New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-26
WITH THE HUGHES BANNER.

II the Republican convention AT
Saratoga will give us Hughes on a
Hughes platform 1t will make victory
certain in November. The ticket will
not have much to beat--DiX. who has
sunk lower in public esteem than any
other Governor In generation Tor
some one else less discredited person
ally, perhaps, but inviting the state
10 try again the experiment of Muir
ply domination). and Straus. worthy
man as he IS, who regards as Gov
enant with the people programme
which would make popular govern
ment a continuous performance OF
elections, recalls and referendums. a
thing OF impulse and demagogy and
Of endless deafening turbulence. What
a relief a Hughes candidate and a
Hughes platform would be to the sober
electorate of the state. sore beset as 1t
is by the turn political conditions have
taken,
II is true that such ticket would
be nominated by badly split party.
But they reckon Ill who attempt to
appraise party prospects this year by
a reference 70 last year's political al
manac. Splits are everywhere. Be
meath the surface the Democratic
party is badly wrenched and torn.
The upstate Democrats have under
gone the humiliation Of Murphy dOmi-
nation for two years and have no
stomach for more Of il. The indepen-
dent Democrats are ashamed Of their
part in fastening the Tammany boss
upon the state two years ago, and are
bent upon striking him down In order
10 make their party one IN which they
can stay without nausea. Moreover,
the whole party has seen the spectacle
" the contempt which Democrats
I'M the entire nation poured upon the
IS at Baltimore and upon the repre-
itativeS Of the state who were will
to be controlled by such as he,
nj # has just seen the Democratic
indicate for President giving the
Joss the cold shoulder, compelled by
the fear Of suffering in the estimation
Of the country by seeming willing TO
associate with him. The shame Of all
this has burned deep into the con-
seriousness of the state. And nothing
that the boss is likely to do in response
10 pressure from the national leaders
of hij party will give the public such
assurance Of safety for the state from
Murphyism that it would not welcome
and elect such a Governor as the last
Republican Governor on such plat
form as would represent his political
views.
A large contract, 1t will be said. for
the convention to I'll. But the party
succeeded in filing the order once be-
fore when defeat seemed certain. AL
that is necessary is a candidate who
will inspire confidence in the breadth
and sanity Of his views, the integrity
Of his character, his freedom from en-
tanglements and his sympathy with
the popular aspirations. And q Hughes
platform merely calls for sense on the
part Of the convention. Only through
adopting such a platform can the party
90 TO the polls with any confidence.
10 abandon direct primaries would be
folly. It must keep faith with the peo-
pie, giving them a real means of max
ing and controlling nominations In
place Of the fraudulent device Of Muir
ply. and one that IS safe from abuse
by demagogues or corruptionlsts. To
close its eyes to the aspirations OF the
people for more perfectly representa-
tive government, for more equal justice
between man and man, for that steady
betterment Of conditions which is the
constant aim Of humanity would
equally be party madness. The dele
gates must not permit themselves 10
be paralyzed by the thought that out
" the unrest Of the hour springs
Rooseveltsm with it's menace to
our institutions. The best safeguard
against revolution is n party whose
success means real progress.