The Washington herald., 1916-09-30
Dignity a Near-Issue.

The question of the proprety of Justice of
the Supreme Court of the United States deserting
the highest judicial office to become candidate
for the highest executive office has been so widely
discussed of late that it has almost assumed the
proportions of an issue in this campaign.
The Washington Herald editorially pointed
out on Wednesday last the fact that large
number of persons in this country, the persons
who think much and say little, disapprove of the
action of Mr.. Hughes in resigning his high
judicial office to go the stump There is no
doubt that some of these persons will deny sup
port to Mr.. Hughes solely on this account.
There who even go so far as to
assert a belief that Mr.. Hughes has lost dig
nifty" in accepting the Republican nomination.
These persons point out that Mr.. Wilson is ad-
mirably maintaining the dignity of the President
by refusing to go on the stump. 1t is averred,
therefore, that while Mr.. Hughes is losing dig
nifty, Mr.. Wilson is gaining it in the opinion of
the American people.
However, the American people a whole are
far too democratic to attach enough importance
to dignity to allow it to prevent the election of
the right man as President. There is no denying
the fact that dignity is really worth while and
that it awakens respect for the man who acquires
and maintains it, but neither Mr.. Wilson nor Mr..
Hughes need worry seriously about the lack
of it.
Mr. Wilson has held the office of Chief
Executive with all the dignity essential to that
high post Mr.. Hughes, as governor and justice
has shown himself to be possessor of enough
dignity to perform the duties of the Presidency
according to the ethics of the most ardent dis
ciples of the value of dignity.
1t is true that the action of Mr.. Hughes in
leaving the Supreme Court to enter politics has
forcbly brought to the attention of the nation
the need for unwritten law that man on
the Supreme Court bench should be nominated
for the Presidency The nation wants to feel
that the men on the highest judicial bench are
out of politics and out to stay. This is a ma
tional ideal to which we may look forward.
To argue that Mr.. Hughes has seriously les
soned the chances of the Republican party regain
ing control of the government because of his
resignation is futile. Mr. Hughes did not seek
the nomination In fact, his lips did not frame
a word to which political significance might be
attached Immediately before and during those
days when the Republican convention was seek
ing nominee. His attitude, prior to his accept
ance of the nomination, may properly be regard
ed as 100 per cent dignihed"
Mr.. Hughes has given his own ideas about
his conduct in speech delivered at Saratoga,
N. Y, in which he replied to the attack made
against him by Richard Olney for resgning
from the Supreme Court. Mr.. Hughes defense of
himself is, perhaps, the strongest yet made. For
this reason, it is worthy of publication as his
final answer to those critics who would censure
him for undgnihed conduct. Mr.. Hughes said:
"Mr Olney says that l DOTTED the judicial
ermne to wear the motley garb of a seeker for
office. l say to him, l did dof the judicial
ermine, and I admit that you know, and every
American knows, that it fell from my shoulders
unsued.
mo American need apologize for being a
candidate for office, least of all l. l desired to
remain the bench, l had desire to return
to politics, but there came a summons which
no honorable man could refuse I did assume
the garb, call it motley what you WILL of
seeker of office, and l am now before the
American people seeking the highest office in its
gift. For what purpose? Not that l covet
power, but l do covet the opportunity, if it
is afforded, to maintain American rights and
American honor"