New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-11

from the Governorship OF the state OF
New York on October 6, 1910. to assume
his duties as justice Of the United
States Supreme Court. TO which Presi-
dent Taft had appointed him, he had
completed virtually four years Of service
as the states Chief Executive. He had
made many violent enemies who had
proved 20 be Of great value TO him
politically and q host Of loyal and en-
thusiast!c supporters, and he found
himself acclaimed by the best element
in both parties as one of the best
Governors this or any other state in
the Union had ever had.
Governor Hughes left behind him a
rroup Of laws Of great importance
which stamped him as builder-an
executive of constructive ability. But
more than that he left higher stand
ard OF conduct in once. one by which
all candidates for high executive place
have since been measured and will be
measured for years TO come.
The Man with the Goods"
And the people of the country at
large knew il. Out in little town in
Minnesota, when Governor Hughes was
campaigning for the election Of Nh.
Taft. one of his party asked a railroad
brakeman what he thought of him.
well" said the man, I'VE people
out here have been watching this man
Hughes. We've seen him TO be man
after our own hearts. He's been
honest; he's been on the level; he's
played no fsvorites; he's seen that big
things needed TO be done for the
people OF your state, and he's made
good in doing them. We can tell the
difference between a four-husher and
. man with the goods very quickly.
Hughes is the man with the goods"
"A Constructive Investigator"
Thoroughly to understand the things
which Governor Hughes did for the
state in his four years of Office it Is
necessary 10 comprehend the manner
in which he was swept into public
Office. His public life began when he
was taken, man unknown save 70
small circle Of lawyers, 70 be counsel
20 the legislative committee which in
vestigated the lighting situation in
this city. From that investigation
finally came New Yorks s0-cent gas
law. That service was followed
speedily by his retention as counsel to
the legislative committee which in
vestigated insurance conditions and
uncovered monumental scandals.
A state election came after the in
surance reform measures drafted by
Hughes the investigator had become
law. The issues were the issues made
bv that Investigation. The ellmlna-
ton. so far as possible, of the banefvl
influence of big business from poll
tics was the chief one; the others
didn't count much.
State Regulation of Corporations.
In striking recommendation in
his first message to the Legislature he
urged the creation of state agency
for supervising and regulating public
service corporations-the railroad and
street railway companies, the gas AMI
electric lighting companies. The state
on the face Of the records already had
two such bodies-the State Railroad
Commission and the so-called Lighting
Commission. Both were the refuge OF
oficeholding politicians; neither under
the laws had adequate powers to en-
a.
tons"
The Governor wanted no such mock
cry of state regulation. AS the legis-
lative session went on and the fight Of
the corporate interests through their
puppets in the Legislature and politi-
cal circles against his reform waxed
hotter he outlined his proposition in
detail In public speeches. Meantime.
the Governor and little group Of
friends, his secretary. Robert II. Full
Ter, and his counsel, Senator Alfred R.
Page, were framing the bill. As
passed II represented largely the
Governors personal work It became
the first law in tho country dealing
rigidly with public service corpora
tions.
A Model for Other States.
That law, passed despite corporate
influence and the efforts Of political
bosses, immediately became the model
for measures in other states. Almost
precise duplicate Of 1t was intro
duced IN the New Jersey Legislature. In
Connecticut, Massachusetts,, Maryland.
California and other states the Hughes
law served as a model for proposed
laws.
Telephone and telegraph companies
were omitted from the Jurisprudence
of the public service commi ssons in
the original bill on the theory that in
eDcountering the opposition Of the
transit and lighting corporations the
measure had enough TO fight In 1908
the Governor recommended the eI-
tension Of the scope of the law to in
clude those interests. Another fierce
battle between "big business" and the
peoples interests as represented by
, the Governor ensued. The Governor,
] defeated that year, returned 10 the
Y fray the next Defeated then In q
fashion which brought forth no little
scandal, he resubmitted the matter TO
the Legislature Of 1910. By that time
the telephone companies had com
pleted a reorganization, with readjust-
ment OF securities issues and tremen-
dous increase Of capitalization
scores Of millions of dollars. They had
had time 20 arrange their affairs. Any
how, the opposition 10 the bill this
time wasn't serious enough to defeat
IL.
Fighting Racetrack Gamblers.
Governor Hughes's fight to wipe out