The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-25
Seeks the GoIernOfship as a Stepping Stone to the
 White House
HIS QUIET CAMPAIGN
 ALARMS BOTH PARTIES
Establishing State Organization Under 6uise of Municipal Ownership and Expects to Win on
 This Issue.
BY SEWELL HAGGARD.

BY SEWELL HAGGARD.
 New York February 24-(SpeclaL)-The name of William Randolph Hearst looms mp on the New York political horizon in big letters Mir Hearst will try to ride into the governorshp on the municipal ownership issue and if he is successful his plan is to use the capitol at Albany as a stepping stone to the White House in l9OS
 Incredible as 1t may seem that MT. Hearst could be "stlis about anything. his campaign so far has been a still hunt With the aid of B. B. Odell, Jr.. the defeated boss of the republican party. he began months ago 10 perfect state organization called the Independence League. So far voters have been asked simply to enroll in the organization with it's taking array of municipal ownsr- ship principles. but later these blanks will be produced as so many demands for the nomination of MT. Hearst for governor. If he gathers enough support he will try to coerce the democratic state convention into nominating him. If this cannot be done he will make the race as an independent candidate as he did for Mayor.
 only within the last few days has the press awakened to the truth of the sit uation and begun to sound note of warning. That conservative paper, the Evening Post, says;
 Seriously to Be Reckoned With.
 "The Hearst candidacy has now se- rously to be reckoned with. The elamor of 1t will fill the state. Republicans are affrighted by It and decent democrats know not where to turn A man who, but for his money which he pours out lavish- | ly In politics. would never be thought of. heading a movement which. if not fi- nanced by him, would attract but few with brains in stable equilibrium, is raid- ing the chief office of the state, and sober people are saying that there is no means of beating him off This is the political portent now confronting the citizens of 1 New York About it they will have to | think. write, speak, act, for months to comes
 "We agree with the Evening Post says | the Sun. "that the municipal ownership movement will have 10 be reckoned with seriously. The indications are that it VIII be conducted with considerable political 1 ability and with the considerable peeu- niarv expenditure which attends the chief promoters efforts at self-advancement and self-advertsng MT. Hearst and the cry for municipal ownership as the frst number in an unknown programme of soeialistic agitation are likely to occupy public attention for months to come.
 The Sun. however, does not share tho Posts apprehension. The Sun likens the Hearst movement 10 the Bryan move ment and declares that 1t will be defeated. When MT. Hearst was defeatea Tor Mayor of this city by narrow margin and alleged that he was defrauded, 1t was predicted that he would be more dangerous factor as a defeated candidate with the cry of fraud on his lips than he would have been as Mayor. Thls pre- diction wns based on the fact that the majority of the people who voted against him at the polls believed that he was elected. MT. Hearst announced soon alter the election in his papers that he would exhaust every legal proceeding to have a recount of the votes. Whether he sud denly decided not to carry out this tnreat Is not known, but nothing has been heard about 1t lately except the introduc- tion of a bill for recount In the legis- lature which stands little chance Tor taV- orable action. The bill was introduced by Senator Malby, one of Odelfs heuten- ants. which was taken as further proof of the Odel-Hearst alliance.
 About the time that Hearst's papers lapsed Into silence on his election con test rumors began to reach the poiit- clans of the presence of agents In the up state counties who were organizing local branches of the Independence league and capturing what they could of the wreck of the democratic organization that re- mained after the retirement Of David E. Uill as state dealer. This new move mcnt bore all the ear marky or Mr. 1earst's undertakings. In all Of the ru- mors figured the ever ready check DOCK with fhr faithful Max F. Ihmsen, Uearsl,s first lieutenant. as the custodian. At the St. Louis convention MT. Inn sen proved that, at least in some cases, spontaneous demands for office seekers and inc check book go hand in hand for he organized following which gave Mr. Hearst more cheers than any other candidate got, although in the convention he received only 200 votes out of 1000.
 Busy All Over State.
 When the politicians went about con hrmng these rnmors they found that agents of the municipal ownership propa- ganda had been active in almost every county fin the state. Not only had they sought to get the small fry and purchas- able politicians in line, but they had ap- preached preachers, the lawyers and the thinking people To a clergyman or any leading citizen they would say after un- folding their principles:
 "Mr Hearst would like you to write m article on municipal ownership for his papers It may not be used at once, but 1t will be used eventually because he Is collecting hundreds on this subject and he will print every one of them. He will pay you $50 or whatever you think your article is worth"
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