Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-03-17
DEMOCRATIC
SENATORS
WORRIED

WASHINGTON, March 16.-There
is great deal OF anxiety among lead
| ing Democrats here over the progress
the Hearst boom Is making in various
| parts of the country In addition to
the news that Hearst has captured
the Rhode Island delegation to the
st Louis convention comes the un-
welcome information that he has near.
ly all of the Pacific coast in his bag
A well known Democrat from San
Francisco was here a day or two ago.
and he told his party friends that vlr.
tually the entire coast had already
been b1gged by Hearst He warned
his eastern and southern party friends
that unless they yoke up pretty soon
and went to work there was serious
danger that Hearst and Bryan togeth-
er might control more than one-thlrd,
| and possibly well on toward one-half,
| of the convention, The Democratic
senator's already have had this possi-
bility under consideration, and there
Is a great deal OF talk among them OF
the advisability OF abrogating the two
| thirds rule as to nominations, which
| may be done by majority vote OF the
convention. They admit 1t is sad
state of affairs when the party must
abolish one of its most cherished ira
dtions in order 70 avert the danger
of radical alliance like that of Bry-
an and Hearst securing veto power
over any nomination not satisfactory
to those eminent patriots. but facts
are stubborn things and must be fac
ed
Not only has Hearst gobble1 up
Rhode Island and the Pacific coast.
but Information received here ia to
the effect that he continues to make
headway in all parts OF the country
in the South. the Southwest and the
Northwest 1t would not be quite ac-
curate to say that Democratic sena.
ttnts are in Il slate of panic over the
Hearst business, but they are much
worried by II and are considering
means to stop its onward course.
This visitor from the Pacific coast
told of some of the methods employed
by the Hearst managers in that sec
| tion. He said the local politicians and
leaders were either bought or intimi-
dated Sometimes II was one and
sometimes the other. Democrats am
bilious to WELD Influence in party af-
fairs or perhaps to attain office at
some time in the future are afraid to
| open their mouths against Hearst,
knowing that he will make It warm
| for them" when the critical hour
comes. The visitor said he person
ally knew of instances in which
Helrst's agents had threatened to
ruin any man who dared stand out
against the journalistic candidate for
| president, meaning thereby that the
newspaper battery controlled by the
| syndicate would be brought to bear
upon the offender.
| The Pacific coast Democrat who
| brought this Information to Washing
ton predicted that Hearst would not
only control more than one.third of
the delegates In the St. Louis conven-
tlon. but that he would be the nom
Inee for president
| Democratic senator's cannot believe
there is any actual danger of Hearsts
nomination. They say the party has
not yet sunk to such low level. At
the same time the news of Hearst's
successes that comes in from various
parts of the country is exceedingly
| disquieting. Up to this time they had
estimated that from $50 to 200 votes
would be the top limit OF the Hearst
strength in the convention. or at most
less than onc-quarter of the whole.
The man from the Pacific coast says
Hearst already has that many dele
gates bagged and is rapidly picking
up more.
| Leading Democrats here complain
| thar for the most part the press OF the
country has been silent as TO Hearst,
and has permitted him to go on with
| his burrowing campaign without tell
ing the people what the people ought
to know about the man himself and
his methods. While 1t is true that with
few exceptions the leading newspa.
pers have not had much 10 say about
this peculiar candidacy. II Is equally
true that Democratic senators and rep
resentatives have failed to speak out.
All winter long interviews with Demo
cratic senators and representatives on
the presidential outlook have been
published in the Hearst organ here
and almost every one of these public
men has spoken of Hearst, II not ap.
provingly. certainly as If he were q
most worthy man and a possible nom.
lnee for president. The fact that
these interviews were secured by the
paid Hearst literary bureau" does
not excuse the public men who have
permitted themselves to be used ia
bolster up such candidacy. So far
as can remember Senator Carmack
Of Tennessee Is the only prominent
Democrat who has spoken plainly in
opposition to Hearst Before the
Democratic leaders throw any stones
at the newspapers for keeping silent
In the face of this danger Of pur
chase of the presidential nomination
they should have nerve enough to ge,