Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-02-17
HUGHES AS 4 PARTY ASSET.


by Boss Barnes and otter local die
tators OF the Republican party In New
York that Governor hughes was not
a party man. and that he would surely
wreck the party. IL he were allowed to
have his own way regarding remedial
| legislation. II was charged that he
wanted TO rule or ruin, and all sorts
| Of unreasonable as we'll as unfounded
assertions were made regarding his re-
publicanism-
To-day so good republican author
ity as President Taft is asserting that
| Governor Hughes is the best asset ot
the party in the Empire State. While
regulations are falling in New York s
ca pital like leaves on windy day in
| late autumn, Governor Hughes re-
| bulwark of his party against the
| waves of popular indignation. Amid
the cringing and whining bosslets
who so long assailed him Governor
Hughes now towers like church
spire mid village cots"
The republican bosses who combined
| to defeat all Of the chief measures
! advocated last year by Governor
Hughes are now trembling lest he
signal for the complete overthrow OF
their boss system. They realize now
that It would have been far better for
them politically as we'll az in other
ways If they had followed his leader
| ship in the matter Of reforratory
| legislation, but as the situation is to-
day tho responsibility rests with the
system" and not in the remotest sense
with the man who tried to over
throw the same.
In the meantime the public beholds
these selfsame republican bosses APP
pealins to the very man they so late
~ condemned TO save them from the
popular wrath to come. AS the SPRING
feld Republican so we'll puts It "in
the staggering crisis that has sud
denly come upon the Republican party
of New York state because of the
J Legislative hriLary inquiry al Albany
it is Inevitable that the party leaders
should again be turning to Governor
; Hughes with the appeal that he sacri-
fee once more his personal interests
and accept another nomination. When
; a party IL in danger of losing its NOR
al character. n leader whose moral
; character has no blemish becomes a
priceless asset. Hughes must run
again Is a saying in all the highways
and byways; he alone could save the
party from the wrath of the people
The development of this sentiment Will
surely be rapid as the Albany inves-
tigation proceeds; and the governor
may well be gratitied, from one view
point, over such turn of affairs
Since he has become morally more in
dispensable than ever to the party
oPPoSit'oH W MS ieb ISl3tiNe program
must crumble away. Let him have
what he wants the politicians will
be inclined to say. And this may cas-
lily mean direct nominations. the en-
largement OF the powers of the public
service commissions to include tele-
graph and telephone companies the
conservation OF the natural water
powers OF the state b. means Of stor-
age reservoirs, and other features OF
the governors program OF reform
And. in the meantime. wha, mouse
cleaning there will be in the party or
ganiza ton! The cry IL going up. Gu
out the cancer Even Timothy wood
rum may have to be retired and al
the old machinery scrapped"
| Whether 1t was a case OF politica
ship or merely a simple coincidence
certain II IL that the announcement
OF Governor HuRhes's determination
not to allow the use Of his name as G
candidate for rem omination for tn,
governorship, could not have beer
better timed. The echoes Of politica
shouting ELECTED by the declaration
of Governor Hughes that he would no
run again had only died away to civ.
place to cries OF the regulars for {
regular" to lead the party, when lk,
an electric clock came the Aids scan
dal to show the bosses how pitabl,
weak they were.
The extent OF that weakness Is fun,
demon strated In the often-repen tec
assertion that IL Hughes will not rur
for the governorship again, then tn,
party must nominate candidate nc
ceptable to Hughes so the latter will
take the stump for the party ticket
. Truly President Taft spoke we'll whel
he characterized Governor Hughes a
the chief asset of the New York re
publicans.
HER OWN GENT.
Her Mistrasa (uho hoo raoal,,aa ~ -.