The morning journal-courier., 1908-07-28
THE CASE OF HUGHES.

It is difficult to say whether Cover nor Hughes Is a humorist of the high est type or a rugged man who sees things simply and construes them aft CT the manner of simple minded men. The republican organization of the state of New York appears to be of the opinion that if he is a humorlst he is perplexing one; his jokes are too deep for its members to appre- ciate. If he is just a simple minded man bent on doing his duty as he sees 1t should be done he Is nuis- ance.
 Ever since the game opened to push Governor Hughes into the presi- dental race for the manifest purpose of being rid of him once for all and ever since he took the politicians at their word. they have been wonder ing where to find him. They have just found out and they are not "dee- lighted" In response to many letters, which could not be ignored asking him to again permit the use of his name in connection with the repub- ican nomination for governor, he has written one which set forth clearly his attitude. In view of the situation In Connecticut there are sentences in the Hughes letter which ought to be read with interest by the republican organization here. Here Is one: Party nominations should accurately reflect the will of the voters" There Is no getting around this statement of fact If free institutions are to en- dure, or If they actually exist. In this state, where, if the will of the voters has been permitted to have any ex- pression at all 1t has been expressed for the renomination of Governor Woodruff, he is denied look In by the party organization.
 Not content with this hot one off the bat, Governor Hughes, simple minded man that he may be, goes on 10 remark: 'The organization of par ties, not merely In theory but in fact, should accord with the spirit of our institutions; 1t should be democratic and not oligarchic or despotlc." It almost seems as if Governor Hughes had two states in mind when he pen ned those words. New York and Con necticut. The politicians want him as much there as they want Woodruff here. But here Is more Hughes philosophy: Electoral machinery should not be so devised as to enable individuals to thwart or ignore the will of the people by control of the instrumentalites of nomination" If he had been preparing that code for the conduct of Connecticut politicians he would have said: "The electoral machinery should not be so construct ed that nominations may be deter mined upon two years in advance and without conference with the people. It might happen that the man selected would In the meantime completely disclose his unf1tness for high execu- tive office and then there would be a pretty llow-de-do."
 But there is still another bit of evil dence showing how completely Gov ernor Hughes Is himself united to cope with modern political conditions, Anybody would think he was born two hundred and fifty years ago at least: There is now prevalent a ten dency to use forms of association for purposes the reverse of those for which they have been designed. This is the most important connection with the administration of party affairs be- cause of the absorption of our people In the activities of their business life and the readiness with which control is gained by small bodies of men who are anxious to secure and control it. We forbear to apply these rules of conduct to the Connecticut situation Here they are manifestly rules of a theoretical character. The republican nomination for governor was agreed to months and months ago, In this state 1t is the business of free insti. tutions to accommodate themselves tc the will of the round table, and If through a mistaken assumption of su' perior rights popular sovereignty bumps up against tho rule of the few free institutions may so hang them selves. Hughes is plainly lily of { former generation, The modern flow er is harder.