Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-03-18

an convcntion. But Hughes. without
chance Of nomination. received few
days ago the Endorsement of the Re
publican state committee of New York.
The New York man has been Il good
insurance investigator and. with one
exception. Il popular governor. The
exception was his veto of the two cent
fare hill in New York state That ac-
ton indicated a Willingness Ia put the
burden of proof. in an issue arising he
tween the people and the railroads.
upon the people rather than upon the
roads But the chief criticism UDOn
Governor Hughes among national poll
ticianS In Washington is that if will
take four years to make him known 10
the people of the United States. Hn
has seldom been west of the Niagara
river. In his public speeches he has
dispensed fine sounding phrases and
accepted platitudeS. But with an elect
crate which seems. now To be interest
ell in Roosevelt or Bryan. Hearst or
La Toilette. the old line of underground
politicians. of whom New York has
produced 50 many must he regarded
as shopwOrn and only fit 10 be laid Oh
the shelf.
View of Roosevelt.
And when it comes to considering
Roosevelt as Il real politician. one of
the most practical type, some things
which We're said to me the other day
by Il southern senator. who, though
Democrat. yields to nobody in his adj
miration for the political skill of the
president. may seem pertinent.
you may remember" said he. that
when it was announced that Governor
Hughes would make statement of
his position on national affairs on a
Saturday night Roosevelt was clever
enough 10 get the senate to remain in
session. though its practice is to ad
jou:n Thursday night over until the
following Monday. Then he sent III
| message so fierce in its tone that il
would draw away from the Hughes
| speech the attention of the entire coun-
| try. That is so recent an incident that
everybody remembers it, but how
| many people do remember now that
| when the revelation was made that
1
II. Hartman. had raised more than
$250,00 for the Roosevelt campaign
| fund AT Roosevelt's incentive. a Spokes-
man of the president suddenly discov-
cred that there was a conspiracy
among rich men to raise 100000 to
defeat the presidents reelection? The
mere suggestion of the conspiracy was
| so much more dramatic than the proof
of the corporation Doodle put up for
his election that everybody talked
about the former and forgot about in
surance moneys used in his behalf.
When California was up in arms
against japanese immigration and the
rights of Japanese students in Ameri-
can schools. Mr.. Roosevelt. as COM
mander in chief of the navy. found the
time prOpitious 10 send the greatest
fleet the United States has ever put IN
Ider one command TO the Pacific.
''They talk about there being Knox
press bureau in Washington or n
Hughes press bureau in New York or
organizations to support this or that
candidate-Democratic or Republican.
want to tell you that the greatest
press bureau. in charge of the clever
est political advertiser and manager
ever known. is maintained today in
the executive Offices at the White
House
Four or five newspaper men and two
members of congress who listened TO
this outburst of oratory applauded the
Isouthern senator and said he was
right.
Washington, d. G.
WILLIS j. ABBOTT.