Arizona republican., 1911-09-14

f1uSnSS an improbable NdnCiCdIes
The New York Herald of Monday.
this week, stated that the leaders of
the insurgent republicans had reached
an agreement to concentrate their
forces in an effort to bring about the
nomination of former Governor
Hughes Of New York as the repub-
lican candidate for the presidency
next year. Senator La Toilette, ac-
cording to the Herald, is to with
draw from the contest and support
Hughes.
So lar, the Herald's announcement
IS without confirmation from insur-
gent sources; but as to that, confirm
alton would no doubt await the result
of the country's reception Of the news
in any event On the face Of it the
alleged plan seems improbable, for
the simple reason that the voluntary
retirement of La Toilette from the
HmeHght is altogether unlikely. Not
the least interesting feature of the
story is the assumption that Mr..
Hughes would be willing to return to
the arena of politics from his place
on the supreme bench of the United
States.
Should the report prove true, how
ever. il would be evidence of u politi-
cal sagacity which the insurgent
leaders have not been suspected of
possessing heretofore. Justice Hughes
would be the strongest candidate
against Mr.. Taft that could possibly
be found 1t is conceivable that he
might become a really formidable OPP
ponent. But the probabilities at this
time are against the development OF
a great boom for him. Although
politicians try to cultivate the fiction
that it is a common thing for public
clamor to force a man into running
for office, the fact is that it is ex-
tremely seldom that a nomination is
achieved unless the prospective candi-
date actively hustles for it-this rule
applies to all offices from president
down to constable. And Charles E.
Hughes is the last man in the public
life Of the present day whom we
should expect to. make a practical
effort for his own advancement He
could have become a powerful candi-
date for the presidential nomination
in 1908, if he had consented to do
politics" after the orthodox style. As
governor Of New York he was in a
position to name a delegation from
his own state which would have
stood firmly for him TO the last.
But he stubbornly resisted all the
opportunities Of the politicians who
tried to lead him to be practical"
and the elements in various other
states which could have been rallied
to his support were ignored by him.
He was willing to accept the nominal
ton if it came his way without ef-
fort on his part. but that was the
utmost length he would go in con-
senting to be a candidate. And now
that he is a justice of the United
States supreme court, his position as
well as his own temperament pre-
cludes him from becoming an active
aspirant for the presidency.
No honest republican newspaper
viii attempt to disguise the fact that.
notwithstanding the splendid record
made by President Taft; notwith-
standing the fact, admitted every
where. that he is one of the best and
most conscientious presidents the
country has ever had, selfish and I'M
scrupulous politicians and unscrupu-
lous papers and undertaking maya
zines have succeeded in creating a
baseless prejudice against him with
in his own party. But this preju-
dice is disappearing. and he is
stronger with the country now than
at any time since the early days of
his administration; and should La
Toilette be the only candidate against
him for the nomination the opposi-
ton would make a sorry showing in
the national convention. II is only a
remote possibility that a contest
worthy of the name will develop, and
Justice Hughes seems to be the only
nossibIe leader of a real opposition
TO his denomination