New-York tribune., 1906-11-07
TINE TO THINK.

The time for campaign work ended with Mon
day. The time for voting yesterday. The
time for 1.-The tumut and the shouting" was
last night. To-day comes the time for thought
serious and heart searching. It is time TO pom
der carefully the lessons OF the late campaign
and to consider what made that campaign, with
all It's attendant disgrace and potential menace
possible. And this thinking is TO be done not
by the practical politicians alone. but at least
equally by all those private citizens who have
regard for their own civic welfare and for the
good name and prosperity of the commonwealth.
There are in this city and state thousands of
sober minded, intelligent substantial citizens
who all through the late campaign dreaded and
opposed Hearst as a menace to the public vel
fare. as. indeed, he was Yesterday they voted
against him. Early last evening when partial
returns seemed to indicate a possibility of his
election, their hearts were in their thrOats with
speechless apprehension. Later as to-day, they
felt a sense of profound relief and Of devout
gratitude. because the peril had, after all,
passed by. 1t is time for them to consider very
seriously TO what extent they were themselves
responsible for the danger which they dreaded,
and to ask themselves whether 1t will be wise.
whether it will be good citizenship whether 1t
will be honest and consistent and decent. for
them to aid in making possible repetition OF
this campaign. perhaps with n different ending.
We mean that men and women should ask
themselves. in view Of this past campaign, if
it is not high time for them to stop patronz-
ing and supporting the sort of Journalism"
of which Hearst is the supreme exponent and
which in turn is Hearsts chief agency for the
furtherance Of his pernicous propaganda They
know what has been Hearst's purpose in estab-
fishing his series of yellow" sheets. They
know that for years he has been filling those
sheets with every fasehOOd and SANDER and
indecency which venal talent could conceive
for the sake of debauching and perverting the
public mind. They know that it was chiefly be-
cause of the nOtorety and influence which he
had gained through such detestable means that
he was enabled TO secure the Democratic nomi-
nation dictate deal with Murphy and impose
his candidacy upon the state Surely they must
also realize to what an extent they We're them
selves the aiderS and abettOrS of his machina-
tions.
They will do we'll then to consider If it is
not high time for them to stop purchasing such
sheets, for the qualification of their curios-
ity to "see how far he will GO; if it is not time
for clergymen to stop selling or hiring their
names and the prestige of their calling to give
his prints quasirespectab ablity, for the un-
clean dollars from his till If it is not high time
for all who dread the disaster which his sue
cess would mean TO stop the patronage with
his whole yellow press prOpa ganda would speed
ily shrivel and decay-if, in brief it is not time
TO quit playing with fire. There was a laugh
the other day at the expense of some soldiers
who. being sent out to capture runaway Ind
lanS. had their provisions and supplies stolen
bv those very Indians who then got off safely
with their booty. Would not the people Of this
state incur much worse derision, and something
more than dersiOn. If they kept on deliberately
giving the "sinews Of war to the enemy whom
they detest and dread?
Without his papers Hearst would be as help
less a viper without fangs. Without the sun
port of the people his papers would fail. Is not
the logic Of the situation clear? few years
ago, because they had suggested the murder of
a President, his papers were execrated and
patronage was largely withdrawn from them.
Is not the attempt to debauch and rayIsh =
whole state sufficient cause for melting ont 70
them similar but still more sweeping and
more lasting doom?