The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-17
THE DRIFT OF POLITICS

tAon u WHAT the yellow peril LAtdnS'
They are learning hat W. r. Hearst
through his regularly employed boomers.
is invading the State and is perfecting an
organization intended TO cover every dis
trict for the purpose of controlling the
selection of delegates to the Democratic
national convention. Hearst now has a To-
cal representative in every district in In
diana, it is said. and all of them are work
ing early an6 late to bring about the choice
OF delegates satisfactory to them and the
interest they represent.
The Hearst invasion is a source of no lit
tie concern to the leaders of the Democratic
State organization and they are beginning
TO get together for the consideration OF
ways and means TO c~heckmate the ambi-
tious young New Yorker, who has set out
TO capture the Democratic presidential
nomination. For several months they have
been making light of the suggestions that
HearStS candidacy was assuming formlda-
bic proportions and that it might gain a
foothold in Indiana, but now they are view
ing the prospect seriously and are planning
TO Illustrate Hearst's schemes. So far no
action has been taken other than to pass
the word along the line TO beware OF the
yellow peril, but ii is understood that
every mar identified with the party organ
ization, who can be counted upon TO work
with the State leaders. will be instructed
definitely as TO the course he shall pursue
in forestalling the Hearst movement Inc
leaders are determined that every member
VI tLC hoAuA a1AN oNA0h -
shall be a man who can be depended upon
to work in the interest of Thomas Taggart,
who aspires TO the national chairmaDshlp,
and it is no secret that Mr.. Taggart does
not reckon with Hearst as a presidential
possibility.
AT present Hearst's followers in Indiana
include very few men who are entitled
to recognition as state leaders. Z. S. Jack
son, of Greenfield, who has always been
l. <t-.l 90 Drx~on has
indicated that he regards Hearst as the
most available man for the first place on
the ticket this year, but at the same time
it is said that Jackson will be regular
no matter who is nominated at st. Louis.
Henry A. Barnhart, of Rochester, who was
a member of the advisory committee of
the old state organization, is also said TO
incline toward Hearst. Isaac Strouse, of
Rockville, is another of Bryan's ardent ad-
mirers who is understood to be looking TO
Hearst as Bryan's residuary legatee. Aside
from these three men the Hearst support
ers include few men of decided influence,
but on the other hand it is Ultimate that
the Hearst movement has been conducted
so quietly that no one really knows any
thing about the personnel of his forces.
1t is limited that when the truth is known
IL will be found that he has made surpris-
ing headway in this State and that he has
enlisted the active support of a formidable
number of influential men.
Along this line it is now reported that
the Indiana Jefferson League, the organiza-
ton that was brought into existence last
July oStensibly for the purpose OF holding
Indiana In line for Bryan, is In reality
nothing else than a Hearst machine, fuel
and lubricant for which is supplied by
Hearst. The utmost secrecy was observed
in effecting the Jefferson League organiZa-
ton. 1t will be recalled that there were
TO be district and county vice presidents
of the league, but that the names of these
subordinate officers were TO be known only
TO the state president, Edgar l.. Names,
of louisville. Ii ii is true that the league
is nothing but a Hearst organization, then
1T is readily understood how he has Sc
cured a local representative in every dis
trict in Indiana. 1t is undeniable that the
Democrats who have been most active in
identifying themselves with the Jefferson
League are OF the radical Bryan type, who
turn naturally from Bryan to Hearst, and
1t should also be noted that ii was the
league that brought Bryan to Indianapolis
upon his return from Europe and arranged
for the Evansville demonstration at which
Bryan and Hearst were billed to appear
together, although the latter failed TO put
in an appearance at the last minute.
All this lends color to the reports of the
progress of the Hearst candidacy in Indi-
ana. and it is all this that is worrying Mr..
Taggart, State Chairman O'Brien, Mr.. Fan
ming and others Of the ~reorganizers. Mr..
Taggart is quoted in a St. Louis dispatch
as having said while in that city last Sat
urddy that he could name the nominee of
the St. Louis convention. but that he was
not at liberty to make the disclosure. How
ever that may be, 1t is a foregOne conclu-
sion that Mr.. Taggart is not picking Hearst
as a winner. A few weeks ago he was
known to be actively espousing the cause
of Judge Alton b. Parker, of New York,
and the recent press reports of progress
made by the Parker forces indicate a sit
uation such as to preclude the conclusion
that Mr.. Taggart has for any reason seen
fit to change his mind and head for another
band wagon.
Two weeks ago Hearst sent John r. East
man, of Chicago, to this city to confer with
Taggart, Tanning and others of the local
Democracy and to sound them as to their
attitude toward Hearst's candidacy. The
fact that Hearst had sent a representative
here was told in the Journal at the time,
but it was not learned then that Mr.. East
man was the man. Eastman is a former
1ndianian, who is we'll acquainted with the
Democratic leaders in this State, and there
fore well qualified to represent Hearst on
such a delicate mission. While, of course,
1t cannot be verified. the story is never
fered to contribute $4,000 10 the Indiana
Democratic fund if guaranteed the Indiana
delegation to the St. Louis convention. 1t
i is known, however, that his representative
received no encouragement from the lead
ers with whom he talked. They were not
for Hearst and so informed him, courteous
ly but Enthusiastically.
The story of Hearst's alleged Willingness
to do the handsome thing by the Indiana
Democratic organization If he could get
value received is substantiated in a degree
by the observation-disclosures reports from all
sections of the country that he is spending
fabulous sums in perfecting his organiza-
ton to further his candidacy. He has the
money to spend and the presidential nomt
ination would be worth an immense sum to
him solely for advertising purposes, even if
he knew there was not the slightest chance
of election. 1t is further pointed out that
any man who stands ready to furnish the
Democrats with a substantial campaign
fund this year can have almost anything
he wants from the party-the party man
ayers have worked so long without funds
that they are willing to do almost anything
TO get money this year. They have found
1t discouraging, not to say hopeless. to at
tempt to conduct a campaign without a
goodly sum in the party treasury.
The Indiana Democratic newspapers that
are espOusing Hearst's candidacy have
been named from time to time in these
columns. The kind of argument they are
presenting to their readers is best shown
by the following excerpts from the Clarke
County Citizen. published at Charlestown
by Carl Brayfeld:
The opponents of Hearst are still al
sea. They have been unable to combine ON