Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-05-31

A FAVORITE amusement. thel

A FAVORIIE amusement, these days with
n some newspapers and many politicians,
too clever by half is spreading snares for
Judge Hughes They are having great fun de-
yising little tricks 10 catch him. They try one
artful plan after another to Smoke him out"
AS each fails they bring out another, This one
must work. How can he keep silent when we
have amassed evidence to show that he is in
the pay OF the kaiser? How he refuse TO
say anything when all the world beside is gar
rulous; The latest demand upon him to speak
or die was made at Oyster Bay. In his finest
Joseph Surface manner, the colonel declared
that "a man who al time like this did not
vocifcrously endorse Amercanism, in the sole
keeping Of Roosevelt must be against it, That II
was said with chuekles, will surely fetch the
Judge. But il didn't and so the merry work OF
laying traps for Hughes goes The petty
methods Of the courticrs OF Lilliput outdone.
1t would be we'll for these crafty gentlemen
10 strive TO enlarge their minds so as to grasp
one or two facts that are fundamental in all this
matter. They ought 10 try to conceive Of man
who is not burning with ambition 10 become
president. consistent theory Of Mr. Hughes
bearing, 50 far would be that he is disposed
neither 10 seek the presidency-certainly not by
any kind OF political artifiee-nor to refuse it.
If the offer OF nomination comes in the way
which he has made up his mind would be call
10 public duty It is conceivable that he has
marked out for himself course Of conduct
which, in any event, will leave his judicial dig
nifty and his personal motives beyond challenge.
II his party makes a serious and united demand
for his services, without any expressed wish on
his part-surely without any wire-pulng by
him--he will doubtless yield 10 H. But If Chi
cago witnesses wild scramble in the conyeh-
ton, with politicians pulling and hauling and
lighting and bargaining, it is quite possible that
Mr. Hughes will send the word which Charles
Francis Adams sent TO the liberal republicans
AZ Cincinnati in 1872; Take my name out Of
that galley"
Either way, and whether Judge Hughes de-
cdes to make public utteranee before the
convention or not, II is absurd TO suppose that
all these 'tricking facilities" OF politicians and
newspapers opposed 10 him are going TO en-
barrass him or sway his action. People in New
York have seen traps laid for Charles Hughes
before Nor can they have forgotten how he
smashed the whole lot In 1906 Hearst and
his astute advisers were going to have such
jolly time with the corporation lawyer unvcrsed
N the wiles Of politics But the assailants
speedily became the assailed In the language
Of the Tennessee mountaneer, Hearst was the
mighticst hunter that ever we see, till tibet thar
catamount TUX arter me" And again in 1908
some Of the smartest heads in the democratic
party drew up a set OF supposedly unanswerable
questions which they got poor Mr.. Chanler to
put TO Hughes, Hughes answered every one
instanter and then in turn asked Chanler some
questions which that unlucky candidate dared
not even attempt 10 answer 20 the last day Of
the campaign. And il any Philistines think that
Samson has forgotten how 10 burst the withes
with which they seek TO bind Kim, they are apt
to learn something in the next few weeks very
much TO their disadvantage
=
There are various ways in which Mr.. Hughes
may let his position be known lie may elect
to delay until the republican platform is written
The question then might fairly be put to him
whether he would be content to stand on it,
And II the document proves to be that strong
affirmation OF national belief and duty which it
is predicted that it will be- Hughes acceptance
OF II would at once put an end to all the sly
nsinuatons about his attitude which now
peddled around Or Mr. Hughes may think
II right TO take some step to let his views be
known before the convention meets lie did
this in 1903 He then said, in his speech to the
Republican club, that whenever il became
duty to speak, II have no desire 10 remain ST.
lent Nor should | in any event care to pre-
serve availability at the expense Of candor."
The fact that Hughes is now Judge Of the
supreme court may justify him in feeling that
what he did as governor he ought not to do
now But one thing is certain: II the time
comes, soon or late, when he thinks il incum-
bent on him 10 speak out, it will be found that
he has not lost his swinging stroke, And all
the nets and webs which now being laid TO
entrap him he will cut away with one sweep OF
his word.