The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-11-08
PENSACOLA FLORIDA, MORNING NOVEMBER g. 1906
Mr.. Hearst's Defeat
and His Future.

The marvellous run made by VIM
r. Hearst for governor of New York
even though he was defeated, consti
tutes an object lesson for the country
that is worth more than a mere pass
ing notice.
The conditions surrounding the
New York state campaign were prob.
ably the most peculiar in the annals
OF American politics. 1t was admitted
by both sides that party affiliations
and alignments entered only remote
ly into the situation and therefore
the result cannot be regarded as hav.
ing any strictly partisan significance
1t was a Hearst and Anti-Hearst
contest and the Anti-Hearst people
won.
Hearst on one side represented re-
form in government, a return of the
government to the hands Of the peo-
pie, abolition of corporation abuses,
overthrow of corrupt ring rule in the
cities, and the freedom of the Amer
lean citizen to live and act and vote
as he pleases untrammeued by the
power and demands of the special
privileged interests.
Hearst on the other side was Cd,
posed, either openly or secretly, by
every special interest in the state OF
New York. He had arrayed against
him every corrupt corporation, every
theiving syndicate, every plundering
trust, every franchise grabber and
tax-dogger, every political sore head
whom he had hit during the past ten
years, every head and every hireling
of all the special interests and all the
organized wealth of all New York
and outside of New York, including
all the power of the national admin
istration-all these opposed him and
beat him-no other result under the
circumstances was possible.
But while Hearst was defeated by
the small majority of something like
$4,000 in a state where the safe and
sane" leader OF the national democ-
racy lost out by more than 10000 in
1904, it by no means disposes OF him
as political factor either in state or
national politics.
We do not agree with the New Or
leans Picayune that Hearst being de-
'eated by some $4,000 votes, he ceases
TO be a parsonage OF any public i'm
portance." Hearst is a parsonage of
very great public mportance-greater
possibly than if he had been elected
governor. Any man who can, single
handed and alone, against all the in
terests that opposed him, come within
$4,000 votes of being governor of the
greatest state in the union, Is a man,
even though defeated, of very great,
In fact, unusual public importance.
We do not know what course, so
far as his aspirations for Office are
concerned. Mr.. Hearst will pursue in
the future, but of one thing we are
Observation-Disclosures he does, he will
be an important factor in American
politics and one whom no party can
afford to disregard.
IL Hearst, pursuing the same policy
that he did to secure the nomination
at Buffalo, should become a candidate
through his Independence League for
president, he could either force his
nomination by the Democratic party
or, by running as the Independence
League candidate. he could prevent
the election of the Democratic candi-
date.
In view Of the hold which Mr..
Bryan has on the affections of the
Democratic party and of the evident
desire of the party to nominate him
In 1908, it is not likely that Mr..
Hearst could win the Democratic
nomination.
Failing in that, as he probably
would, what would he do? That is
The question that will have to be
settled before very definite calcula-
lions can be made for the campaign
of 1908.