The National tribune., 1908-07-16
GOV. HUGHES AND THE POLITICIANS.

GOV. HUGHES AND THE POLITICIANS.
While the New York American is
not good authority, yet there is enough
semblance of truth in the following
story that it prints to make it worth
while discussing:
Governor, we are doing all we can
to nominate you for the Presidency.
Some think you are doing little to help
yourself
"Why, how is that?" queried the
Governor.
well, good friends of yours have
come to me and said they thot you
were not treating them with any con-
sideration, and l confess that had l
been Governor, as you have. 1 would
have conducted the office in a way
somewhat different from yours" re-
piled Bracket
What are you driving at?" asked
the Governor.
Il mean." replied Bracket, that had
/ been Governor. as you have, since
January 1. 1907, I should have sent for
Tim Woodruff. Herbert Parsons, Billy
Barnes. Fred Greiner and Ben Odell
and men like them and 1 should have
said. Gentlemen. while il is true that
1 received a large number of Demo-
election primarily to the Republican
Party. Now. you are the leaders of
the regular organization of that party.
1t is but fair and square that j should
ask that you make recommendations
for appointment under my administra-
ton
The Governor listened coldly to
Brackets advice. Then he turned
upon him as if much annoyed and re-
piled: Senator Bracket. permit me
to say that l am more familiar with the
duties to be performed by the Governor
of New York and the policy to be pur-
sued by the State Executive than you
are"
While ii is unlikely that this incident
took place. as the American states. yet
something approaching it undoubtedly
happened. The whole trouble with
Gov. Hughes was that he was not a
practical politician and would not I'M
proportion of good, honest men among
politicians as among other classes. I'm
doubtedly there are quite as many hon.
est, upright, patriotic men among poll
ticians as there are among lawyers,
doctors and business men. 1t is essen
tial to our theory of Government to be-
lieve that a very large proportion of
our citizens are unselfishly devoted to
the good of the country, and willing to
make personal sacrifices in order to
further objects of public benefit which
they have much at heart. The parties
are their means for trying to make
their principles effective, and there
must all the time be in every party
great mass Of leading men who have
no other object in view, than public
benefit. The only trouble is that these
men are frequently unable to control
their party, and men of the worser
class come to the front.
With all our admiration for Gov
Hughes we can see his defects and
limitations. The most injurious of
these is that he, does not rise 20 a con-
ception of the powerful machines for
good that the parties are. and not see
ing this does not surround himself by
the sincere, earnest men of his party
and endeayor to control it as an engine
to secure the results that all patriotic
people desire. He is doubtless learn
ing this lesson now and recognizing
that in the party and among his sup
porters are men just as sincerely de-
voted to the public interests as he is.
He should get into close alliance with
them and by their. help dominate the
party and make it the effective machine
for securing what he and they ardently
wish. ~