Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-20
APPLY THE UNIT RULE
Eastern Democrats to Offset
the Hearst Bryan Efforts.
COMBINATIONS PLAN
TO PREVENT A NOMINATION UN-
ACCEPTABLE TO BRYAN.
Unit Rule viii Accomplish That by
Rendering Ineffective Struggling
Delegates in States.
COMBIN PLAN

Leaders Of the conservative eastern de-
mocracy will try to offset the alleged
Hearst-Bryan efforts to hamstring the
democratic national convention. They will
apply the unit rule wherever possible as
q counteracting element. Already the word
has gone forth that the unit rule shall be
adopted in states where there is a minority
of Hearst-Bryan sentiment
The alleged plan Of the Hearst Bryan
combination to prevent the nomination of
q candidate unacceptable to Bryan and
possibly compel a compromise on Hearst
was, according to the gossip in democratic
political circles, for Hearst and Bryan to
corral as many delegates as they could
from every state the mass Of which would
be expected to exceed one-third Of the
total strength Of the convention. Two
thirds being required to nominate, the bal
ance Of power would then rest in the hands
of these two men.
Work Of Hearst's Friends.
For months Mr.. Hearst's friends have
been busy forming clubs in his name
throughout the country, being especially
active in labor centers, where Mr.. Hearst
was represented as the greatest foe Of the
trusts, ergo the greatest friend OF the la
II.
pectation Of the Hearst boomers that q
few delegates could thus be picked up in
every state. In the east they would be
controlled by Mr.. Hearst, in the west they
would respond to Mr.. Bryan's suggestion,
and at the crucial moment q community of
interest could be established between the
two factions which would give them the
tion. '>'o'''
In some democratic communities a Gus
IN I'm fH,o v1,la NI><
sense of a majority of a delegation Is taken
as the sense Of the whole delegation. Mr..
Hearst undoubtedly. 1t Is said. will pick UP
some delegates in upper New York. the seat
OF Bryan sentiment still active. But it is
beyond belief that he can control a major
ity Of the New York delegation and the ap-
plication Of the unit rule would cause his
delegates to be counted In the vote cast in
accordance with tbs sentiment OF the ma
jority.
II state were close, az between Hearst
and the feld, the unit rule might work to
his advantage, ~ well as to the others.
But 1t Ia not thought that In any state will
he come near controlling the majority of
the delegation. The only concession made
by democratic observers affecting his pros
poets favorab1y IL that he may be able to
secure few delegates in every state,
whose total vote, Joined with what Bryan
may control, might act as brake on the
convention.
Eastern Men Cunning for Bryan.
The eastern conservatives are cunning for
Bryan, as well as for Hearst, in this con-
nection. Mr.. Bryan's latest utterances in
behalf Of the Kansas City platform gave
them an unpleasant shock by proving that
he would not stay dead After the Kansas
City convention, when the platform of 1896
was reafhrmed by majority of one vote,
and that the vote Of the delegate from Ha-
wall, 1t was expected that If Bryan was de-
feated he would consider himself and his
policies bowled out.
1t appears to the eastern democrats now
that Mr.. Bryan only Considered himself
down, and not cut Like the giant Of my
thology. Bryanism arises with Increased
strength and vigor after every knockdown
The eastern democrats do not mind Mr..
Bryan's fulminations in behalf OF his dis
credited policies. but they have paid some
attention to the reports that he is intent
upon a rule or ruin, kind of pixies Peak
or bust" campaign. They do not propose
that he shall use his one-third to swing the
two-thirds. and the best way to minimize
his influence and that Of ambitious candi-
dates who link their fortunes with his is to
apply the unit rule