Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-11
BRYAN AND HEARST
Politicians Discussing the Com
bination for. 1908.
NEW YORKER MIGHT BALK
Nom -Committal Regarding the Ne
braskan's Present Boom.
REITERATES HIS FRIENDSHIP
Effect on the National Campaign Of
the Coming Fight in the
Empire State.
NEW YORKER MIGHT BALk
RETrERATEs HIS FRIENDSHIP

NEW YORK, June 1.-For President In
19oS--WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN OF
Nebraska.
For Vice Presldent-WILLIAM RAN
DOLPH HEARST of New York
That looks and sounds strange at first
but politics has been known to make
stranger bedfellows, and the possibility OF
such a ticket as this is being earnestly
discussed by keen men of the political par
ties who are watching the trend Of affairs
from this vantage point.
Already Mr.. Bryan has been indorsed
and named as the candidate of the demo-
cratic party in 1908 by several of the more
important states of the Union. and the
boom is spreading through the country like
prairie fire In the dog days.
With Bryan apparently in the van, who
is the other factor in the party to be reck-
oned with at this time? Hearst Try as
they may, the political prognosticators
cannot get away from this man. He is In
the democratic ointment as firmly as the
Rock of Gibraltar sits at the entrance to
the Mediterranean. Any sort of forecast
that leaves him out of the equation will be
threatened with disaster at every crook and
turn in the tortuous channel leading to the
harbor of fulfillment.
An Ideal Blending.
Bryan ana Hearst would be an ideal
blending of the west and the east, the lat
ter having as one of his assets the rossi-
bnity of carrying the Empire state with its
topheavy vote in the electoral college.
Those who fear the extreme radicalism of
Hearst are fleeing to Bryan as a safe and
sane democrat of the first water. With the
Nebraskan to steady the ticket at the head
and to lend dignity to 1t, and with Hearst
throwing the undeniable power he has built
up about himself into the bargain the COM
bination would have an unwonted strength
which the republicans would have difficulty
in combating.
Although there seems to be a general
impression that Mr.. Bryan would consent
to make third try for the presidency Ii
the nomination were thrust upon him, there
is huge element OF doubt as to how Mr.
Hearst would relish the lower berth on the
ballot. He Is generally reexoned as sa-
gacious In his time. however. and If he
finds the Bryan wildfire SPREADING beyond
all seeming control, he may he glad of the
honor of second place. If Mr.. Hearst were
questioned today he undoubtedly would dis
miss the subject as one too trivial for at
tenton, but there are two years with 365
days each to be counted off before the con-
ventions assemble and time works Won
drous changes.
Mr. Bryan could hardly have serious OBJ
lection to Mr.. Hearst as running mate.
for the latter Loyalty supported the Nehras-
kan in both his campaigns for the highest
office in the gift of the people. By the
same token Mr.. Hearst could scarcely OBJ
ject to running with Mr.. Bryan-except, of
course as the vice presidency might affect
his ultimate ambitions, which lie behind
the pillared portico of the beloved old man
sion of white reposing between the Treas
ury and War Department buildings, over
looking the historic oaks and the beautiful
greensward of Lafayette Square.
Hearst Non-Committal.
Already Mr.. Hearst has been drawn into
the Bryan boom, and has been sounded as
to his opinion of the Endorsements that have
been made of the distinguished Nebraskan.
In a way the New York representative is
non-committal but in his letter to the In
dianapolis Star Saturday he said:
II have been for many years sincere
friend and earnest supporter of Mr- Bryan
rejoice In his achievements and successes.
and l approve of every honest Endorsement
of him.
Then Mr.. Hearst branches off to take a
fling at TON" Taggart Tim" Sullivan,
Pat" McCarren. Dave Francis, George
Mcclellan. August Belmont, Morgan and
last. but not least. Grover Cleveland. He
says he personally would never welcome
into the company of loyal friends of Bryan
and sincere advocates of good government
any such these He also expresses the
belief that Mr.. Bryan win "repudiate utterly
these men and their professions OF friend
in favor OF any man any measure that
VIII protect the interests OF the plain people
of the country"
Thus does the representative from the
eleventh congressional district in Greater
New York extract himself from what his
friends thought might be embarrassing
situation when the Bryan boom was put
straight to him.
Hearst's New York Fight
Much as to the future of Mr.. Hearst de-
pends upon his attitude in the New York
state campaign during the coming fall
There have been indications for many
months that he would be a candidate for
governor. and there is nothing now to indi-
cate change in this tentative plan. There
is little prospect. of course, that the demo-
Gratis will name Mr.. Hearst. despite the ef-
fective organization his iieutenants have
been busy with in all the upstate counties.
Consequently IL will be necessary for Mr..
Hearst to run at the head of an Independent
ticket. To provide for this emergency after
the mayoralty campaign of last year the
Municipal Ownership League, which Mr..
Hearst represented and came SO close to
winning for. was expanded into the t.Inde-
pendence League Naturally, municipal
ownership would not appeal to the farmers
and the inhabitants of the small towns and
villages. where there is little or nothing for
the municipality to own. But the word I'm
dependence" has an American sort of sound
to II, and an appeal 10 those who feel they
too long have been but insignificant parts
in the great machines of the two old par
ties.
If Mr.. Hearst should run and by any
chance be elected governor of this state.
his position in the democratic marty al
though not altogether regular, would be
almost paramount. But 1t is difficult to
figure gubernatoriaI success for the am
bilious youig representative. Tammany
would knife him in Greater New York 40
deeply that the very best he could hone
for would be a split of the democratic
vote. With Greater New York's deno-
Gratis divided no democratic governor OF
the state could ever be elected The rock
ribbed republicans upstate may cavort
around bit ard act skittish during the
ante-election days, but when 1t comes
right down to the test and the marking Of
the ballot. the habit of putting the cross
under the 'sstrong box emblem OF the
straight republican ticket asserts itself
70 strongly that everything else sinks Into