Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-28
HANGS BY A THREAD
Hearst's Political Fate in the
District Of Columbia.
SITUATION DANGEROUS
NORRIS FORCES TAKING ADvAN.
TAGE OF APPARENT SPLIT.
Republicans Organized for an Anti
Chase Battle-Patterson and Van
Wiekle Gaining Strength.
SITUATION DANGEROUS

Wiekle Gaining Strength.
The political fate Of William Randolph
Hearst in the District of Columbia is hang
ing by the slenderest of threads. One word,
be that the wrong word, will precipitate
most humiliating defeat to the Journalist
from New York This deduction Is made
as the result of interviews today with the
leading Hearst supporters in the District,
and with his henchmen who have come
down from New York and Its faithful Tam
many to help conduct the local campaign.
AS stated in The Star yesterday, the situa-
ton was precarious; today it is more so.
and it is the consensus of opinion that un-
less harmony is effected within rwenty-four
hours the Hearst cause is doomed, in so far
as the District Of Columbia is concerned.
The local democratic primaries are sched-
uled for a week from today, and 1t is con-
ceded that the hours are precious. The
whole trouble centers around the alleged
recognition of three or four men, who are
said to be members of the knights of Labor
and who were opposed to the methods of the
Hearst Democratic Campaign Club Of which
Capt. James A. Collins is chairman and Mr..
Charles w. Slater a prominent member;
This organization, 1t is claimed has worked
four years to perfect the present political
machine If 1t may be SO termed, and its
officers feel disappointed and injured that
their wishes should have been ignored when
the campaign had reached a crucial status
Capt. Collins committee which declares the
support of from 1900 to 5000 voters, has
baked at what 1t believes to be unfair
treatment on the part Of Mr.. Hearsts secre-
tary VINO has undertaken to conduct the To-
cal campaign. 1t was stated this morning
that the committee had rallied its full sup
port, and would give Mr. Hearst, personally
an opportunity to choose between the votes
1t can rally and the votes which can be raj.
lied by the three men who are the bone OF
contention.
1t is further understood that the friends
Of Captain Collins committee will not
amalgamate, under any circumstances with
the alleged forces of these three men,
and that If the whiphand is not shifted the
votes of the Hearst democratic campaign
committee will be lost to the man 1t was
organized to support, William RandoIph
Hearst Such turn as this would be dis
astrous, it Is thought. and the Hearst lieu
tenants are doing all in their power today
to head off any such possible conoitlon.
To use the vernacular, the Hearst cause
in the District is up in the air." and 1t
may land butter side down. Several con-
ferences are scheduled for this afternoon,
and the result of the approaching primaries
may be safely predicted tomorrow.
Mr.. Norris Serene.
In the meantime Mr.. James L. Norris is
padding quietly up stream and the ripple
as he feathers his political oars is scarcely
perceptible With Commodore ]. Fred
Kelley at the helm the Norris canoe is Gid
ing through the campaign marshes, slowly
but surely approaching the battle line. DC
casionally Mr.. Kelley appears In the open,
asks what's dom - and retreats to the
silence of his stronghold. The commodore
is always asking questions. telling moth
ing, and his opponents are at loss to know
what will be the number of his army.
The Republican Situation Frightening
Light is beginning to break in the local
republican camp. After the signed state
ment which appeared in The Star yester-
day there is no doubt as to the personnel
of the ticket which will oppose the Chase
Simmons combination Mr. Patterson and
Mr.. Van Wickle have announced themselves
as intending to fight side by side until the
polls close, depending upon honest primar-
les for their election Local enemies to the
present administration are hurting all sorts
of thorns and barriers in the way Of this
ticket and the last statement which has
appeared Is to the effect that Mr. Van
Wickles resignation has been submitted to
Gen. Harries, to take effect soon as Gen.
Harries sees fit. This Is absolutely incor-
rect and Mr. Van Wickle denounced the
published statement today.
Furthermore Mr. Van Wickle would have
Gen. Harries, as Gen. Harries has nothing
whatsoever to do with the campaign, mere
ly being favored by Messrs. Van Wickle
and Patterson for national committeeman.
Mr. Van Wickle was placed on the ticket
by the Roosevelt central committee, and
that organization would have to consider
his resignation, should he care to present
it, which he does not.
An Embarrassing Situation.
Efforts are being made to combine all the
anti-Chase strength under this Van Wickle-
Patterson ticket, and a situation arose
which for the time being seemed embarrass-
ing to Gen. Harries. In the interest of har-
mony, and as friend to President Rooss-
welt, he endeavored to convert the Reyburn-
Cook combination.
His position was misunderstood and
rumor soon had it that General Harries
would forsake the Patterson end Of the
ticket. The general said today that in the
first place he has no authority to subSti-
tute names on any ticket and that he In
tended placing the matter before Messrs.
Van Wickle and Patterson to let them de-
eide whether or not any concessions should
be made. The gentlemen named on this
ticket decided that matter yesterday in
their joint statement.
There will be grand mass meeting Of the
fourteenth district at o Street Army Hall,
between 7th and Sth streets northwest. to
ratify and indorse the W. p. Van Wickle-
John p. Patterson-Philnp Tindall-Gen.
George H. Harries-Rev. William Howard,
D. D., ticket The meeting will open at 8
o'clock sharp. All are invited to be pres
ent The speakers will be Gen. George H.
Harries. Gen. ]. Hale Sypher, Rev w. j.
Howard. Col. William Murrel. w. p Van
Bishop Johnson. D. D.; Jesse Foster.
Thomas Allen John w Patterson T. W.