The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-21
III Hughes Had Not Been Named.

Many considerations entered into
the nomination OF Justice Hughes, but
one of the most important was that
in him the Republican party believed
1t should put its best foot foremost
Mr.. Wilson was evidently strong as
candidate. and over and over again
Republican leaders warned their folks
that 1t was not an easy task to defeat
him. OF the candidates before the
convention most of the delegates be-
lieved Hughes was by all odds the
one to confront Wilson. Neither
Fairbanks, Sherman, Burton, Cum
Minis. nor Weeks could be pictured as
making strong popular appeal; they
would make old-fashioned, jog-trot
campaigns, ringing the changes on
the tariff, prosperity and other Re-
publican slogans, but none had the
strength and power to focus all the
spoken and unspoken dissatisfaction
with the administration in himself
and pour II out in a way to make that
administration cover Hughes could ,
Hughes was the man. Only the sus-
picious Colonel paused and SHE'D, de-
handing evidence that this candidate
was not another gold brick; the
rest required no evidence and bought
their pig in poke.
The poke has been open for nearly
what difference there would have been
If one Of the favorite sons had been
nominated instead of the mighty
Hughes. Suppose Fairbanks had been
nominated, and had now been swing
ing round the circle for three weeks.
What would he have done? He has
been before the public for twenty
years, and we all lnow his style. He
would not have initiated Mr.. Hughes
attempts at vigor OF expression. would
not have said that he was 100 per
cent a candidate" or did not want
any hot air in his: but he would
have talked about prosperity in this
city. about the tariff in that, he would
have evaded the hyphen issue. have
talked generalties about Wilson's
European policy. merely leaving the
impression that there was something
very bad about 1t without specifying
what. and have had good deal to ga y
about Mexico. He would have had no
one strong line Of attack, but would
have scattered a number Of unrelated
didn't like in the Wilson policies, and
he would always have concluded with
tribute to the Republican party as
the only one At to be trusted with
government. In what respect Ii the
campaign Hughes 10 making any Inn
provement whatever. In what respect
IS II even slightly different, from the
kind of campaign We know Fairbanks
would have made?
The same thing 10 true OF all the
other favorite sons who were 80
lightly regarded and so complacently
discarded by the convention. Weeks
would not have been 90 saccharine as
Fairbanks. and he would have talked
moro about protection and prosperity
but not much. Cummins would have
talked fully ~ much about Mexico and
fully a. little about the hyphen a.
Hughes We know exactly what kind
OF campaign Burton would have con-
ducted from the kind of campaign he
made before tho primaries: II would
have been ~ like HugheSa ~ one, +
10 like another. OF course there ir
nothing noteworthy In tho fast that
each 81 ths1s men would have talked
on kha same issues ~ Mr.. Hughes
has: Tho point Il that they would have
dOaA n II 5ust the same wny. because
ne4 - " them has tbs power Of
- 1la1o Aiapentenz AaA making u