The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-06-18
HUGHES NO IClCLE
Says John Gravit in the New York Evening Post.

1t happens to have been my prlvi-
lege-I count 1t one OF the assets OF
N life-to see n good deal OF Charles
Evans Hughes during the four years
Of his service at Albany as governor
OF the state of New York: to see him
not only dE!.y in official action at the
Executive chamber. but in his own
home; to travel with him many hun
ireds Of miles; to talk with him on
subjects Of many kinds; to swap stor-
es with HMM short. to know the
man behind the official.
Tho net impression that remains
! With me out OF the memories of those
5tirring days is that of the most
jtraightforwarG. intellectually honest
Sransparently sincere person | have
Known; at the same time one of the
most companionable. most human Of
men It has been my fortune to be
brown with.
In a word. | think OF Hughes not
s the ruthless Investigator of gas
nd life insurance abuses; not as
he originator OF the public service
/ 9UAAlAdbkOu6 III sNtN ! VI u . ubl hN lllN
efender of the constitution in the
natter Of public gambling ut race
racks; not as the fighter for direct
ominations; but as a man-phcnom-
nally Clear-headed. sinGle-minded
nd incOnCeivably industrious, abso-
ltely fearless. to be sure. but human
y a%pproachable and friendly. good
atured, reasonable. jOvial-and on
he level with his job.
DepreCates Prodigy Story.
Hughes always has deprecated the
Tory that he was an infant prodigy.
lis parents did not encourage pre-
petty.
II was an omnivorous reader" he
Did me once. and Interested in cv-
rything that came along; my mind
as-clear and active. but il is not true
nat l found my recreation in Greek
1d Latin roots. OF amused my child
b hours in differential calculus!
II did read practically all OF
hakespeare's plays before | was $
sar old; but l read them for the
Dry"
Il was said at Brown university
at nobody in college had read any
ing like so much general literature
i'd drama as young Hughes. 1t IS
be said. however. that he never nc
hired the taste for literary drivel.
It during the winter OF l9O7-OS.
lille he was in one of his hardest
hts with the Legislature over some
the problems. the solution of which
arked his administration. he read
! Of the sw"ashbuckling novels OF
imas.
Petty Politics Unknown Ia Him.
He never has understood. as work
y politicians understand. the ms
d outs of local politics. 4 good part
his troubles with the Republican
g%anization were due to this fact.
d to the further fact that he came
20 political life without personal aC-
aintance with politicians. or even
HI the legitimate political customs
the day. But he realized his limi-
ions in this regard. and never tried
learn the game OF petty politics.
One OF the shrewdest of the polit-
I writer's. who twice a day faced
min the executive chamber for the
wapapers asked him once "A search
question. founded upon the reas.
ing of those to who politics is grist
the daily mill. The governor
ked at him grimly, inscrutably and
q:
I have nothing to say for publ
ion about that matter at the pres
time"
Then his lips began to twitch and
eyes to twinkle as he added.
But for your own information and
that you may not 90 astray about
I will say that / haven't the least
q what you are talking about
Ind not a man in the group had
slightest doubt that what he said
: true.
lime and again Hughes invaded
sdOmain OF some local leader to
he a speech at a fair. to visit a
2 institution, or what not: was
guest; was introduced by him to
seonsrituents-and afterward cX-
lied undisguised astonishment.
full appreciation OF the Joke
m the newspaper men told him he
been sitting at the very Preside
]. mar who would cheerfully cut
political throat.
Thought Stevens Dead.
Then he appointed the late Fred
K c. Stevens, who had been chair
i.of the a investigating commit
70 be superintendent of public
Ks, the political armament shook
IS foundations. The Wadsworths.
Ter and son. feudal lords OF
Invest New York. since time out
mind, only the year before had
blated Stevens "oi the map by
hct Reproducing the Legislative
riots Of the state, at grea, ev-
5e Of political maneuverinc: had
him "Out of business" beyonl
ne by anything but a polltica!
tcle. Hughes. thinking only Of