The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-05-29
STRANGER THINGS DONE
Significant Poll Taken
Among Newspaper Men
at Washington.
BY H.. N. RIcKEY,
|. e. A. Staff Correspondent

BY H. N. RlcKEY,
N. E. A. Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, May 2s.-The
name Of Charles Evans Hughes in con-
nection with the Republican presi-
dental nomination Is being used with
increasing frequency.
At first blush such an outcome Of
the Chicago convention might seem
to be outside the realm Of possible
ties. But when one considers the
situation In all OF its many chaotic
not to say weird aspects, II must be
admitted that stranger things than
this have happened in politics.
Confidential News
There Is probably no group OF men
in Washington better informed on the
inside moves in the great political
game that Is now being played than
the newspaper correspondents. Much
OF the information which comes 10
them is confidential, especially as U
its source.
Also the correspondents, because OF
their long and intimate experience,
are much given to lunches.
Recently about a dozen Of the lead
Ing political writers took a poll among
themselves, each one writing on a
slip OF paper the names OF the three
men whom he considered to have the
best chances for the Chicago norniIl-
alton.
When the tabulatlon Of the vote was
made It was found that nine OF the
twelve had written Hughes name. The
only man who got more votes was
Lowden.
Politicians See Chance.
i confess that the strength which
Hughes showed In this poll rather
surprised me, but | was even more
surprised when q number Of poltti-
clans with whom | afterward talked,
agreed that in their opinion the pos
sibility of Hughes nomination was
quite as great as that Of any one OF q
number Of frequently mentioned
dark horses"
There is this to be said for Hughes.
that while he was defeated four years
ago, he is not held personally respon'
sible for that defeat by the party
leaders generally.
II is held that he was the victim
Of q combination Of circumstances
over which he had little or no control. ;
AS one Of the political leaders ex.
pressed It: Hughes got a dirty deal
four years ago. Against his protest We
dragged him off OF the supreme bench
and thrust the nomination on him.
He made a clean and winning tight
and but for his betrayal in California
would have been elected. There are a
lot of us who feel that with Repub-
lican prospects as good as they are
this year, Hughes has certain claims
on the party which are entitled TO
consideration.
Advice Often Asked.
In estimating Hughes standing
among the dark horses" the COM
lnanding position which he occupies
in the innermost circle Of the Re
publican party is an important factor
to be considered. Next to Elihu ROOF,
his advice Is more often asked and
acted upon in connection with party
policies than that OF any other man
in or out Of office.
The fact that he took his defeat four
wears ago gamely, notwithstanding the
fact that It was the bitterest OF dis
appointments to him, saved him from
that loss Of prestige which Is usually
the lot OF defeated candidates.
The past four years have been the
busiest and in many respects the mos:
profitable OF Hughes life.
Immediately after his defeat, he re-
sumed the practice Of law IN New
York and today he holds at least equal
rank with any other lawyer IN MS
position at the bar.
Wears bar Leadership
II he has not already attained the
leadership Of the American bar, a
position which by consent Root has
held for many years, he probably soon
will. owing TO the latter's gradual
withdrawal owing to advancing age.
His services as counsel In import
ant cases involving constitutional
questions are In greater demand than
those Of any other American lawyer.
The fact that Hughes made a vigorous
protest against the action Of the New
York Legislature in throwing out Its
Socialist members and that still more
recently he was retained by the mine
workers to defend them at Indiana
polls against the charge Of conspir-
acy, shows that his activities and
sympathies are not confined to the
interests OF big business.
Politically speaking Hughes should
be classified as q conservative with
progressive leanings.
Type Many Like.
This Is the type Of man that the
majority Of Republican leaders would
like to nominate. Z
It is the type of man that is likely
IN no nominated II the convention
gets into a deadlock which can be
broken only by compromise between
the old guard, and the Johnston pro
I
GIVE Given this situation, Hughes nomin
alton is by no means an impossibility.