Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-06-15
HUGHES WON FAME
BY DISTINGUISHED
PUBLIC SERVICE
Work as Gas and Insurance In
vestigator Paved Way to
GOvernOrship-Kept PO-
litical Promises.

Huert record for public service And
It has ever been this record which has
hirected to him the favorable attention
of the public. He has never been
known as a politician seeking office on
the promise Of prediction utterances.
but rather as man. who has done
something of which the public has ap-
proved, and for which the voters, on the
occasions Of two gube,ratorial elections,
have put him into power for further
accomplishment
But the very emphasis on the public
mind of this record and of particular
aspects of Mr. Hughes position has
made him the object of one sided, in
stead of comprehensive. popular esti-
mate. For example, the cold directness
and mental mastery with which he con-
ducted the insurance investigation OF
l905-05 caused him to he known as the
searchight." and he was generally re-
garded as a keen, hard man, who. from
rrecocious childhood to Intellectual ma
turity, was interested only in facts and
figures far above the heads of the COM
Saratve mediocrities who admirel him.
The truth, however, is. according to
those who know Mr. Hughes best that
he has always been distinctly human. ."
and, though possessing unusual mental
powers has loved best to rub elbows"
with companions in all classes of life
His friends know him ms a storY-teller
equal to Lincoln. and of his spontane-
Gus nature they constantly talk
Mr.. Hughes was born April II. 1862,
at Glens Falls n. Y, where his father,
the Rev. DR.. David Charles Hughes.
was pastor of the Baptist Church.
Early in his youth the family moved to
Newark, where the boy received his
elementary education in the public
schools Despite Mr. Hughes assertion
that he was not prccocious. the fact
stands that he finished public school at
II years of age and had to spend sew
eral years at home studying under his
father because he was too young to
go to college.
From 1881 until 1859, Mr.. Hughes
taught mathematics Mt Delaware
Academy. Delhi, at the same time at
tending the Columbia Law school. In
thus dividing his time between teaching
and the law. he keenlv disappointed the
hope Of his parents that he would sue
coed his father as Baptist minister
But. though he abandoned the ministry
Mr. Hughes never gave 10 his church.
When he was Governor of New York
he was elected to the presidency of the
American BAPTIST society.
Mr. Hughes was admitted to the New
York bar in 1884, but did not at once
devote all Of his time to the practice Of
his profession, holding. from 1854 until
1857. a prize fellowship in the Columbia
Law school ms leS"l at'Nl.S "e7"n
IN 'he Office Oh Ohh'''"e '1'
fornpioWer' where nc was .''. "
In lsNS' MI h"g"eS n'"''Ie" Nl''''',,'o
carter "auph''r "i
senior mehpcr u ms !'l"' N"'"'
same time ne became h'h'Se'i '"e'l'OeI
OF the hrn' Wh'ch en-" 'Se' us ''''''e w
Garter, HCgheS l'NlNnr
From 1871 uhul 4''" MI ''uS'.'9 vas
professor or law IN 'orreH III. e' si.S :
retiring from ms law prat'ice III U'''
city to MI ms col''Se uutie9- nc
turned to active Ia" Ph"'u'e III '''''
but continued as spe'i
the Cornell ana New 1orh Law HN''''''
He was thus engaged Ill aouH'
in 1906, when ms punhc me peS""'
When State senator freuerl'h y "'eN
ems came to New YORK IN 1919 TO hives
tigate the gas companies az the head ol
a legislative committee, In the "oIus Oh
one who wrote OF the OCCASION IN
stead Of hiring legal star or poi't'1'.
lawyer he took Mr. hughes as co"lisel
for the committee MI fushes ia"
made a reputation among lawyers as m
expert on contracts and involved agree
ments, and Senator stevens discoNereo
him for the committee ana the puhlic'
AS counsel for the gas inVcsuga'iht
committee he disclosed haws IN some
franchises proved 'he eHPir'''' -
other franchises and included SO many
facts In logical report mat on 'he
strength OF this showing the next LEXIS
lature ended many gas evils ana cut
the price of gas to eighty cents
In the Investigation MI HuRhes Tor
the first time showed his capaoillt'es 70
the public. and when the Arms'rohE
investigating committee came 10 Town
some months late" 10 prone INTO insur-
ance conditions he was the LOGICAL cholco
Tor counsel
AS counsel Tor the Armstrong commit
and ne seized H. lie was soon recoS-
nlZed as 'he master man OF inc ihNeS''-
cation ana u was ms uhraNei'hE OF CONF
phcated Jennings MS exposure oil cor
r. Ton III coNereu p'aoes' ms co'i'Prcneh-
son OF nsures ana .he'r s'shincance mat
resulted IN the root'hS up OF many IN
surance evils anu inc reore""'"a''oi' Oh
inc business a'"''N ii'o'e """'eA"''' H''S'
MT hushes a'"o 'e'Veu az " "P''''' as
sistant 10 the bhl'cd St"'es attorney gem