,
! is still fresh in the minds of the peo-
pie all over the country. AS a result
of it the Republican leaders, or some
of them at the helm of the party af-
| fairs, decided among themselves that a
denomination to the governorship was
| to be denied to Mr.. Hughes.
But they had the great
mass of the rank and file of the Re
publican party to deal with and their
sentiments for the denomination of Mr..
Hughes could not be gainsaid espec-
tally after President Roosevelt let it be
known that he thought his party would
be committing political suicide in New
York if Mr.. Hughes were turned down.
Mr.. Hughes denomination was almost
unanimous, and so certain are the New
| York state Republican managers of his
success at the polls that they do not
think 1t necessary for him to remain
in the state and campaign for himself
and so he is touring the country and
making most effective speeches for the
national Republican cause.
Charles E. Hughes, governor of New
York. is one of the nations great men
and the people of Topeka are glad that
they have had an opportunity of seeing
and hearing such a distinguished and
fearless public servant.