New-York tribune., 1908-09-08
HUGHES. THE REPUBLICAN,

The opposition TO Governor Hughes, IN the
opinion of 1.-The Albany Evening Journal, IS
based upon the fact that MFR. Hughes is not
.Republican Governor but Mr.. Hughes's Gov
"ernor and that he is using his office to build
'up a personal following which has ALREADY &C.
'clared that it will not vote the Republican
ticket unless the Governor is nominated at
Saratoga"
So far as Governor Hughes has acquired per-
sonaI following ii has not been by the use of his
Office or the employment of patronage, but he mas
got it through the excellence of his admlnistra-
tion the soundness OF his policies and the falth-
fulness of his service to the people It is the
same kind of personal following that PresidelL
Roosevelt built up and similar to that Whlch
came to President Cleveland 1t is the kind or
following which will be built up by any able
public servant who does his duty fearlessly. In
sense II is hardly a personal following at all,
but the large army Of believers In good govern
ment who are ready TO enlist under the banner
of any public man who deserves their faith anu
who would naturally distrust any party re-
jecting a man who has made such record IN
Office and stands for such reform policies as the
Governor If the objection to him is that he
has such a following, then the objection is to
the Republican partys receiving an enormous
accession of strength for the coming campaign
As to Mr. Hughes's Republicanism, what
those for whom it speaks the right to be
more critical than the managers Of the Repub-
lcan national campaign-nay, indeed, the
right to overrule those who should be the final
arbters upon the party faith? Mr. Hughes
was so good Republican that he was chosen
to open Mr.. Taft's campaign at Youngstown,
Ohio The Republican party nationally IS
proud of Mr.. Hughes as one of its finest types
of Republicanism. and it accordingly commits
H. NIo oaf4h 4hn
West as one who would be likely to talk eff
fectiveIy the doctrines of the party there. He
was selected over dozens of Republicans whose
names are familiar throughout the nation and
who had been in public life years before he
was known outside of legal circles in New York
City. because he was felt TO stand for present
day RepubIicanism. the Republicanism OF
Roosevelt, the militant, progressive Republican
ism of the Middle West 1t is no secret that II
political exigencies do not keep him in this
state the national committee looks TO him as its
most impressive campaigner in the debatabie
ground And Mr. Hughes himself is anxious
to take the stump. for he is earnestly desirous
of Mr. Taft's election, and he is willing 10 work
hard toward It.
If that is not evidence enough, let any one
who wants to appreciate the depth of Mr.
Hughes's Republicanism read the 1oungs-
town speech. 1t proves that the national cam
paign managers knew WndC IDey were hDoul
when they sent him forth as their most power
full campaigner. When the year is over, that
speech is likely to stand forth as one OF the
most able and effective arguments Of the CAM
paign. It is Republican TO the core. No one
but a thoroughgoing party man. with pride in
his party's past and faith in its future, could
have uttered such a confident Endorsement Of
Republicanism as the following:
The Republican party makes appeal 10 public
confidence the most important political agency
for conservation and for progress BY virtue OF
its achievements, its leadership and its aims It
stands forth as efficient instrument for strong
and capable administration, a safeguard OF
stability and of the prosperity which depends
upon stability, and unrivalled power for
the correction of abuses.
Every article Of party doctrine is subscribed
TO by the Governor. The Republican position on
the tariff, the Republican position on the cur
rency and on banking, the Republican position
on the railroads and the trusts meet his ap-
proval. In everything he is Republican, and
he believes that the Republican party is the
only conceivable instrument for dealing sue
ceSsfully with the problems Of to-day. Mr.
Hughes is an out-and-out party man. He be-
lieves in the indispensablity Of party govern
ment- There is no better Republican in the
state than~he.