Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-06-12
Selling His Opportunities.

mnation. ior "Americanism
His statement to Senator Harding in accepting the
nomination reads much like Roosevelt speech. And
in fact the Hughes platform will be much like a
Roosevelt platform The fact is that Roosevelt has
been preaching Amercanisn for months-and the
sort of Anericansm that Americans il the main rec
ognize as vitally necessary.
The Republicans who gathered in the COLISEUM were
ready to meet and did most of the issues which
the Progressives demanded. But at Roosevelt they
baked Still, in many respects, these two conven-
tons constitute a Roosevelt victory. His writings
and speeches during the past year less than his bolt
in 1912, have made the Roots and Weekses and Bur
tons impossible as presidential candidates They are
too closely akin to the Taft type of Republican for the
tense throbbing Americanism of today. They repre-
sent too Dear,y the type of statesman who gets his
Inspiration from tho countirghouse rather than the
Inarkefplace from the library rather than the FARM
from patrcian rather than from connoner, from the
classes rather than the They may be leaders
IN intellect or in finance but not hold upon the people
Hughes is man of keen intellect and poise and yet
he has always had tremendous appeal to the com
mon people He is good campaigner, too. And he
will have to be good campaigner to take up this
crumbling political situation and get under way a
movement sufficiently strong to defeat Woodrow Viii
son.
The readiness with which Hughes responded to the
nomination with strong, progressive statement; the
references he made to preparedness, and his criti
eisn Of the present administration, accomplish
double result He answers those nsstent Bull Moose
leaders who have been demanding, Where does
Hughes stand on the vitak issues of the day. and he
creates an issue with the Democratic party.
Provided Mr. Hughes. follows this FIRST statement
Immediately and consistently with others charging
and celebrating upon his ideas of better prepared
ness provided he sets forth some clear and vigorous
IDEAS upon Mexican and European policies, the Amer
can people may ustfaby expect Colonel Roosevelt
to Withdraw. There is no question that Roosevelt
gave outhe impression few weeks ago that he would
not stand for Hughes But there is also no question
that many ofnhis Progressves will stand for Hughes,
though in the heat of the Auditorium convention;
Hughes was turned down by the Bull Moose confer
ence committee The Auditorium never was in mood
for real COMPROMISE It's only idea of compromise
was surrender BY the Republicans and a nomination
Of Roosevelt When tie echoes of the frenzied hours
IN Chicago die away, there will be plenty of delegates
willing to accept Hughes and unity rather than risk
4 repetition of the defeat OF 1912.
Roosevelt has but to say the word to ask that his
"conditional refusal be accepted, and hundreds of
thousands of votes win be ready for Hughes in Nov
enber.
And as to the issue this first Hughes statement
creates
1t has been favorite theory of Democratic leaders
and Democratic newspapers that vital issue could
be created between Hughes and Wilson. Col. Henry
Wattefson with sarcastic and pointed huror few
weeks ago dubbed Hughes the whskered Wilson
In this characterization lay something deeper than
Wattersons htmor- was the belief, carefully cher
sed and spread by the Democrats, that Wilson and
Hughes represented so nearly the type of thought
and action that no great national issue could be created
out of campaign between them. The advantage of
such belief in the minds of the American voters is
obvious - they would see no particular reason to
change presidents. =.
But with his first speech Hughes raises virtually the
same issues Roosevelt has raised. and for which the
country quite prepared His assault upon the course
of the administration reverberates with all the more
force because Hughes has been so long silent His
attack upon the dsorganizafion of American diplo-
macy and the coupling of this Reorganization with the
uncertainty of orr treatment of foreign relations is
undeniably clever 4
But neither Saturday yesterday did MIR. Hughes
touch upon the subject which Roosevelt has been per-
sistenty hamnering on-that of "hyphenated Amer
icanisal, divided allegiance. which, as Roosevelt
uses the term, first loyalty to foreign
power. This omission Mr. Hughes may make up for
in later and more extended statements what con-
StituteS his doctrine OF Anericanism
Justice Hughes begins his campaign we'll That
very marked sentiment in Hawaii which has hoped
Hughes might be secured as a candidate but believed
that he could not be. turned to rejoicing that
he has been secured And ii in the next few DAYS his
shat show that he possesses the ve