Evening star., 1941-06-08

by Attorney General Jackson his tribute
upon the of his retirement The bar"
Jackson said, ranks Chief Justice Hughes a
John Marshall Both judges But their
constructive the judicial power placed among
the first statesmen of the Republic"
That, far goes. profoundly Chief
Hughes judicial
power because prior to becoming Chief
Justice he had devoted lifetime making constructive use
of his extraordinary talents.
His plan of Study"
The story of his early one but it reveals
that child he beginning discipline a
able mind. He had learned read at the age
he s. according to protested
teacher thing many times" Where
upon ne drew document entitled the Charles Hughes
Plan of Study and presented it to his father so
favorably impressed that he permitted the boy follow
for the next few That may may be
geration but there questioning the fact that held
bachelors degree and masters degree
very and degree in law from Columbia at the age of D.
Then followed three of graduate work and
began the practice Of law in the firm Chamberlin
and Hornblower.
This might well have marked beginning and end
OF career so far as the public at large concerned
Hundreds OF other brilliant young awyers-men without
wealthy friends personal fortune family
followed the pattern and had spent the
lives in the relative obscuy of New Yorks legal fraternity
But not Mr. Hughes For 18 years is true there
ing distinguish him associates, unless, perhaps
it might have been little ability capacity
for getting on with job.
In the year 1905 his chance came, he ready
it. If Hughes philosophy that time it was ex-
pressed in thesehs Life is only wok-then
more work-and then more work" At that time the
on and Mr. Hughes selected the committee
in charge of the nquryargey because better known
orneys proved strangely meddng into affairs
of such attractive potential client
A howl went up from the newspapers "Whewash," they
protested, "a plain whiteWash An unknown lawyer And
than that Baptist-and John D. Rockefeller is
Baptist" Young Mr. Hughes said nothing, but waded in
dustriousy through several carloads of the
ords and ledgers When the inquiry amazing
story of corruption had unfoded Hughes made his
mark and the critical newspapers proclaimng
wizard" But it wzardry-jus practical appica-
ton of the philosophy that life is work work.
work.
o.
After this beginning Hughes moved quickly through
the Armstrong insurance investigation, which
qured national and hen in 1906 he elected
to his first of two terms Governor of New York The po-
ca bosses of that period had ondness whatsoever for
Hughes they accepted the Republican can
didate because only with they
hope to defeat William Randolph Hearst, running
Democratic ticket And this judgment justified the
election returns Mr. Hughes being the only Republican win
His message to the nominating convention having in
mind the character of New York politics of that day.
erestng for light throws nominees character
accept nomination" Mr. Hughes declared with
pledge other than to do duty according
science. elected it will be ambition give the State
clean efficient and honorable administration free from
the taint of bossism of servitude private
These words Bruce Barton it, received by
the politicians who had just nominated him with all the
enthusiasm of condemned listening to the hammer at
work the galows"
installed in the Governors mansion Albany,
Hughes kept his pledge The staehouse of time
found themselves in the cold the Office
Quoted not the political would liked
Mr. Hughes thought best humorist of the period John
Kendrick Bangs summed the lament of the politicians in
q verse that is worth reprinting:
o woe Is me! o woe is us,
That it should % pass
That gum shoe King Polcus
Should at last to grass.
1t Is the dee dash darn dest thing
That did
A Governor a-governing
At ancient Alliance.
1t in 1910 that Mr. Hughes named to the Supreme
Court Associate Justice by President Taft He remained
there for six relatively unevenul 1t during this
period his liberal tendencies
ablished He voted with the liberal minority pure food
and drug legislation and toward the end of his had
the satisfaction of delivering opinion uphoding the
sutionaity OF amendment to the food law banning
quack medicines This amendment in line with sugges
ons made in of the earlier minority decisions to which
he had subscribed In this earlier period the bench he
also dissented from majority opinion declaring unconstu