The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1904-03-31

The following editorial on the candi-
dacy of Hearst appeared in the Chicago
Chronicle Of March 81, 1901
Democrats viii not fully understand
the preposterOus candidacy Of William
X. Hearst unless they view it IA Il nat
ural and inevitable descent from Bryan
ism. Political Us we'll rs other forms of
decadence present many curious feat
ures.
If there had been no Bryaninm in the
democratic yarty Dir. Hearst would have
been Candidate for the presidency, if at
all. like any other freakish advertiser,
bent on self exploitation. He never
would have Thought Of securing the
( democratic nomination. He would have
entered the class in which the 'Immor
TIL J n. Belya lockwood, DR. Mary
| Walker, George Francis Train and Vic
toria G. Woodruff figured in their day
aud would have been content,
There is nothing new in II person gro
teequely unfit aspiring to the chief ma
gistracy. Many craHks and many ego
ti-ta have done it. The auly thing about
the Hearst candidacy that shocks people
il the fact that he has the audacity to
pretend that he Is seeking the nonina
ton Of II great party
SO long ~ the strange and Eighty
creatures who appear before the public
occasionally in the role of presidential
uopirants coufue their antics to parties
Of their own. mostly imaginary, or TO in
consequential ORGANIZATIONS which are
rarely heard Of ut election time no at
lentinu il paid to them. They are re
garded ~ fit subjects for jihe and ridi-
Guile Bat when by the use Of money
they carry the joke or the infatuation
into the convention Of one of the great
parties, there il u feeling Ike that which
prevails in Washington rnen II crank is
taken with arms in his hands at the
threshold OF The executive mansion.
Bryanisn Opened The Way
Organism opened the way for the
iIeurst candidacy. There need be no
doubt about that. When the democrat
ic party turned it's back upon its own
leaders aud principles and took up with
the zealpt from Nebraska, attempting
IN u frouzy to make itself and the world
believe that il had discovered prodigy
II made u most emphatic descent from
it, former estate, but it was Il descent
which still left some depths unsounded.
Mr.. Bryan was one of the lowest types
that h d yet appeared in party leader
ship, but there were some things to com
mend him
The Hearst candidacy, made possible
only by reason of the decentralization re
shifting from Organism, shows that the
bottom has been reached Nothing else
that may be in store for the democratic
party can be worse than this. The mere
fact that party organization, party spirit
and party leadership anywhere have
;aIlrn 80 low AZ to admit of this shame
ml movement under cover of the demo
cratic name ployes that political dis
grace carries long continuing penalties.
The Only Redeemlng Feature
So far ~ we have been able to observe
there is but one rodeeming feature in
this candidacy which il in itself an in
diCtWrnt of the democratic party and
the republic, and that is the fact that it
il -o completely without justification, il
is 80 shamclessly and inexcusably impu
dent and it il so shocking to the sensi
Utilities of most men even those long
accustomed TO BryaniSm-that ii seems
70 have operated IN many sections of the
country 10 awaken democrats to real
zaiiou &c the danger in which they have
been walking and to turn them in dis
gust from the alliances which they have
formed
II we examine the claims Of the freak |
candidates for The presidency who have
in the past we will find that
most 0f them had some characteristic |
ihlt might have recommended them To
tine friendly consideration of their fellow
VAIN. sensational unbal
annpd and wholly devoid Of appreciation
Of the fitness of things they undoubtedly
were hut ut least they did not set out
upon their harrhruaed crusades with
tie idel that they conld buy the nomi-
nation 81 n great party. They Were
honest In Their folly.
ia the eaae Of the Hearst candidacy
there il nothing To commend il, nothing
to excuse it, nothing TO explain it and
nothing to give II hope of success except |
n colossal fortune and such connteuance
IA money lubiously used can purchase |
From William j Bryan at the head Of |
the movement down through the whole
line Of mercenalies to the lowest touch !