Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1900-10-25
WHAT HEARST BELIEVES.
Plain Talk in the New York Journal
When M Election Was
Pending.

just after the election of 1898 Will
liam II. Hearst, editor and proprietor
of the New York Journal the Chicago
American and the san Francisco EN-
aminer, which are now shouting
against imperialism" favored eNpan-
sion. which he declared was both right
and reasonable" He denounced the
course of the democratic national lead
ers in opposing it as narrow and
stupid beyond belief" and charged
democratic defeat To democratic lead
ers who, having brought on the war,
refused to share the honors or 10 ac-
quire for the people the lasting bene-
fits of the war
These sentiments We're uttered in a
signed editorial printed in the New
York journal OF November TO- 1S9S,
which is here reproduced in full:
The War IL the Issue.
The vote OF this election is vote of
approval for the war and the princi-
pie of expansion and for the greater
conservatism of the republican party.
Local issues. everywhere in favor of
the democrats. have failed TO influence
voters to abandon the main issue.
II is both right and reasonable that
the administration which. despite its
mistakes. carried this glorious war o
successful conclusion should receive a
vote of condolences. It is both right
and reasonable that the policy of ex-
pansion, ever the policy of the Amer
lean people since jefferson annexed
the Louisiaras. should receive the APP
proval of the American voters, repub-
lican and democratic.
The democratic national leaders have
been narrow and stupid beyond be-
lief, and the Journal and Examiner
have warned them time and again of
the inevitable results of their stupidity.
The democratic press and the demo-
Gratis in congress urged and brought
on the war, but the democratic leaders,
under the control of Bailey, influenced
by petty jealousy, forced the demo-
cratic party into an attitude of oppo-
sition o the very war they had brought
on; forced it further into an attitude
of opposition to the democratic pol
icy of expansion. to the very principles
of jefferson, the father of American
democracy.
The suicidal attitude of the demo-
cratic leaders began with opposition to
the annexation of Hawaii. These lead
ers purposed driving democratic con-
gress into caucus to oppose annexation.
The journal sent its representative ed
itors to Washington, fought this eau
Gus, broke it up and prevented the
democracy from making a formal and
conspicuous ass of itself on that oc-
casion. But the narrowness of the lead
ers continued and developed tendency
TO oppose every republican act, even
though il embodied democratic prin-
ciple.
At the democratic convention at
Syracuse, y. ", the Journal offered to
and urged upon the gentlemen in con-
troll of the convention plank embody-
ing the Journals national platform and
declaring in favor of the Jeffersonian
principle of expansion. But the demo-
cratic leaders preferred to contine the
fight entirely to local issues, with the
result of democratic gains in districts
Immediately affected by the local is
sues. but of republican victory in the
whole state.
In New York every democratic con-
gresham who declared for the prin-
ciples of the war and the policy of
expansion was elected, and Capt. Will
liam Astor Chanler (democrat), who in
himself represented the principles of
the war, and who declared for the JEFF
,fersonian principles of expansion, de-
feated Lemuel Ely Quigg, the repub-
lican leader. in a republican district by
over 5000 votes.
The democratic defeat is not due TO
the democratic people or to democratic
principles. but to democratic leaders.
They. having brought on the war, re-
fused to share the honors of the war
or to acquire for the people the last
ing benefits of the war. The demo-
cratic leaders do not speak for the
democracy, and republicans have
everywhere elected with the aid OF
democratic votes.
W. r. HEARST.
y. Y. Journal Nov. 10. 1898.