Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-04-25

have to be adopted. There Is. how,
ever. a dread lest Murphy may, after
all, be for Hearst instead of for Cleye-
land. Some of the ex.president's
friends intimate that this Is the real
purpose of the Tammany boss. Thus
the situation for the unhappy demo
cracy is as full Of peril in 1904 as it
was In 1896 or 1864. II is sin too
early to write the obituary of William
r Hearst, presidential aspirant.
a PARAMOUNT CONSIDERATION.
The American presidency has been
dignifed By a long list Of chief OK.
eentIyes who have been men Of the
highest type of manhood and citizen.
ship The names of few, indeed,
have been added to that list against
whom one word could be uttered In
reproach for the record of either their
private Or public life. The people
or the United States demand of the
whom they exait To the highest
office ID their gift that his career be
able To stand the test of the lime
light Of publicity to which he Is ex-
posed who can be pointed out to
their sbns as the highest product
of American life and an example for
them to emulate.
This Is the test which would finally
be applied 10 w. n. Hearst If he were
to receive the presidential nominal
ton and go before the people for their
suffrages. Various rumors have been
circulated In regard to his life both
before and since he became a conspic.
nous figure before the country. When
ever these have been taken up by
the newspapers they have been met
by the most bitter and vindictive at
lacks from the Hearst journals. APP.
parently the attempt a to "bluff'
the press OF the country into silence
on this point at the outset. But tie
Ipress of United States can no more
be bIuffed than IL can be bought. Pro
fessional courtesy might ~constrain 81
lence for a time, but fear, not for q
moment. Relative to this point the
Chicago Record Herald says, in a re
cent issue:
In common with most Of the news
papers SO located as to be brougnl
into business competition with thu
newspapers owned by Mr.. William
Il. Hearst, the Record Herald has
refraineds from editorial discussion
Of his candidacy for the office b
president Of the United States.
II Is with extreme reluctance thai
we recognize that d duty to oul
readers makes 1t necessary to TAXI
up this question because an ex
preston adverse to Mr.. Hearst's am
bitions will be construed by some
es indicative OF a business antagon
ism only
Under orr form Of government /
follows that II a majority of tn,
voters in the several states desir,
to set their stamp of approval OF
the policies which Mr.. Hearst hal
adopted as his own, and select hin
as the man Of their choice to pu
these policies into execution. th,
minority, though grudgingly. mus
aequiesce.
The eligibility of Mr.. Hearst Il
subject, however. to one very i'm
portant qualification, and on thil
point all parties and all creeds hav'
agreed.
A prime requisite for the prcsi
dency, or, indeed, for elective office
generally, has been a clean III,
judged BY American standards.
II, ri has been alleged. Mr.. Hears
has fallen conspicuously below thi
standard his candidacy should b,
abandoned. for every r~ight.thinkinI
man will regard with adherence
campaign Of the nature that woul'
inevitably follow his nomination.
Mr.. Hearst should realize tina
abuse 81 the men making the char
ges against him furnishes no salts
factory answer 10 tn
charges themselves, The pull
lie IS not seriously concern
ed With records or motives of thos'
who declare that Mr.. Hearst's pr
vate life makes him an impossible
ity as a presidential candidate.
Is vitality Interested in determining
the truth or falsity of such charge
NIykyKVC IT