The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-11-11
CLOSE
CALL IN NEW YORK
Any Democrat But Hearst
Could Have Won
THE GUSHING OF FISH
outerowth of the Mutual Life Insur-
ance scandal-Fifth Avenue to
Be Reeonstructed-Talk
of the Week.
BY sEWALL HAeeARD.

New York, November 10.-(SpeciaD,-Th
republicans have little to be proud of
In the result of the state election ON
Tuesday. 1t is true that they can con-
graduate themselves on landing the gov
ernorship, but if any democrat other than
W. r. Hearst, had headed the opposition
ticket, they would not have had even
that small crumb of comfort. The re-
turns show that it was democratic
year in this state, and If the democrats
had not been SO foolish as to nominate
Hearst they probably would have found
themselves in possession of the state
government from top to bottom. The
fact that the entire democratic state
ticket with the exception of the editor
candidate, was elected is abundant proof
of this.
At first blush it was thought that
Hearst and his entire ticket had been de-
feated so decisvey that no more would
be heard of him and his doctrines This
view was accepted by the newspapers be-
cause no attention had been paid to the
vote for the lieutenant governor and other
state officers. Usually the vote for the
head of the ticket tells the tale, and 1t
was not until two days after the election
that the real result was known definitely.
The republicans from President Roose-
welt down are alarmed over the situa-
ton They realize now that dissatisfac-
ton with our present government is
nothing short of rampant. They see in
Mr.. Hearst, as has been predicted in
this correspondence. formidable candi-
date for President in 1908, and q continual
ton of the so-called radical agitation
n CT fha n haf
starting for Panama was to call his adj
Visers around him and impress upon them
the warning contained in the New York
election.
But for the President the result in
New York might have been worse for the
republicans. When the party was about
to nominate a weakling for governor,
Mr.. Roosevelt stepped iiAand practically
dictated the nomination of Charles E.
Hughes. And 1t was the President who
sent Elihu Root here to make the most
powerful speech of the campaign. OF
the Presidents part, the Sun, after point
ing out that the republican bosses We're
about to force the nomination of a pliable
tool. says:
"And the man with the torch appeared
and seemed about to lead; but by the
grace of an all wise Providence which
watches over this people and over Theo-
dore Roosevelt the torch was a bogus
fraudulent torch; and after shrinking
horribly the waters closed over it on
| the sth of November.
Charles l1. Hughes was the man walk
| ing in the wilderness; the misappreh end
| ed, the unknown and the Indispensable.
Theodore Roosevelt's unfailing genius
forced Hughes on the Saratoga conven-
ton, snatched the republican party from
| the grave and saved the state; and, for
| all we can tell saved the nation
What has the republican party done
| for Hughes? Nothing. 1t advanced the
use of its name and a reluctant nominal
ton. But he has been elected governor
of the state of New York Yes. he has
| beer elected governor of the state Of
New York in spite of the republican par
ty. Even the stupidity and futility of
Woodruff and his incompetent. apathetic
gang have not 'availed to defeat Hughes.
The party Is reeking with leaders when
| ever there is graft in the air, but what
| has a leader done for the lonely figure
| that has beaten the state into decency
| and common sense? Not a thing. Not
| one of them has raised a finger in his
| behalf. 1t looks as If only their lack
of courage kept them from openly join
| ing the party of Murphy, Hearst and the
| Devil,
mo, the republican party had little
to do with the election, except as Theo-
| dore Roosevelt may be taken to embody
| and personify its ancient spirit and actual
| existence. Mr.. Hughes was elected by the
people, by good republicans, by honest
| democrats, and by good citizens guiltless
of tags of any kind. The benefit that the
| republican party gets it gets by the in
| dividual dispensation of both Theodore
Roosevelt and Charles L. Hughes