Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1904-06-08
HEARST AND HIS BOOMLET.

Following closely upon the heels of
the announcement that Mrs. Hearst
had withdrawn her support from Ger.
tain charities which she had been fos-
tering for several years, on account of
the big drain to her resources in as
sisting her son to secure the presiden-
tial nomination. comes the announce
ment that William Randolph Hearst
has cancelled his contracts for hotel
space at st. Louis. Mr.. Hearst had
contracted for several floors in vari-
GUS hotels of that city in which to
house and feed his delegates and
shouters. According to latest ad-
vices these people will be compelled
to provide their own accommodations
and settle their own bills.
The report that Mr.. Hearst has
withdrawn from the race is denied in
certain quarters. While the report
may not be technically true, it is prac-
tically true. His expenditures to Sc
cure the nomination are estimated at
more than $4,000, 600, and with this
enormous Doodle he has not succeed
ed in obtaining more than $50 dele
gates, or less than one-siXth Of the
entire convention. While William is
by no means a brilliant man, he is
possessed of a sufficient amount of
common sense to know that he is not
in the race, and whether he with
draws or not will not affect the result
of the st. Louis convention, so far as
he is concerned. He has told his head
manager that if the people want him
he will be glad to receive the nomina-
ton, but if not he will bow to the will
of the people, or words to that effect.
The Doodle campaign which Hearst
has made to secure the nomination is
without a parallel in the history OF
this country. And this by man, too
who poses as the apostle of purity in
politics. By a man whose papers are
filled with columns of stuff charging
republicans and oftentimes democrats
with political corruption, and with
bartering in the elective franchise Of
citizens. Yet when possessed of an
ambition to fill an Office for which he
possesses no abilities whatever, he
makes no secret of the most profit
gate expenditure of the funds of him
self and his mother to accomplish his
purpose.
Without the use of the corruption
fund employed by him, his candidacy
would never have been considered
seriously outside of the papers which
he owns and controls. The presump-
ton of the man of ability even below
mediocre in aspiring to the highest
office in the gift of the people, an Of
fee which calls for the possession in
the man who fills it, of ability of the
highest order. has called forth some
very sharp criticisms from the press.
Henry Watterson, one of the Oldest
and ablest editors in the country, can
only harmonic his actions with that
of insanity. As a fair sample Of the
more intelligent comment on this sub
ject, the following observations from
a recent issue of Harper's Weekly are /
not without contemporaneous human |
interest:
Mr.. Hearst has had no experience |
in public affairs, his service in Con /
gress having been wholly perfunctory. |
and his knowledge of political history. 4
political economy, and political every /
thing seems to be about as limited as
his opinions are crude. But 4
there is another and very dark side. /
Mr.. Hearst has no particular desire /
to become the Democratic candidate; /
a Republican nomination would suit .
him quite as we'll He wants to be 4
the candidate of a class, and since I.
classes have not hitherto been recog- /
nized as existing in this country, he
has bent his energies and given his /
own talent and hired clever men of 4
specious minds and spent freely of his /
money in an endeavor to create one, |
His newspapers are characterized by /
appeals to ignorance and prejudice, |
to hatred of the rich simply because /
they are rich, not because they are I
wrong. to socialism discomfort and /
envy. to the basest of human pas
sions. From the standpoint of a pa
triot, lover of his country, the great /
and free, though still experimental re- /
public. this is dastardly work One F.
shudders to contemplate the logical /.
conclusion of its successful continu-
ance"