Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-02-05
AN OBJECT LESSON.
1T ILLUSTRATES THE TREND OF
PUBLIC MORALS.

A Cynical Episode in American Politics
Mr.. Hearst's Proposition at Least Lesiti
mate Deal in Modern Political Ethics-Ths
Mckinley Campaign Opened Up the Posi-
bilitiss of Making Money Mighty Power
in Political Performances OF /" Pub.
lc," One Of the Most Conservative as We'll
as Influential Mind-AouIders Of the Middle
West.
! Congressman Hearts Presidential
boom, which has now burst through
the confines OF the Hearst papers and
surprised the readers of other journals
with its unexpected suddenness and
unthinkable magnitude, bids fair to
rank as the most cynical episode in
the progress Of American politics to-
ward the bread and circus climax of
McKinleyism.
1t is commonly believed OF Mr..
Hearst that he is trying to buy a
Presidential nomination, and then to
buy the election. Circumstances seem
to justify this impeachment. But
what of it, and why not? Should that
be his purpose, and should he succeed,
the only novelty about it all would be
the fact that he had done the buying
himself and with his own money.
1t is this novelty, however, that
gives TO the matter its cynical aspect.
When Mr.. McKinley's nomination and
election we're bought in 1896, the
political proprieties were observed
specifically. Mr.. Mckinley bought
no nomination. He bought no elec-
ton. He furnished no funds. Mr..
Hanna acted as purchasing agent, and
the funds were furnished by the ex.
pectant syndicates OF Wall street. So
Mr.. Mckinley became President nom.
inally in the old fashioned way. He
did not buy the office. 1t was bought
for him.
Yet the fact that the Presidency was
bought, proved that it could be bought ;
and with cynical shrewdness Mr..
Hearst has set about gratifying his
ambition by taking advantage of that
discovery. If the Presidency could be
bought for Mckinley, why may it not
be bought by Hearst? There you have
the psychology of the Hearst boom.
I" Is the Office for sale, politicians and
voters all? Is it money you want?
Don't 60 to Wall street. I'll give
money-my own money. And why
tangle yourselves up with middlemen?
I'll give it myself" That is the spirit
of the Hearst movement.
While this is cynical to the verge Of
grim humor, it is due to Mr.. Hearst to
observe that there is "no string tied"
to the money he is lavishing, save the
one condition that it shall bring him
the particular commodity he is openly
Offering to buy. Unlike the money
that bought McKinley's election, no
secret obligation to greedy syndicates
goes with Hearst's money. On the
contrary he is committed in most re-
spects to an anti.plutocratic policy.
In an interview, for instance, which is
reported in the Chicago Tribune OF the
18th, Mr.. Hearst fairly shines as an
aggressive Democrat. So he does in
some OF the editorials that appear in
his papers. But there is disturbing
fear that in both interview and editor.
ial his refulgence is a reflected light
Mr.. Hearst publishes great editorials,
but does not always write them. He
sends impressive letters to public meet
ings, but modestly retrsins from verify
ing their authorship by equally i'm.
pressive appearances as q speaker
His experience in expression has not
been extensive. Yet il must be said
for him that in his Tribune interview
-ostensibly an oral extemporsry talk
of two hours in duration-he appears
to have exhibited firm grasp of great
and subtle questions and ready powers
of expression, which orators with years
of experience in extemporary debate
on questions of state might envy.
Had Mr.. Hearst delivered this inter.
view as a speaker on the floor of Con
gress, under fire and visibly before the
country, where he could not shine by
reflected light, it would have placed
!. him beyond dispute among statesmen
of the Presidential class.
But in the plutocratic atmosphere
OF the day Mr.. Hearst cares less, prob.
ably, to be statesman of the Presi.
Dental class than to be in the class ol
Presidential candidates who can com.
mand "the price" without being de-
pendent upon anyone for a dollar
And certain it is that he has already
played havoc with the Germans and
Parkers and all their kind, who are
looking to Wall street syndicates tc
buy the Office for them. In spite ol
the gravity OF the matter, the conster.
nation of these plutocratic Democrats
is something to laugh at. But the
situation is really very grave. That
such a movement as Hearst's should
have become formidable in American
politics is ecathing commentary
upon the degradation into VIII ich Nc
Kinleyism has plunged the country
Here you have the ripened fruit of the
McKinleyistic gospel OF " get there"