The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-19

seem inadvisable from standpoint OF
party, cxpedieney. Justice Hughes
would be altogether available and per-
haps the strongest man who could be
ct. The argument Is Ilvance1 that Mr..
Hughes VIII not have been on tho
bench long enough 70 have been fer
g9nen as -, p,oiitician;t that hip
demonstrated by his election and re.
election as Governor of New York, and
that his ability az 81 campaiGncr OF OK
eeptional power was shown in the con-
test of 1908
Much is made of this last point. IT
Is recalled that the then Governor
Hughes was the most effective spell
binder that took the stump to help
elect President Taft. GovesnD. Hughes
was the principal speaker 1T the for.
mai opening of the 1908 c;t,rpaign at
youngstown. o.. and the speech he de-
liVered on that occasion vas mem
orable one. More copies Of 1t were
circulated by tho Republican Nptional
Committee than of any other campaign
document save the address of Mr.. Taft
accepting the presidential nomination.
Pleased the West.
IL is also recalled that at the be-
ginning of the campaign some little
doubt was expressed Us to the i'm
preston Hughes would make west OF
the A1leghanies. but after the Youngs-
town meeting all such doubt was dis
PtIltt i1c uUU SCUTcu IN IuSIlnldn-
eous hit, and throughout .he campaign
he was tho big drawing card OF the
Republicans.
There Is the further argument that
Mr.. Hughes is progressive enough to
suit, that wing of the Republican par
Is and not too much so to frighten of
the conservatives. And this argument
counts for much with the practical
politicians among the party leaders.
They realize that candidate who
~ ma Ind In x.c tiN.
progressive and independent vote OF
the country stands little chance OF
winning the. next presidential race.
Now this is not to be taken DC evil
been formally started and that the
publicity end of the game is already
under way Matters have not pro
crossed that far as yet The real
explanation of the Hughes talk is in
the judicial appointments that Presi-
dent Taft sent to the Senate last Mon
day. Those appointments. particularly
the selection of Associate Justice
White to be Chief Justice. did not
make an unqualified hit with the Re-
publican leaders in Congress. Quite
TO the contrary. These Republicans
were unable to understand why Presi-
dent Taft could not find n Republican
for the highest judicial ilonors within
his gift instead of Democrat of the
old school
Without disparaging Justice Whites
judicial learning and fitness for the
post, they contended that the honor
should have gone to Republican. and
the fact that the appointment of Jus
tice White was speedily confirmed by
the Senate Is far from conclusive evil
dence that 1t pleased the majority
gress.
Moreover. there Is feeling among
The conservatives that President Taft.
whose record of performance up to
is leaning a trine too far in the d.
rection of tho prorressives, and in
support of this 1t is pointed out that
the appointments to the Supreme
Court, to the Court Of Commerce and
to the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion made on Monday will probably
make those bodies progressive rather
than conservative when they come to
pass on the questions of tremendous
Importance to the business interests
of the country that will be put UP to
them.
Taft's II He Wants IT.
,, Little of open hostility to President
Taft has been expressed. Instead the
dent may decide himself to step aside
and not seek a second term, and it
seems to be generally conceded now
that If the President is disposed to
claim denomination and put up Il
fight for 1t he can have It. and have
II without opposition save such as may
come from the extreme progressivcs
Behind this preliminary grooming of
a purpose on the part of certain crafty
Eastern Republicans to preclude the
possibility of former President Roose-
welt looming UP too big in the politics
of the next two years Roosevelt is
in control of the New York organi-
cation. He has been placed in the
Down and Out Club by most of the
ultra conservatives burt they want to
make sure that he retains his member
ship in that club
With no other New Yorker in the
field 1t might be comparatively easy
Tor Colonel Roosevelt to corral the
New York delegation to the next Re-
national convention. and it
seems to be the consensus of opinion
among the conservatives that there Is
no New Yorker in sight who could
Iorestall that save possibly Justice
Hughes.