The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-04-22
MIX. HuGHES'S SPEECH

An orator Is " u disadvantage
from whom too much is expected
in advance. Secretary Hughes,
even if he had the tongue OF men
and OF angels, could not have
wrought all the miracles which it
was proclaimed that his address
before the New York Republican
Convention would work. He was
to be the true and inspired
sounder of the Republican key
note. He was to smite the Demo
Gratis hip and thigh. For the Coo
lidge Administrator he was to be
not only spokesman and defender,
but a guide for the future. Mr..
Hughes was counted upon to hit
political discussion above the rath-
eY sordid level on which it has
been conducted, and to make a
moving appeal to the imagination
and the aspiring hopes of the
whole American people. No speak
er could have done all this, and it
is no disparagement of Mr.. Hughes
to say that he did not.
1t would have been fairer to him
to think Of him simply as the most
prominent New York Republican in
the Cabinet coming to the conyen-
ton OF his party in his own State,
to review again the work Of the
Government during the past three
years, and to refer to the signs of
the times which he regards as fav-
olatle to continuance of Repuh-
lican rule. This he did, and did
it effectively. In the beginning OF
his speech he sought TO shake him
self clean Of the handicap under
which all Republicans feel them
selves by the exposures at Wash
ington. and TO- turn the tables upon
the Democrats, who are making 50
much capital OUT Of alleged Repub-
lican ccrruption.\ Mr.. Hughes met
the issue with GgOr, and used
ipungent phrases Ia denying that
any political, party has "a monop-
oily of rascality" With the Pres
ident, he stands unflilchingly for
the most vigorous prosecution of
every wrongdoer. Yet ne could not
refrain, as himself a lawyer and
judge. from protesting that he is
not fond of scandalmongers, and
associated himself with the old
American tradition that there is
no security for life or liberty or
character if the standards of JUS
tice are ignored and guilt is as
sumed before it is established"
In his praise of President Coo
lidge, Secretary Hughes was ard
ent but discriminating He stated
but the truth when he told the Re-
publican Party that its chief asset
in the coming campaign. and its
sufficient platform, will be the
character of Calvin Coolidge. For
the rest, Mr.. Hughes detailed once
more the financial achievements Of
the Republican Administration
since 1921, and entered into a long
defense, or rather laudation, of it's
foreign policy. With his exposition
OF the latter, there will be the less
inclination to quarrel, since the
| whole thing promises to be of very
little Importance in this years
election. Even if the successes of
| our diplomacy were as great as
they are pictured by Mr.. Hughes,
it is not probable that they will in
fluence the casting of d thousand
votes next November. Elections
seldom turn on gratitude for what
has been done, though they are Of
ton swayed by a desire to punish,
or by a keen expectation of favors
to come.
At the present moment, no man
is sufficiently endowed with the
gift of prophecy to say what will
be the decisive issue in this years
Presidential election; but it needs
no prophet to foresee that it will
not he the economies effected by
the Republican Administration, of
which Mr.. Hughes once more
draws up the statistics, or the re-
suits of the Washington conference,
naturally so near the heart OF the
Secretary Of State who presided
over it.-New York Times.