Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-27
How to Make Hughes Hear the Call.

Hughes has declared he is not a candidate
and has refused to let his name be printed on
the ballot" is what we often hear from repub-
lcans who add. Hughes rs my first choice; his
nomination would completely unite the party and
make success certain; l would like to see him
head the ticket II he would only become a candl-
date"
But anyone who will reflect a moment will
realize that the course OF Justice Hughes is the
only one he could consistently pursue. He is
not seeking the presidency. No Judge. sitting on
the highest bench. can scramble for a presiden-
tsl nomination. yet neither does the fact that he
is not a candidate and has declined to authorize
the filing of his name stand in the way of people
voicng call for him that he must respond 20.
The Boston Transcript correctly describes the
position Justice Hughes is in, as follows:
The call for Hughes coming up from the
pie In part Of the country voices first OF all
popular demand for leadership in the day Of the
TONS danger The determination 20 draft Mr. Hughes
is not surprising when consider his record in the
past his resolution in the present and his qualification
for future service II s much 90 say that the
mass of the people who determined TO conscript
him az their leader in this crisis in heroic mood
They we'll that the national Rilment requires
n heroic remedy. They tired OF the type OF poi-
cian who chucks his constituents under the chin and
plasters them day after DAY with compliments they
do not deserve and promises he fulfil They
resent the memory OF the deplorabe spectacle OF 1912
when president and ex-presldent the United States
chased each other the country in the prosecution
OF personal quarrel That experience has prejudlced
them against the operation OF the presidential primary
and caused them to view with suspicion any active
candidacy for tho highest office In their gift They
remember with pride the contrasting record OF Mr
Hughes. who conscrpted twice and twice elected
governor of New York. They enthuse at the recolec
tion Of the thoroughness and the with which
he cleaned house in the insurance Scandals the we'll
nigh reckless Independence with which he refused to
allow Mr.. Barnes to make dummy Of the chief
ecutive at Albany at the effectiveness which
flayed Mr. Bryan from the Atlantic seaboard to the
far middle west in the campaign Of 1908 and proved
himself the most powerful champion the stump
OF progressive republicanism and virle America
that appeared In that campaign Jothing has pleased
them more. because It confirms their Judgment
Of his character, than the refusal Of Mr. Hughes 10
sanction the use OF his In advance of the
venton for political office They share his
sion TO any association Of partisan politics with the
great tribunal of which he IL q member. They are
content that he shall remain at his post until the call
Their purpose IL 70 conscript him without con-
sutaton, mindful OF the opinion OF Abraham lincoln
that not even member OF the supreme court is be.
yond the call Of his countrymen in peace war.
dare decline TO them In the post they designate
Here In Nebraska, we have opportunity in
our primary to issue a call for Hughes that he
must hear. II the republicans Of this state will
write in his name on the blank line specially
prepared for that purpose on the ballot they will
show that this call comes not from the bosses
or the leaders" or the machine" but direct
from the plain people. and that is the kind of a
call that no man, whether sitting on the supreme
bench or In any other place, can refuse to lis
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