Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-22
INDEPENDENCE LEAGUE
Branches Being Organized
Throughout New York.
A BOOM FOR Mr.. HEARST
The Sentiment Sapping the Strength
of Both Parties.
NORMAN E. MACK FOR BRYAN
Believes Him the Next Democratic
Presidential Candidate and That
He Has Not Changed.
Special Dispatch TO The Star.

time to start things I'm motion for the gu
bernatorial campaign this fall the agents
and lieurenants of William Randolph
Hearst have set about to capture the stale.
Short paragraphs are appearing daily In
the papers telling of meetings up the state
conducted either under, the auspices of the
Independence League or for the purpose OF
organizing another local branch of the
league which is the outgrowth OF the Mu-
nicipal Ownership League. or Hearst party,
in this city Individually these brief dis
patches do not attract great deal of at
tentiOn. but when taken collectively they
show activity on the part OF the Hearst
supporters which cannot fail to have its
effect upon the coming campaign.
The managers of the old parties are
toying a summer siesta just now, placing
reliance In the strength of their respective
organizations to meet the Hearst Invasion
when the crisis comes. There Is no longer
any doubt but that Mr.. Hearst will be
gubernatorial candidate this fall He viii
be nominated by the Independence League,
and II The democrats choose to indorse him.
so well and good. This will depend upon
whether or not the Independence League
organizers viii have succeeded by demo-
cratic convention time in capturing enough
of the upstate delegations to turn the tide
In favor of the young editor and congress-
man. The independents are striking out in
two directions. First, they would capture
the democratic organizations of the vari-
Gus counties. fHliluE TINS lleN nave their
newly organized Independence League to
fail back upon as third party.
The Hearst Sentiment.
There IS every likelihood that the or
ganization democrats will underestimate
the Hearst sentiment throughout the state.
The republicans may also be surprised to
find good deal of their strength Slapped
by the attractive propaganda of the indie
pendents. Political unrest in the empire
state is at the high water mark and might
well cause concern to the leaders of both
the old parties. Their Indifference just at
this stage Of the proceedings. however, is
lending double strength to the Hearst
movement SO energetically being carried
forward. Here are two fragments OF
Hearst news printed this morning:
From Binghamton: Despite a heavy
rain, a large and enthusiastic organization
meeting OF the Broome County Independ-
ence tHearsD League was held in the city
hall this evening. The meeting was ad-
dressed by ex-senator William F. Mackey
of Buffalo and by Rev. Charles F. Hakes Of
this city. Both spoke enthusiastically of
the outlook for the success of the league
In BroOme county, and their remarks were
greeted with applause An executive com
From Malone. n Y: The sentiment
among democrats and independents here
and I'm other parts of northern New York
Is rapidly drifting toward the Independence
League and its principles Among the lat
est recruits to the movement are O. l..
Chaplin. chairman Of the democratic com
mittee OF Franklin county, Charles A.
Burke, former county chairman. and prom
inent business and professional men gen
orally"
Hearst gubernatorial standard is Norman
E Mack Of Buffalo, democratic national
committeeman for New York state. Mr..
Mack has come out hat-footed for Hearst
Tor governor, and thinks If ne is nominated
by the democrats il will mean an overthrow
OF republican power in the state Mr..
Mack takes pains 20 point out that he is
for Mr. Hearst the democratic nominee
II the democratic convention should name
another candidate and Mr.. Hearst should
then make the race on the Independence
League ballot and platform Mr.. Mack would
probably remain regular" to his own
party.
Norman E. Mack for Bryan.
Mr.. Mack has also come out enthusiast
tically for Bryan for President in 1908, and
he talks In way which suggests that a
Bryan and Hearst entente already COM
mented upon IN these dispatches, may not
be without the realms Of probability
There is no real clash OF interests" says
Mr.. Mack. between Bryan and Hearst
know that In my own case am for Hearst
for governor because ! am for Bryan for
President, and I believe that is true OF
many other democrats There is not any
doubt that certain men and certain news
papers are giving prominence TO the re-
cTudesCence Of Bryan sentiment with the
idea that they are hurting Hearst, but
they are not.
Mr.. Bryan Is not a candidate for any
office this year. Mr.. Hearst is a candidate
for governor, and regard him the logi-
cal nominee OF the democratic party for
that Office. There is no question IN my
mind. either. that Mr.. Hearst's ultimate
ambition r. to become President OF the
United States, and should he be elected
governor OF New York-and ! am confident
that he will be-he undoubtedly would be a
strong In the In a mt 1
] assume would be the case he conducted
himself as governor with prudence ability
and honesty OF purpose 1t is not my belief.
though, that Mr.. Hearst would autagonize
Bryan Tor the presidency in 19OS-!t does not
seem at all likely to me that he would do
The result OF the last presidential cleo
ton. when the campaign was engineered
rom Wall street convinced me that Bryan
would be the democratic nominee In 1903.
and said so in an interview published the
morning after the election. II was not hard
70 guess that the party would turn again TO
Bryan
AS FOR the suggestion made in certain
quarters that the Bryan OF the present day
differs from the Bryan Of 1896 and 1900,
there Is nothing In II. Mr. Bryan has not
changed So far I have been able to
learn. he has never retracted a single prin-
clpls which caused some OF the members or
the democratic party TO regard him as i'm
possible six and ten years ago. 1t is not
Bryan that has changed. but the country is
foresaw and foretold in 1896. and Il Is the
public appreciation Of that fact that has
caused the change IN sentiment toward him.
Bryan Is not less pronounced now than for
merry in his opposition to the aggression OF
the trusts. corporate domination of the po-
ntical parties and the like. Public opinion
has advanced with regard 10 these ques-
lions. however. and what seemed radical
ten years ago wears a different aspect now.
The actions and attitude of President
Roosevelt undoubtedly have had much TO do
with educating sentiment. A popular Pres-
dent has been able 20 do with public APP
prevail what was denounced rank heresy
when II was advocated by a democratic
presidential candidate
In the meantime plans for the Bryan re-
reption In this city are going forward under
the auspices OF the Commercial Travellers
Antitrust League, with the assistance of
o. H. p Belmont Mr.. Hearst and Arthur
Brisbane, his most trusted representative,
have been asked TO serve on the reception
committee but have declined. They want
10 be free agents 10 act as they please when
the time for receiving the great Nebraskan
arrives II the commercial travellers wei
come does not give promise OF pleasing Mr..
Hearst that gentleman is capable OF organ
sizing a welcome on his own hook which
would certainly vie with the other In popu-
lar interest and enthusiasm. There may be