New-York tribune., 1908-08-28
4 COMPLETE FAILURE.

The real weakness of the opposition TO GOV
ernor Hughes does not appear anywhere more
strikingIy than in its failure TO produce can
didate against him. In all the months OF dlS-
cl,ss;on no man of sufficient calibre to com
mand general support or to be recognized as
a fitting successor to Mr. Hughes has been
fouud who was willing to have his name used
in opposition TO the Governors, ana 10 put up
some mere local candidate, the "favorite SON
of a county whose name would not inspire gen
eraI confidence, would be TO enter the cam
naign Irdicrousy weak All cf the early ef-
forts 10 find a successor TO the Governor were
based upon the proposition that some man OF
the Governors stamp. generally recognized as
strong, able and independent, who gave prom
ise of conforming to the best traditions OF the
nrasent administration would make q stronger
candidate than the Governor because he would
he without the latter'S enemies He Woud'
SO it was urged. have all the Governor >
strength without the Governors weakness. 1t
was the most plausible theory offered by the
opposition though it's defects were obvious, since
the Governors strength could not be trans
farrnS 10 another with the Governor himself
n candidate But what has become of this at
tempt to find an opposition candidate OF this
type? The primaries are being held ana the
convention IS coming on, and no one Is in slght
The ONLY names In the field against the Gov
ernor suggest no such qualities as those the
opposition stipulated to furnish in candidate
stronger than the Governor. Who Will say
that one Of the men now being favored by the
Governors opponents has any of the strength
of Governor Hughes. which was once regarded
as Indispensable in his successor? The at
tempt TO get rid of the weaknesses of Gov
ernor Hughes promises to end fngloriously in
the production of a candidate who would
merely get rid of his strength Instead OF Of
fering candidate who has strength without
weakness. the opposition appears to be reduced
tn suggesting some who have weakness with
out strength
II was inevitable that this should be So NO
more chimerical thing was ever planned than
to repudiate the Governor personally and yet
sweep the state upon the strength of his rec
ord IN office. Yet that was exactly what 1t
was hoped to do by those who thought that the
RenubEcan party could retain for itself all of
the force of public sentiment that was behind
Mr. Hughes through naming some strong, hish
class candidate. some near-Hughes in bis place
But to refuse TO renominate the Governor was
inevitably to surrender all the advantage to
the partv that lay in his widely approved adj
ministration It was to put the party upon
the defensive throughout the campaign, 10 keep
If constantly explaining why 1t had rejected
one of the best Governors the state has ever
means complete and to rouse among righteous
citizens an intense determination 20 punish the
Marty for the lapse It would have had this
effect even If the hopes of the opposition had
been realized and they had been able to induce
really commanding person to lend himself
to their purposes With the kind OF men the
opposition is now able TO present all of these
results would be greatly intensified. Such can
dfdates might get the votes the Governor is
renuted to have alienated, but it is hard 10
see where they would get many others.
The opposition 10 Governor Hughes is bank
rupt in most important respect-in its failure
tn produce a candidate who could be thought
of for a moment az a serious rival to the Gov
ernor Yet il needs must have such candldate
or If will find itself ridiculous when the con-
vention assemblies It cannot without being
laughed at enter that body and resist the GOV
er-nor's nomination on the ground of weakness
and then offer in his place candidate whose
weakness is the only obvious thing about him.
Ir has failed and it should abandon its efforts.
It is time TO stop for the good OF the party
So long AS the leaders maintained that they
were waiting to hear from the people ana
that another candidate might be found with
all of the Governors strength and none Of his
weakness they occupied technically respect
able and correct position. But the people have
spoken in no uncertain way, not only in this
STATE hut all over the country. And the oppo-
sition has egregiously demonstrated It's in
ability TO find stronger man than the Gov
ernor. or even one within many thousands Of
votes rs strong as he 1t is time for this I'M
polite and discredited movement to stop.