Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-20
: RENDERED NOMINATION
Hearst is Working Hard to Capture
the Convention.
PEACH OF A FIGHT NOW ON
Politicians Taking Notice and Things
Humming - Hearst Newspapers
Go After District Attorney.

An exceedingly interesting turn was given
to the gubernatorial situation in New York
by the formal announcement Of William
Travers Jerome last night that he would
accept the democratic nomination for gov
ernor If it were rendered him. His state
ment follows:
I'm the present shameful condition Of our
political life in this state.I am willing to
run for the office of governor of this state
if the democratic convention shall nominate
me without any understanding, expressed
or implied, other than that If elected shall
obey my oath Of Office as understand it.,
in letter and spirit.
WILLIAM TRAvERS JEROME"
This means that Mr.. Hearsts herculean
and, 1t must be admitted, formidable efforts
to capture the nomination from the regular
democratic state convention will be opposed
by the one man in New York state whom
Mr.. Hearst has cause to fear most. Mr.
Hearst's campaign is being waged mainly
upon the platform of indepen1enoe of par
ties, and especially of bosses. Mr.. Jerome
gave last fall a successful exhibition Of his
independence by gaining reelection as dis
trict attorney upon a platform of inde
pendence, on which he ran against the reg
ular democratic, the republican and the
Hearst tickets.
What The Sun Says About It.
He proposes now, If agreeable to the
democrats, to run on their ticket, but also
to stick to his old policy of indep endence of
bosses, according to his brief but explicit
statement. OF that document the New York
Sun this morning said in it's leading edto-
rial:
"Mr. Jerome says that If the democrats OF
this state offer him the nomination he will
run as their candidate for governor. He sets
forth his platform frankly and explicitly. 1t
is the oath of office that he will take when
he enters on his duties at Albany.
I'VE would give more for that pledge from
Jerome than for all the other platforms
that could be erected from now until dooms-
day"
OF course, the first thing for Mr.. Jer-
ONES friends to do now Is to control the
democratic state convention, If possible
Mr.. Hearst, however, has been beforehand
and has foregathered on several county del
egations, in the meantime laying plans for
a convention of his Independence League
to nominate him first as an Independent
candidate in order to impress the demo-
Gratis later with the apparent sentiment in
the state In his favor.
The fight between Jerome and Hearst
for the democratic state convention will
be a battle of giants. Each will have to
appeal to the rival factions of Murphy
and Mcclellan for New York city's i'm
Jerome and Hearst basted Murphy and
Mcclellan in the mayoralty campaign
Murphy probably feels more resentment to-
ward Jerome, however, than he does to-
ward Hearst, for Jeromes fagellation Of
Murphy was off1cial-the act of the chief
law officer Of Maphattan-while Hearst's
attacks were only through his newspaper.
The question next arises, What If Hearst
wins out in the democratic state conven-
ton, will Jerome run as an Independent
candidate for governor? It will be recalled
that when the democratic machine IN Man
haitian, through Murphy's bullheadedness,
failed to nominate Jerome for district at
torney last fall. he put his name on an in
dependent ticket, ran a campaign prac-
tfcally without money and won with flying
colors.
Politicians Are Interested.
Politicians are very much interested in
the possibility of Mr. Hearst running as the
self-imposed candidate of the democracy,
Mr.. Jerome running as the free lance, and
Mr.. Hughes of insurance fame as the Odell
choice Of the republicans. For the opinion
is widely held among well-informed New
Workers that II Mr.. Hearst captures the
democratic state convention Jerome will
jump in as the Independent. Jerome op-
poses Hearst, regarding him with disfavor
on many counts. 1t is only frank to say
that the feeling is reciprocated by Mr..
Hearst.
Mr.. Hearst has lost no time in opening
up on his chief rival. His New York news
paper published this morning the Jerome
statement and Immediately proceeded to the
"skinning'' process, which may be expected
from now on. Some Of the remarks Of the
Hearst newspaper about Mr.. Jerome were
as follows:
1.-The announcement Of Mr.. Jerome's can
didacy has been expected for some days 1t
was not thought, however. that he would
make a bold bid for the democratic nomi-
nation. The well-known fiction as to Je-
romes independence, 1t was understood, was
to be resorted to, and an Independent can
didacy by Mr.. jerome was looked for by
the politicians
Jerome $ thus the candidate of the
Ryan-Beimont interests, supplemented by
the dell-Quigg republican machine"
At all events 1t will be peach" OF a
campaign, with the many entangleneEts,
contradictions and anomalies presented In
the three parties and the several possible
candidates. Politicians agree that the entry
of Mr. Jerome in the lists will add i'm
measurably to the gayety Of politics in New
York for the next few weeks, whatever the
outcome.