Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-21
HUGHES AND THE PRESIDENCY
Although the Justice Declined Allow the Use of His Name,
Men Are Still Talking About Him They Did Before the
Last Campaign, When He Withdrew in Favor of Taft
By GEORGE w. DOUGLAS

governorshp. He was elected, and served
with such fair -mindedness that the practical
politicians had no use for him and they were
anxious to turn him down. The convention
met to nominate his successor. Hughes was
not represented by single delegate who had
any authority to speak for him. The con-
vention remained in session two or three
days trying to work up courage enough to
nominate some one else. But the longer 1t
waited the more certain 1t appeared that
Hughes must be indorsed IL the party was
to be saved from defeat. Then Hughes en-
tered the campaign for reelection, or, rather,
he stumped the State.
He did not campaign for reelection in the
ordinary meaning of those words. He was
the most Indifferent man in the whole party
If the State wished him to continue to serve
1t as Governor he would respond to the call
of duty. If it did not wish him to remain in
Albany he would return to his law practice
in perfect content Old campaigners said
they had never before seen a candidate so
Indifferent to his personal fortunes. They
had seen men enter a campaign without much
enthusiasm, but as it progressed the man
grew interested and became eager to win
as any young college student in a 1O0-yard
dash on the athletic field.
LOShSNSS ILS IGOpl6 hulo
But the fundamental principle in the po-
lltlcal philosophy of this man was evidently
that the people rule and that their verdict
must be accepted, regardless of its effect upon
the promotion or demotion of any man. He
put it up to the voters in this way and made
them understand that they, and not he were
on trial They could have what they wanted
If they wanted the kind of an administra-
xyIi hoa ufxr
willing to continue it; but If they wanted an
other kind they must assume all the respon-
sibllity. OF course, he was reelected, and
he served out his term and returned to his
law office
OF such stuff is the man made whom Col
onel Roosevelt said in Portland Ore, on
Monday the Progresslves could support for
the presidency, He has not been connected
with any factions. He was in the safe seclu-
sion of the. courtroom during the bitter fac
tional fight of 1912 which resulted in the most
disastrous defeat the Republican party has
known in it's whole history, and since then
he has been attending to his judicial duties
When he was summoned TO political office
in New York against his will he obeyed
Whether he would respond next year to the
call of the Republican national convention is
an open question. There are men who main
tain that he would do what no man has ever
done before and decline the nomination after
1t was made. and there are others who be-
heve that his sense of duty is so acute that
he would turn his back on the judicial career
which is to his liking and strive to serve his
country as President If 1t should so will. But
Justice Hughes himself probably does not
know at this time what he would do IL he
should be nominated for the presidency with
any degree Of unanimity