Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-03-20
THE POLITICAL
CAuLDR0N b0ILS
At WASHINGTON
Persistent Agitation of Name of
Hughes for Nominee May
Force Him to Change Mind

I
| WASHINGTON. March 1e.-Politics az
much as Mexico or preparation is the
absorbing topic at the capital. Inc
country knows the day OF preventive
medicine in Mexico is past. Even
-houeh United States troops nave
crossed the border. the feeling sun
nrayaiis in Washington that the ad-
,i,is.ration doctors are still feeo1hs
the patient sugar ana water s'iH p
crastirating on an all too apparent
diagnosis, still unwilling to take the
decisive. even heroic. steps Wh!ch no"
seem essential.
How Long This Delay!
Washington believes the day VIII
eventually come WHEN it will be neces-
cow ~ rse the lance and scalpel OH
Nax;co R,,- the country has held this
.a1iar for some wears now. Sucn d
,o,,;neencv no longer excites. 1t does
,,a, n-ovoke keen interest no"
,ars .i,, political expetiency counsei
aa,av bali-measures and inolcislFe re-
suits Just as the polltlcal piiaee
international situation CLAIMED i'ia1
attention. just as the poii'ics u
raraduess still obtrudes. so no" p'
i,;cs and Mexico cannot be oissot1"'eN'
And Washington talks po1'icS-
rba North Dakota primary neA'
Tuesday wil, elect a SOLID Id
l.,.ea,ion. Though there are t"o si"'1
!, TIC field in North Dakota oo'h az
1901 - ,he Wis cons!l seha to'
VIE Fairbanks. CLmmins, La roi
i,e,,e Will the. Chicago cohNe't!ul
-o.,;,ate one OF these to give 81,
president wilson, Favorite sons y" ~
,,.v TOO important a part III ei'7
;as If ,he Republican convention ~
ner,,it disparaging remarks a. o.
t.,aee Of the game. Hence II IL ','a
noli,icians in washington
.,.a 70 discount the chances "i ",,S
a+oresaid aspirants. espec'ai'
Mr. Weeks. eo.. !, OBJ
1rners Of hotel Hobbies. IN WIS. .
-;rcs and mutterings. Ise nam -
.,ar i most frequently men'ioi'7 "
ahot- ~ man who is not an as
nirant. who would prefer nv.
president. Belief becomes
With the passing Of weeks anu ''.o
ma, The man TO square on ;,,
woodrow Wilson next Nc'eii''
NO Justice Charles Evans HuSiie
Moreover. there is CROWNS
njcion that President Wilson recoS ii.A.
-be eyentuality. The Branoels ap'oit'e
WON'T the probable White House
dar.d confirmation Of the Boston Id"
~. aosni,a the mass Of testimony pre-
.an.ed tn the judiciary sub commune
oonveys a strengthening lmpress'o'
~. president Wilson would have the
pa,rtl;can marty recognize the mex
,,ad;e,cy Of another vacancy on lte
s,,nro,oe bench. Then Vice PRESIDENT
Marshall. the Presidents teamilia &
and ,oyal friend. in his usual FRANK
and disingenuous way declared recentis
before the Chicago Bar Association
..1Jow splendid a tribute TO 'ha'
grea, body ,the supreme COURT -
that Mr.. Justice Hughes has prohip'is
refused 10 permit his name to ne useu
as a candidate for President OF tAe
I-nited States. His refusal makes MIN
as great an American as thoush ne
were President. pulled hither ana thiti1
CT by the contending hopes ana 1eaFs
OF ambitious politicians. The man VINO
/ becomes member Of the supreme
, court is somehow sobered by the
weiehtv responsibilities, and for the
rest Of his life he is a vestal virgin
trimming the lamps at the altar OF
equal and exact justice. Voluntarily he
blinds lis ewes to politics. and with
draws from the fever and tumult Of
polit;caI life. He ceases to be an ind!-
yidual and becomes a part Of a great
system
The worthy ep.taph which VicePresi'
dent Marshall raises over the political re-
mains OF GOV. Hughes seems 10 many
little premature. No one denies that JUS
tce Hughes would greatly prefer to cog
time his public duty on the supreme
bench He is not a candidate for the
presidency and will not be a candidate
for the presidency.
However. Justice Hughes throughout
his public life has manifested high con
ception Of public duty. HIS position rish
now is fraught with troublesome annoy
ances Of which he would rid himself il
he knew how But he cannot deny tina
the call Of the people becomes com
mand in the higher concept of democratic
and representative government
II the people OF We country 'oi''i'ue y
manifest their displeasure with the Dem
ocratic party. as they are now dons
whenever they have the opportunity. il
the call is for Justice Highes to give ba:
tie to Woodrow Wilson. as seems no
: unlikely. Nj. Hughes cannot decline te
respond to the command.
In Massachusetts alone is there nov
threats of a split in the Republican
j.. ranks. The Bay State gap is not the con
. tinuance Of the breach of 1912 but rattle
is reopenng of the old wound for ex
perimental purposes by ambitious politi
cal youngsters. Few Republicans or Pro
: gressives outside the Bay State have
much sympathy for the tactics promised
by the Cushing-Bird coterie in Massachu
sets