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Show HUGHES REFUSES. Those who have been skeptical as to the earnestness of Associate Justice Hughes in refusing to run for president of the United States probably will have their doubts set at rest by his action repudiating the attempt of Nebraska Republicans to place his name on the preferential primary ballot. Whether Justice Jus-tice Hughes will be able to eliminate himself him-self from the race is another question. In Nebraska his name may be retained on the ballot despite his protest. The 1 attorney general of Nebraska is of the i opinion that legally the name can be 1 kept upon the ballot no matter what ? action Mr. Hughes takes. ! " There is a general impression through-' through-' out the country that no man has a right ? to refuse a presidential nomination when his party demands that he be a , candidate. The idea was aptly expressed i; in Nebraska when the Republican sup-'' sup-'' porters of Mr. Hughes pleaded that "the emergency justifies a resort to r conscription." If a man will not be a volunteer then be must be a conscript 1 should his party call him. In support J of this contention it is argued that a political leader who has received benefits bene-fits from his party is bound in justice c to make due return to his party when the party makes formal demand upon n him. The fact that the leader may be c' a justice of the supreme court, that is r to say, in a position whose dignity almost t equals that of the presidency and the tenure of which is for life, does not render him immune from the party rule, it is maintained. What the exceptions to the rule may be 'can lie determined onlv by time. Nominations have been V refused before this and the prospective c candidate has been justified by the rank and file of the party, but it goes without with-out saying that the reasons for refusal must be of the utmost weight and not v based on mere personal preference. J Justice Hughes would stand an excel- , i lent cliauce of winning the nomination I,' in a straight fight and no ill-feeling it, would result. But Justice Hughes has :;! a high sense of the dignity and iiu- v portaure of his present position, and .'' would not uuder any circumstances en- c ter into a scramble for a political office, '; even the presidency of the L'nited Htates. V Su.-li a fine sense of what be eon- '.' cehes tu be his duty in upholding the I- dignity of the highest court in the. laud r.' will doubtless result in attracting at- tciitiou to his peculiar fitness fur the ' otl'icc which he dues uot seek. ", .Inst ice Hughes will nut be eliir.iuated from consideration, even though he de- m- dines to be a candidate and his name ! is left off the primary tickets all over u, 1 1, e country. The outlook for tiepnb- I'u-an sin-cess next November is so good 'i that there are any number of avowed candidates, many more mentioned as n good presidential timber and not a few j' of the "dark norm;" variety. It is the 'is expectation of many that a "dark hor-e"' will -win out in the convention, lis, If wo put Justice llugh"s in this class he wouid he a likely mark for the presi-S:i presi-S:i deptial lightning. In any event, he is ju-t as likely to be nominated as the Va next num. and this in the face nf his Tr reii.sal to be considered a candidate. He could not refuse to go before the ' couMi.'v if noiu'fiated under such cirennt-t'f cirennt-t'f ft stances. Hut ii is scwral months pi-Inn- ! the i-oir. enl ion m'-ets and any number v.- nf things may happen in the meantime. Y' Tie- 1,'cpul d'ea n who gels the uomina- ' tio'i is fairh certain of election, . aiMi tiieie will in- a warm fight for tin- honor of heading the tiel.et. There arc j;,' lent v of Republicans v. ho w ould make 1'. ra pa hie pre iiieul s. r.i - |
