South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-06-20
MR.. HUGHES AND HIS ETHICS.

Efforts of republican lawyers the republican press
and republican poitticans. to ermine that
from political activity the part Charles
Evans Hughes while he the bench, only
make bad They ought leave it
alone The people fools. The that
Hughes declined and did not publicly take any part
his nomination advanced public utterance until
ne had resigned from the supreme bench.
is evidence only that he did openly. The
pussy footing as Mr.. Roosevelt would call it.
quiet secrecy which ne employed S decidedly
open to sinister possibilities than open and above
board campaign would have been.
Does anybody suppose that Frank H. Hitchcock for
postmaster general of the United States
aver of Mr. Tafts preconvention campaign in 9OS was
Chicago the before last, stalking about as Mr.
Hughes campaign manager, by his own appointment
without Mr.. Hughes knowledge consent? They
may say they SUPPOSE it. they don't. They know
better 1t is proven better from the fact that Mr.
Hitchcock was in frequent telephone communication
with Hughes private secretary Notwithstanding
that whenever anyone else wanted talk with the
candidate the always the justice has
nothing say,-merey a well bottled-up political
chine. bottled because had Mr. hughes failed land
the nomination he wanted remain the bench free
from amy apparent violation OF ethics And then
Does anyone suppose that Mr.. Hughes up to the
free from political enthusiasm, penned that
resignation right the reel as knowledge of
ms nomination reached him. and, forthwith penned
note of acceptance without any previous fore
thought Certainly he made up mind in a hurry
If he did He ought be editor Of some daily news
paper where they have decide occasionally. in
instant. what not print. the tribe sometimes
calls it, acting in hurry and rep@nting leisure
Indeed. yes the spirit must have moved Mr. Hughes
very vigorously. II an this spontaneous our
republican friends would have believe 1t is a
wonder that it didn't wreck his nervous system into a
trance
Which disposes only half the blunder that the
defenders Hughes eNtra-judciaI action are COM
mitting. They are seeking to excuse MIR. Hughes be-
Alton Brooke Parker resigned judgeshp in sO4
candidate for president on the democratic
ucket-just as though if the comparison were well
made two wrongs could make right But Mr. Par
ker resigned from state bench the United States
bench-he of appeals OF the of New York
which he elected 10y popular vote. appointed
for life, New York having adopted the theory
appointments judges for the purpose of elm
mating politics from their brains.
Quite dinerenl the case of Mr. Hughes The very
purpose our federal constitution in
providing life for United states judges and
the arguments i'm its favor. remove political am
billions the federal bench and leave the iurists
free decide coming before them according tc
the and justce-these without partisan or political
bias That is the spirit Of the federal constitution and
have said before that without accusing Mr. Hughes
or allowing his political ambitions TO interfere with
judicial temperament he has nevertheless raised the
question reasonable doubt los entering upon mis- cam
paign for the presidency has in violation OF The
spirit letter OF the constitution whic,
II elected he must swear 70 uphold
There is no sainsaying but that Mr. Hughes Judicial
ethics stand high his political ethics but they
--a"d no hiEher-so far as concerns this issue For