The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-02
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP
ISSUE In NEW YORK
Underlying Bitter Personalities in
Gubernatorial Battle Is I'm
49, portant Question.
Election of Hearst as Indorse-
ment of National Control p,
t,1 B.. -. e.
Hughes Likely Winner. .

special TO Inc Jou1uaA' 80 ~ .-.-4.
While a great deal Of interest has
been aroused turnout the country in
the New York election, too much, i'm
portance should not be given to the
final result, whatever that result may be.
AS candidate Mr.. Hughes has been
something of a disappointment. His
high character and sterling worth will,
however, undoubtedly attract many
voters from the other side. His cam
paign has not at any time risen above
the level of personal criticism, and that
is not the way to make the most etfec-
tive political campaign. Reports Of
is giving almost his entire time to de-
nunciation of Hearst and to statements
and claims with reference to his own
independence if elected governor. 1t
has no doubt been very easy and nat
ural to fall into this line of campaign
ing, but it will not arouse much inter-
est among the voters.
Ownership as Issue.
There seems to have been no effort
to bring into the campaign any great
was of the highest Importance to- have
tried out, and which, if Mr.. Hearst
shall win, will be considered as, at
least partly settled by the people Of
New York, and that is the question Of
public, ownership Of great utilities.
Most casual observers have believed
that at the time Mr.. Roosevelt became
president we as nation were not far
from commercial despotism as into1-
Grant and abhorrent to freedom as any
political despotism the world has ever
known. . .,--
To thwart the danger thus threat
ened the president has preached com
mon honesty and has gone back to the
basic principle upon which the republic
was founded and insisted that the COM
mercial interests of the coutry should
be held in check at all times by the
strong arm of the law. He insisted
from the beginning, that the great cor
porations doing interstate business
should be under government supervi-
sion and control. =. .--z.,-
!, al Confused Over Doctrine.
h L The, logical eoraHary of this doctrine
would be that CORPORATIONS doing but a
local business should be under the SUI.
pervision and control of the local GOV.
eminent, The misfortune has been that
the quasi Intelligent have " constantly
confused this with the doctrine of pub
lie ownership. There was presented in
this campaign a splendid opportunity
for clearing UP this, confusion. ~fhe
singular thing is that Mr.. Hughes and
his advisors have apparently not seen
this opportunity, or have at least not
chosen to take advantage of it.. *.~.
The election will, therefore, result il
settling nothing except as to whether
Mr.. Hughes or Mr.. Hearst shall be gov
ernor Of New York fer the next two
years. The chances seem to favo,
Hughes election. That election, in thu
| Judgment Of many, will be the result o1
! the demoralized condition of the demo
cratic machine, rather than any populal
| expression.
Party Lines Are Rent.
| There are unquestionably in every
county in the state a large number O.
highly resnectable democrats who will
vote for Hughes, but these will scarce
ly equal the republicans who vote 70
Hearst. This republican vote probabl,
will be cast under a misapprehensiol
as to what the voters are doing, bu
ithstanding the fact that the cam
paign has not been an entire success, j
+ IS believed Hughes will be elected
There seems to- be an impression tina
so far as the republicans are concerne
the campaign is not being conducte
with very great diligence or energy.
Our old Minnesota friend. Luthe
Little, for ten years under Plat an
OdeH,, in charge of the press bureau,
still effectively running that end. Asid
from that, there appears to be no can
paign so far as the committee is COZ
cerned, except the routine work of al
signing speakers. In the democrat CAM
that anarchy which is necessarily b,
gotten of Mr.. Hearst's conduct an
teachings seems to have taken nosse,