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Show H TAFT AND HUGHES. H i BB i H The two following clippings from H i the Springfield Republican throw In- B ! tcrestlng side lights on the characters H ' of two of the most prominent presl- H ' dentlal possibilities of the republican H I party. One Is leaving nls oillclal dtt- H ties to subordinates while he travels H i about on quasi departmental work but H In reality to plow the ground and sow H the seed for his candidacy. The other H devotes himself heart and soul to the H welfare of his state and in lighting H i such legislative battles as the stamp H i Ing out of race-track gambling he H gains a reputation that extends far H. ' beyond his own state and will stand H him in good stead when the question H of his candidacy arises: H "Governor Hughes is now entitled H ' to view more hopefully the prospects H of tho special session of the New Yoi K B , legislature early next month, for the H probability grows that the machine H "j leaders of the republican party will H J find themselves crowded Into a posl- m tion by tho fighting governor In w hich H 1 important concessions to him will be B i necessary in order that the slate may not be utterly lost in Noember. M There can be no longer the slightest i doubt that the mass of the people side K with Mr. Hughes on the gambling B, Issue, and his pertinacity cannot fall M to place the party In an extremely em- M barrassing position if his requests are H (touted lu the extra session. Certain-" B ly, concessions by the machine are lin- 1 perative, as affairs are developing, If B the state Is not to bo thrown to the B democrats in the autumn. And when Bi the special session has enaeu, as It H may, with a triumph for the governor, B Ills stock as a presidential candidate B will look more Inviting than ever as a B solid republican Investment. Public H confidence In him must be increased m by reason of the dramatic demonstra- BBB tion that he is blessed not only wltha B conscience, but with a backbone." B "The attacks upon Secretary Tuft B because of Ills numerous and prolong- B ed absences from ills post in Wash- H ' ington are Justified, even though they M 1 may not be extremely serious for tho H department itself. But in any case H they have seemed highly embarrassing H rejoinders to the claims made concern- B lug the secretary's unparalleled altru- B Ism in public olllce. it lias seemed fl fair to point out that a cabinet sccre- B tary who went electioneering over 2000-mile arca In support of his presl dentlal candidacy was really looking outfoiNo. 1 In glorious style. The coming trip to Panama, of course, Is In the line of oillclal duty, notwithstanding notwith-standing that Its diplomatic phases are state department work. The war department Itself will continue to be run by the assistant secretary and the army by the chief of staff and General Alnsworlh, who are permanent oil!-clals oil!-clals of the highest value. Mr Taft lias never been a war secretary In an exclusive sense. He was not brought from the Philippines because the army needed him. In the cabinet lie has been far more concerned In the Philippines, Philip-pines, the canal and Cuba, which were under tho war secretary's supervision back In Mr. Hoot's time, than in tho rcgul.irdcpartmentalwork. Very likely like-ly Mr. Taft hud grown so accustomed to leaving routine army administration administra-tion affairs to the permanent under olllclals or the assistant secretary that tho electioneering trips did not impress im-press him as in any sense a dereliction of duty. It Is probably true that both the army and navy In the past few years have been run mainly by subordinate subor-dinate olllclals. The navy has had live secretaries within live or six years, no one of whom ever got deeply into Its a Ha Irs The army lias had a big man In Secretary Taft at its head, but the army has been one of the least of his concerns." |