The daily Nome industrial worker., 1916-09-30
changed?
"GOXERNOR HUGHES.

public spech before he becomes a member of the Supreme Court, Gov ernor Hughes of New York said, among other things: II think It would be a decided improvement if the Governor were elected for four | years and were ineligible for re- election, and if the other state off, | cers now elective were made ap- pointive heads of departments. It would also be to the advantage of the administration, if the various heads of departments who are ap- pointed by the governor were re- movable by him instead of the Sen ate".
 The governor spoke, as he gener~ ally speaks, in the interest of the. class to which be belongs. He ap parently fears, and objects to, the people yielding too great an influ- ence upon elected officers, and would accordingly make it appear that they do not owe their position in any way to the popular will. Nor from his point of view can 1t be questioned but that he is correct During his gubernatorial career, he has left no doubt whatever as to where he stood upon all questions, and he clearly sees that in order to carry out the business designs of business administration for business men, the heads of all departments must bc free in every way from popular control
 Moreover It has been borne in upon Governor Hughes that a two year term for the governor of such state as New York, necessitates i too much conformity to the popular demands in order that the popular vote may be forthcoming to one 1 two years is hardly sufficient to car ry out the designs of the capitalist class which it is taken for granted, for some time to come, will control l the political power of the state. It has often been urged that out side influence never acted upon Gov ernor Hughes. But repeatedly his actions have shown that inasmuch as his sentiments were in complete accord with the employing classes, there was no need whatever to in- | fluence him. Indeed, it is very prob able that any attempt to do so would have been resented by him, and, what was to have been avoided at all costs, called for reconsider ation of a position altogether favor able to the capitalists. Such man as Hughes seems to have been spe- cially adapted for the Supreme Bench. In that position he will have to render an account of his stewardship to no man or set of men, and the breath of popular au- thority can affect him not. He will have for his fellow justices men of same class as himself, and privileged with the privileges few modern mo- narchs retain. A consideration for the ambitious hopes of the. workers need never more be his, now that he will become associate justice of a body which heretofore when ques- tions of labor legislation came be fore it, seems to have been chiefly concerned with trying to find theil
 nconstitutionality.
 So many so-called high minded
 men, and so many undoubtedly higr
 principled men, look upon the inufi
 ence of the people upon govern
 mental positions as inimical to tht
 best interests of the nation, nova
 days, that Governor Hughes is by nc
 means a political anomaly. H'
 voices a sentiment which has al
 ready found many sympathizers, ant
 many actual realizations in the com
 mission form of government o
 those cities such as Galveston wher,
 the initiative, referendum and re
 call are not in force.
 Instinctively, it does seem, tn
 capitalist class is seeking to guart
 itself against the future, and da, , by day tends to restrict the right : of the masses. It is undoubtedl. one of the paradoxes call for ex planation that while the initiative ! raforanduu and raraII arc in s0m,