Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09
NEW POLITICAL STARS
Many Glasses Trained on the
Democratic Firmament.
EFFORTS TO FORECAST
FOLK AND DUNNE BOTH IN THE
ASCENDENCY.
Questioned Whether Either Will Reach
the Perihelion Between Now
and 1908.
EFFORTS TO FORECAST

There are two new stars in the demo-
cratic armament. Presidential astrologIsts
are training their big glasses upon them.
They are Joseph w. Folk of Missouri ana
Mayor-elect E. F. Dunno of Chicago. Both
are in the ascendency; the question is
which, If either, will reach the periheIion
between now and 1908?
Curiously enough, the two rising lights
of democracy may be said to represent the
two factions of the party, the conserva-
tives and the radicals. Both are western
men, and It is almost inevitable that the
democrats will turn 10 the west for their
next candidate. Illinois and Missouri may
be said TO be the two strongholds where
democracy is most militant. though both
are republican states. The prospects are
that the next fight in democratic ma
tional convention will be between the con-
servative and the radical wings of the
party. and politicians are even now begin
ming TO look ahead for possible leaders.
Dunno Popular With Radicals.
Mayor-elect Dunno will undoubtedly. 1t IS
said by politicians. be popular with the
radicals He stands for all that Bryan ad-
vocates and goes further to represent the
policies of William r. Hearst. He is for
municipal ownership, and If his experiment
stood that ii will be only step to govern
ment ownership to be advocated by the
men who are back of the present move
ment Mr.. Hearst was an important factor
in the election of Mayor Dunno, and all or
cies. should appropriate material portion
posed Dunno
1t would, indeed be a strange freak OF
political fortune If Mr.. Dunno springing
into national prominence upon Hearst poll
cies should appropriate a material portion
OF that politicians political capital to his
own use. Mr.. Dunno has lost no time in
the effort. Within forty hours of his cleo
tion he appears in New York city and ad-
dresses monster mass meeting at Cooper
Union in favor of municipal ownership
striking the iron before il is hardly red hot.
in New York.
The list of prominent men who greeted
Mr.. Dunno in New York presents an inter-
esting study in politics. Most of them are
known TO be disgruntled with Tammany.
Mr.. Hearst hates the ground that Tammany
walks on, and he is heartily detesIed in
turn by Tammany. Has Mr. Hearst APP
pealed to outsider only to suffer the
fate which history records of those who
have resorted to the same means?
Dunno was fought by Hopkins, Harrison
and Eckles in Chicago, all the old-line DEM
ocrats, in fact, and with that he won out
Did he carry with him the populistic ele-
ment in both the republican and demo-
cratic parties? Does IL mean that he has
hoisted the banner of the radicals for all
parties in the west? These are questions
the DOilIlcidllS are dShlIlS Will sOIHt INTER-
est at this time.
1t may turn out to be a master stroke of
political genius his going to New York at
this time.
foundation for a socialistic and popuistlc
revolt in New York. The legislative COM
mittee Investigating the gas and lighting
- franchises are daily making capital for the
advocates of municipal ownership. At the
very outset of a campaign which is fore
most in the public'S attention Mr.. Dunno
faunts his victorious banners, transported
in a hurry from distant field of conquest.
Folk Satisfactory to Conservatives
Mr. Folk of Missouri is being discussed
by the conservatives He is reformer,
but as one politician put 1T, he Is not re-
forming in advance of the times. He is
after dishonest men and methods rather
than advocating new regime. He would
purify the present system before fleeing to
others. He is not an opponent OF corpora
tions per Sc. He is willing to let an honest
corporation have the same chance with an
honest individual. but is cunning for crooks
in both classes.
The conservatives say that Mr. FOLK
would not necessarily alarm the ''conserva-
tive interests of the east. Mr.. Dunno cer-
tainly would. Mr.. Folk is willing to admit
that because the eastern democracy is rich
it is not necessarily corrupt. He Is content
to allow capital and industry to pursue its
way in independence along the paths OF
honesty. Mr. Dunno appears to think that
capital and industry engaged in public
utilities can be trusted only when under
immediate control or the proletariat.
Mr.. Folk has enjoyed the lukewarm
friendship of Mr.. Bryan. Folk was hunting
men, Bryan was dealing with measures. In
a division il is said that Bryan would be
more likely to go with Dunno than with
Folk. How Missouri would go is a ques-
ton, but the rank and file would probably
follow Folk.
h,1 ~irbt ,ara cop,aS i, tha pnoea,ar+
equation. Democrats say that the future of
their party depends in large measure upon
the republican policy in the next three
years. Will it be radical or conservative,
or a mixture OF both? For the moment
Roosevelt seems to meet all the require
mentS of the Missouri democracy, leaving
neither Bryan nor Folk much ground to
stand on. But this consideration has only
to do with the election. Dealing with the
selection of candidates of the opposing par
ties, it will be a question as between the
conservatives and the radicals.
Eastern Conservatives Shelved.
No thoughtful democrat thinks that 1t
will be possible to go to the length of con-
servatism that was shown in the selection
of Judge Parker. The next convention will
probably not listen to the eastern men. The
fasteners who oppose Hearst and the pop
ulistic tendencies of the party will be in
vited to look west of the Alleghenies for
candidate, and at this time Folk looms
largest in view.
Democrats generally think that Hearst
overplayed his game in the last campaign,
and that he will not be a formidable candi-
date next time. Mr.. Hearst does not agree
with this opinion. He is even now at work
on his campaign, and of course IL is to be
laid along most radical lines. But with the
appearance of Dunno there is another Rich
mond in the radical field.