New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-17
4 TERNING TIDE.

These are days of disappointment for the rank
and file of the followers of Mr.. Hearst. The
vision Of Mr.. Hearst and his associates in the
leadership Of The municipal ownership movement
as unselfsh soldiers of principle dazzled many
voters a few months ago. BY just what miracle
such thistles could produce such figs they did not
stop to inquire Enough for them that their new
leaders could express all their real or imagined
grievances more 1uenty than they themselves
and profess more loudly than others undying
devotion to the public veal. The great body Of
them did not really know what they were vOt-
ing for last fall, but they had a distinct notion
that they were voting against something. Then
after election they were loudly assured that
they, the dear people, had been cheated, and
that Mr.. Hearst would spend his last dollar TO
right their wrongs. They also rejOiced in an
unexpected victory in Brooklyn. which put some
Of their trusted friends in an advantageous po-
sition TO carry Oh the sacred fight. But, some
how or other, things haven't worked out just as
they expected.
In the first place. Mr. Hearst's noble rage to
prove his title TO the mayOralty seems TO have
abated. Attorney General Mayer dispels many
fond illusions of the devoted and trusting
NJ O.'s when he shows that Mr. Hearst has
never even sought TO test the regular way pro
yided by the statutes, but with strange yet ex-
plicable perversity has insisted on proving his
Il
If he really thought he could prove his election
and wanted 10 do so, his course would be folly.
If however, he was most of all anxious not
10 serve the people Mayor, but DESTROYS Of
appearing a martyr and of convincing the
people that they had a grievance, he would natu-
rally proceed as he has done. This the wage
earners who in such numbers enlisted under
his banner are beginning to understand. They
We're not concerned last fall TO give Mr.. Hearst
FL ctn in do
were voting against Mayor Mcclellan and what
he represented, and resent being used simply to
make state or national boom.
Another rift in the Hearst lutte is the atti-
! tude OF the successful Hearst candidates. A
radical put in Office ceases to be useful to the
radicals. Mr.. Coler openly has his own ambi-
lions. and is neither promoting the fortunes OF
! Mr.. Hearst nor receiving the confidence Of MI
Hearst. Each, like the Turk, loves no brother
near the throne and is fully convinced that the
throne belongs to him. Then, the county Off
/ GERS elected on the Hearst ticket have largely
/ ceased 10 be a political asset. They have fat
/ offices for the next four years and have little
/ incentive to exert themselves and little power
/ if they had the disposition. They have distrib-
uted their patronage and have made ten enemies
Of municipal ownership for every place filed.
As result of their Outburst of enthusiasm, the
rank and file see few favOrites in office and
| themselves in outer darkness, cut off from the
| Iammany corn crib, on the one hand. and hav-
ing no share in the municipal ownership spoils
| Oh the other Utter defeat would have kept
them together better than the spectacle of mu-
nicipal ownership pie of which they have no
piece.
As If 10 complete the disillusionment comes
| a revelation from Albany of the decidedly Drac-
| teal philosophy Of Hearstite craftsmanship. If
! there is one limb Of Satan for the Hearst crowd
II IS the traction monopoly. The Ryan Belmont
merger must be broken even If Mr. Hearst him
| self has 10 hire a lawyer to do the work. and
the Legislature must by all means enable him
10 say TO his people that he forced dissolution.
But when a Republican Legislature had before
IL bill 10 prohibit mergers Mr.. Campbell the
Municipal Ownership leader in the Assembly.
discovering that more than one merger might be
affected, exclaimed, why, that would hit a
company I'm Interested in," and joined in the
opposition 10 relief for the people from the
monopoly.
With Mr.. Campbell forgetting the victims of
| Ryan and Belmont in order to protect his own
investments with the N. O. county officeholders
i each looking after his own bank account with