Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-09-12
Republican Nominations
FOR PRESIDENT:
CHARLES EVANS HUGHES
VICE PRESIDENT:
CHARLES ". FAIRBANKS
Hughes Delighted Maine.

Governor Charles Z. Hughes came to
Maine and fascinated his audiences
with direct simplicity Of statement and
practical handling Of national and
State affairs. He is Names kind Of
man. Maine likes men of character
and force and honest ruggedness Of
purpose. Mr.. Hughes fills the bill in
record and present in appearance and
in word.
Mr. Hughes spoke briefly in Augusta
but he said more, and in a way to
cause his hearers to think more, than
the average spell binder could have
,Said in two hours. Nonsense to enliv.
en- his hearers is unnecessary from Mr..
Hughes; he left his hearers wishing
for more.
In no state Of the Union do the peo-
pie admire manliness. courage and
genuine Americanism more than do
the people Of Maine. and Mr.. Hughes
straightforward attack on Democratic
Eubserviency to political expediency.
President Wilson's betrayal Of the
principle Of arbitration as well as Of
Americans dependent on their govern
iment for protection of life and pros
perity. appealed to his audiences in
Augusta and other Maine cities. In
Augusta Mr.. Hughes said:
Il desire the peaceful settlement of
iall grievances in this country, reason
able consideration CT the necessities Of
each cause. We must never permit
any Of the processes Of the Govern
ment to be surrendered to the dictates
of any power: I would rather stand
en- that principle and be defeated than
yield one jot or title Of It to get into
Office" Again he has said. 1T is said
that tho judgment Of society has made
the demand for an 8-hour day. This
was not an s-hour day and the judg-
ment Of society had nothing to do with
the proposition laii before Congress
and passed by Congress. The proof Of
this is found in the bill itself which
proposes an investigation to find out
whether Congress had any business to
do the thing it was asked to do, and
which it did do"
Certain Democratic papers-they are
few in number-unab!e to devise q do.
tense Of President Wilson's course IN
the railway wage situation are de-
manding what Mr.. Hughes would have
done had he been President. And Mr..
Hughes is making clear some OF the
things he would have done and some
that he would not. The first stem that
lMr. Hughes. or indeed, any other in
tellectually honest" man in the whita
House would have done would have
been to strip the controversy Of pre-
tense and make plain to the public the
TACT that the railway employees were
not demanding an S-hour day at all
nut merely an increase Of wages. Mr.
Wilson's defenders pretend to believe
that public sentiment was with the
railway employees in the controversy.
If 1t was-and there is wide room for
doubt on the questionlt was because
Mr.. Wilson lent himself to the schema
OF the brotherhoods to make it appear
that the railway men were contendiny
for an S-hour day, instead Of merely
an increase in pay.
Mr.. Hughes has made It clear that a
President who desired to be guided by
public opinion would have first made
clear to the public the question at is
sue. And he has also made it clear
that no question Of his own political
welfare would have tempted him to
assist in the deception Of the public
or to exert his influence to effect the
desired increase in compensation until
tho facts had been Investigated thor
oughly and the merits Of the contro.
versy determined. Mr.. Hughes has
O1oduIy animated, TOO, that an Execu-
tive who had shown a manly spirit
and q determination to deal with both
the parties to the controversy and the
public in a straightforward, upright
manner would have compelled a re-
spect from and acquired an influence
ever the brotherhoods which would
have induced them TO await fair and
impartial investigation Of their con-
tentions.
When the brotherhoods found the
President willing. on the eve Of the
election. to be party to q scheme to
deceive the public, they were hardly
to be blamed If they distrusted the sin
cerity with which he would have