El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-06-17
By JOHN PALMER GAvIT.

Managing Editor New York Evening
Post.
IT HAPPENS to have been my privi
Iege-I count it one of the assets
u OF my Iife-to see q good deal OF
Charles Evans Hughes during the four
years Of his service at Albany as gov
ernor Of the state OF New York; TO
see him not only daily in official action
at the executive chamber. but in his
own home: to travel with him many
hundreds Of miles; to talk with him
on subjects OF many kinds: TO swap
stories with HMM short, to know the
man behind the official
The net impression that remains with
me out Of the memories of those stir
ring days is that Of the most straight
forward, intellectually honest, trans
parently sincere person ever have
known; at the same time one OF the
most companionable, most human men
il has been my fortune to be thrown
with.
In a word, I think Of Hughes, not as
the ruthless investigator Of gas and
life insurance abuses not as the origi-
natOr Of the public service commissions
in New York; not as the defender OF
the constitution in the matter OF pub
lie gambling at race tracks, not as the
FIGHTER for direct nominations; but as
man-phenOmenally clear headed.
single minded. and inconceivably in
dustrious. absolutely fearless. TO be
sure but humanity approachable and
friendly good natured. reasonable,
jOvial-and on the level with his job.
One night we came down from the
western part Of the state, after tour
OF the county fairs-durlng the memoir
able fight over the anti-gam milling legis-
lation 1t was. Through some failure of
arrangements no reservation had been
made on the east bound sleeper. There
were three Of US; the governor, Col
TreadweIl. his military secretary. and
myself There was but one berth.
Good story Teller.
No argument would induce the COVER
nor to take that berth Yes, he was
the governor; his rest was Of public
importance and all that-he knew, but
II made no difference; we were trav-
cling together, and we must share the
inconvenience So we rode together in
the smoking car, practically all night.
a smoking car at night is not the
most comfortable OF places; this one
happened 10 be full of labOrers and re-
dolent with many doors The COVER
nOrs silk hat on and off in the effort I
for physical comfort. came to look ike 1
that We had a jolly time The gov
ernor is q capital story teller, and his 4
laugh--you can hear it good distance |
must have disturbed more than one
sleeper in the crowded car
A Bar Room Episode.
Some Of the stories he told that night /
were Of his own experiences One was I
Of a time, early in his law practice.
when Hughes went TO the Far West I
as representative Of 2 syndicate OF /
bondholders which had undertaken 10
rescue a railroad in one OF the Pacific
Coast states from chaos Of insOl-
vency- The measure proposed as the /
result Of his report were misconstrued
by the people OF the locality most in
terested, and when Hughes went be-
fore the court where an aspect of the
case was 10 be passed uDon an angry
crowd Of railroad men filled the court !
room and Kissed him TO the echo Fear
lessly he faced them. fearlessly he said
his say, and when he finished he had 3
the crowd with him.
On his way home by night in the
midst Of the excitement. il was neces-
sary for him TO stop at a junction hotel
to wait several hours for his train. I
The hotel proprietor came TO his room
with the 0minous news that
the bar room below was filled with
2ursins railroad men promising to do
him harm.
Argues With Rough NeeLs.
Come quietly out this way" said the
hotel man, "and I will have you driven
over to the neighboring town I have
4 rig waiting at the back. These men
need not know that you have been
mere"
Where is this bar ROOM demanded
Hughes
He made the protesting landlord take
aim down there, walked into the midst
IF the ugly crowd, and
Good evening. gentlemeni VIII you /
Join me- What viii you have2"
And there he stayed. till traiu-time,
-alking things over. man to man
He told Us that night Of other ex-
oerlences Of 4 more intimate character,
which / may not repeat here; then, with (
/ shout Of laughter, ciapped his hand