The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-14
# AIRBANKS And
HEARST In LEAD
Presidential Campaign Forecast
Points to a Probable
III Radical Issue.
Republicans Likely to Pick In.
diana Man as Conserva-
s tive Leader.
BY w. w. Jermane.

BY w. w. Jermane.
Washington, March 1.-two years
from this time the mind of the country
will be upon the approaching ypresi-
Dental election. Half the period has
1 passed between the preparations for
\ the last contest and the next. 1t is
! hardly too much to say that half of the
history has been made upon which the
lines of that contest will be drawn.
By immemorial custom the majority
party makes its choice first and the
minority party takes the end of the
8 held that is left. For this reason, dur
ing the years of republican ascendency,
i fhe republican platform and candidates
are mapped out in public estimation
considerably in advance of the demo
cratic. It is assumed that the demo-
Gratis will not know what they are to
do until the republican party has shown
3 them by its action what there is left
in the way of issues from which to
i, choose. This year seems an exception
to that rule. It is, if anything, more
/ hearty apparent today who is in the
1 lead for the democratic nomination
/ Than for the republican, and the dem
]. 9cratic line of policies seems more dis
tinctly marked out for the presidential
B contest than do the republican.
a Hearst's Chances. e
The democrats will nominate Will
liam R.. Hearst for the presidency, If
1 he succeeds in being elected governor
l of New York the coming November
| Repugnant as the thought is, that is by
no means a remote possibility. Hearst S
success as a vote getter in the recent
| municipal campaign in New York city,
Without any party to bring him the
traditional support of thousands, with
to support him, demonstrated remark
able strength on his part. He practi-
tally tied the city against Tammany,
! strongly intrenched as it is by the
power Of the places and favor which
! 1t distributes.
( Hearst is now paying no attention
| whatever to his work In congress, but
bending ne all his energies toward secar-
governor While the sober,minded pee
! pie Of the upper part Of the state might
be expected to rebel against such q
nomination, 1t is by no means certain
/ that it would not prove strong one.
/ And it he should be elected in .Novem-
i Der, Nothing ION earth could seemingly
prevent his nomination by the demo-
Gratis in 1908. .sss... ~ 7as
southerners' Attitude.
{ The southern democrats, who repre-
3 constituencies, do not like Hearst; they
I protested bitterly against him two years
ago. But they have one supreme OBJ
ject always in view, to a degree un-
1 known to northern democrats-they
want to win. Any man who could Sc.
cure the goyernorshiP of New Yorh
/! would furnish to them all the title
which they would insist upon having
4 for a democratic presidential nomina
/ tion. They nominated Parker, proba
1 bly, the highest weight individual thai
! any great party in. recent years has Sc
4 lected for The presidency, on the quail
4 fication that he had as a democrat Sc
cured a majority vote in New Yorl
| state since the fatal year Of 1898, {
| somewhat unique distinction. By Thu
same token, they, would nominate
cratic governor Of New York since Ros
| 1881 1881 f'0"sF' VINO was ele''oa i
Therefore, the Hearst movement TO-
the governorship Of New York deserves
from this time forth especial interest a.
settling the democratic nomination il
1908. He might be nominated withou
receiving that victory, but with it h
would seemingly be invincible. I
{ And Then Bryan.
Should Hearst fail to win in New
York, thus carrying the presidential
nomination elsewhere, it is believe
here that the party's choice would b
William Jennings Bryan, who is nov
abroad making study at first hands o
public municipal ownership questions
/ In some form or other, these question
promise to be uppermost in 1908. Thi
! will be the case even if the tariff shoul
be galvanized into. life. Nothing ca
down the public ownership issue, wit
New York and Chicago taking til
stand they have, and municipalities a
over the land showing a startling tren
In a similar direction. This issue wi
receive great encouragement if congress
Should fail to give the president sui
stantially what he wants in the way &
! a rate law.
presidency in 1908 is not Hearst, it wi
Probably be Bryan, and no matte
Which is chosen, the platform will
the most radical which any nation;
Barty has presented in this country fl
many years; even more radical than til
Democratic platform of 1896, in I'll
opinion of careful thinkers.
Republican Forecast.
i Whether Bryan or Hearst is to cal
ture, the democratic party, it is prett
well settled, even at this early day, til;
Fhe republican party will assume a
ultra conservative attitude, both as |
platform and candidate. It would hay
nothing to gain by rivalry for the rad
Gal vote. and, what is Of equal signi1
canoe, it has no radical candidate
sight, for Mr.. Roosevelt will not ru
again.
~ It is this situation that is givir
comfort to such republican aspirants
Vice President Fairbanks, who is I'll
Is very embodiment of conservatism. Sc
rotary Shaw would also feel that h
case were brighter with the democra
: going to radical extreme. So wou
Secretary Root. So would nearly al
other republican who is of PRESIDENT
size and now thinking of entering Il
race.
At the present moment, to sum
1t looks as if Hearst and Fairban
were in the lead for the two nomin
tions in 1908. But this is not to s,
u that the case is closed. A thousa1
! things will happen between now al
then, and any of them might east