The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-23
Hughes, if Elected by Re-
publiCanS, Would Stand
Good Chance.
Government Ownership Idea
:. Would Get Try.out
with Hearst.
wv. w, Jerman&

ww p ASH1NGTON, Sept. 22-The
W. feeling is strong all over
the east that some pretty
stiff presidential politics is now going
on in New York, and that the
nominee Of the democratic state con-
vention at Buffalo, next Tuesday, will
stand good chance to be the demo-
cratic nominee for the presidency in
1908. The feeling also prevails, altho
In less intense degree, that the nomi-
nee Of the republican state convention,
at Saratoga, on the same day, may pos
sibly be the republican nominee, for the
presidency in 190s-if it should be
Hughes.
Twice since 1856 have the democrats
elected q president, and both times it
was the man who made himself avail
able by carrying New York state as the
nominee for governor. The temptation
will be strong FOR the democrats to re-
peat that performance two years hence.
provided they win in New York now.
for they will have to carry New York
to put their man in the White house.
New York is not essential to repub-
lican presidential success, but should
Hughes be elected governor this fall.
against some such man as Hearst, and
demonstrate his popularity by big
majority, the question Of his available
ity for the presidency would at once be
raised, for Of the republicans now in
the field for the 1908 nomination there
is not one but. carries some sort Of
handicap.
Hearst Has Chance.
Should Hearst be nominated on Tues
day, and elected by an unusually large
majority, which might hapepn If any
body except Hughes is pitted against
him, it will seemingly be very difficult
to keep him out Of the next democratic
national convention. Indeed, his nomi-
nation by that convention, under the
conditions referred to, seems so likely
at this distance that organized capital,
and conservatives everywhere, already
are beginning to have symptoms of the
shivers.
Hearst for president would sweep the
democratic party away from its. moor
ings just as Bryan swept it away in
1896 It would be the triumph of
ultra radicalism, and instead of free
silver, state socialism and the delibe-
rate and premeditated arraying of class
against class would be the democratic
battlecry. So far as its general effect
on the country is concerned, such {
campaign would be in it's essential fea
lures a duplicate Of the campaign Of
1896. Everybody in the country will
anything to lose in the way of money
business or property would becom,
frightened. The campaign would TAX
on an air of earnestness akin to tina
of 1896, and business generally woul,
receive a sudden check. from which i
would not recover until it was know
that Hearst had been defeated. In tn
event of his election, the later da
prophets of evil would give free reig
to their imagination in a series Of IL
mentations that would put the old tes
lament prophet to shame.
Brings Out q. o. Idea.
Hearst 8 election as president, hov
ever, might not be al unmixed evil.
the first place, it would probably be
good thing for the country to make tt
government ownership fight. TT
ownership idea is in the air, and
probably will not down for some tin
to come. 1t will be more easily di
posed of in 1908 than at some later tim
when it will perhaps have mo-
strength, and besides it will be GOO
thing to know just how the sever
states stand with regard to it. Mea
while, Hearst g election would n.
bring government ownership to pas
nor would it scarcely mean a step
that direction. Had Bryan bee
elected president in 1896, he wou]
have been able to erect the standard
free silver thru an order issued by h
secretary of the treasury. Subseaue1