The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1916-09-08
HUGHES A DISAPPOINTMENT
He Allowed His Audience to Get Away
From Him.

Nashville, September $50 far a!
the republican party in Tennessee ]:
concerned, it would have been infinite
w better off if Charles E. Hughes, it:
nominee for president, had not lifted
his voice in Nashville tonight. lie wa:
disappointing even to democrat.
There certainly should be no dispo-
sition on the part of a representative
of a great newspaper TO build false
impression around the candidate Of a
great party for the presidency of the
United States and most assuredly
there isn't. But, verify, the appear
ance of Mr.. Hughes tonight was one
of the most pathetic occurrences, out
side of a memorial service that ever
took place in the Ryman Auditorium
1t did accomplish two purposes. II
enabled the Nashville newspapers to
observe prominently that it was the
first visit of a republican presidential
candidate to Tennessee. Furthermore,
it confirmed, without right of denial,
the report that woeful failure has fol-
lowed the track of Mr.. Hughes in this
campaign journey which has taken him
from the Atlantic to the Pacific and
almost back again.
OF course one would not expect a
southern city like Nashville to bub-
BILE over with enthusiasm for Mr..
Hughes. About the best that could be
expected was that it would give him a
respectful hearing. The speaker ought
to be able to do the rest.
Mr.. Hughes simply couldn't get to
the heart of his audience. To all in
tents and purposes it might as well
have been a gathering Of the amalga-
mated sewing circles Of America.
The last republican campaign speak
er Of note who appeared in Nashville
was Leslie VI. Shaw. That was more
than ten years ago. He was at that
time secretary Of the treasury. A
magnificent audience greeted him. 1t
was a Nashville audience, democratic
and respectful 1t was distant-Mr.
Shaw saw it was distant. He fought
the audience. He whipped it into at
tention, and left it still democratic,
but sorry that he came to Tennessee
after all. Mr.. Hughes found an audi
ence that was distant, a little cold, but
willing TO listen, In personal appear
ance he is somewhat progressing,
His voice, though not that of an ora
tor, still, is not displeasing. His GEES
lures are more fitted for the court
room than for the platform. But that
was all right. His audience tonight
expected to hear a great lawyer. They
did hear a great lawyer, but they
heard the poorest campaigner since
James Buchanan.
Right at the very first Mr.. Hughes
let the audience get away from him.
Of course state which rolls up 10O,-
900 republican votes every two years
can muster up many sympathizers.
The boys were here from up at the
head of the creeks in East Tennessee.
They were here from the Tennessee
River country. They cheered thebest
they could, but they were cheering the
republican party, not its candidate.
There is always lot of pent-up en-
thusiasm in any audience. They like
to cheer. They like the music. Mr..
Hughes faced an audience that would
have cheered him if it coud have had
the faintest excuse, and still have vot-
ed for Woodrow Wilson. As it was
they cheered for Wilson at every op-
portunity.
The main trouble with Mr.. Hughes
was that he had absolutely nothing to
offer. In the 45 minutes he spoke, he
made you forget that he was candi-
date for the presidency He made you
feel that he was arguing a brief with
out a bill of particulars. He spent 10
minutes presenting the virtues of a
protective tariff in a state which gave
a free trader like James K. Polk to a
nation. He spent another Is minutes
in telling about the administration
Mexican policy. Yet he offered no
remedy. He talked for 10 minutes on
labor conditions. Still proposed moth
ing that had not already been accom-
phshed for them. He recited in a
very regular, legislative campaigner
sort Of way his program for military
preparedness and wound up for eff
cheney in the departments Of the gov
eminent.
This was the sum total of his speech
Of as minutes.
But this might be tempered with
the reflection that Mr.. Hughes is hav-
ing trouble he had not dreamed of.
Rhetoricians and stylists teach that a
pointed question is the most burning
form of argument. Mr.. Hughes no
doubt has realized this. Sometime ago
a delegation of voters and publicists
got up list of questions and submit
ted them to Mr.. Hughes. The demo-
cratic national committee has had the
audacity to bring the questions to Mr.
Hughes attention in every city he has
spoken in during this campaign.
This morning they were printed as
a large advertisement in the Nashville
Tennessean and American. Yesterday
morning they were printed in st.
Louis. Tomorrow they will be printed
in Lexington, KY. At the top of these
questions are the words Eyes or No
Mr.. Hughes ?" Mr.. Hughes has never
answered one of them. They are inter-
esting. Here they are:
First, Would you have filed instant
protest against the invasion Of Bel
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