New-York tribune., 1907-04-05
THE DEMOCRACY AND H4DICAL1su.

Are public ownership and the similar vagaries
Of extreme radicaIism to go the way of bimetal-
lism as political issues? Will they soon be as
antiquated as the "crosN of gold and the "crOwn
of thorns' and all of the other paraphernalia
of 16 10 l? 1t would take brave man to run
for Office in the near future on Il municipal own
ership platform after the crushing blow which
that proposition received in Chicago. Mr.. Bryan
showed something like an inspiration regarding
the coming verdict in his disclaimer published
on Saturday of Il belief in the present prac
tcability OF government ownership as an issue.
The whole Chicago campaign turned out hap
PLY for the Nebraska statesman. His offers to
take part in it were rejected so that the defeat
of Dunno in no wise reflects him. Besides,
the result rea1firms and emphasizes that Of New
York State regarding his natural rival. Mr..
Hearst. From all present appearances govern
ment ownership will have about as much vital
ity next year as is to ! had in Bryan's second
campaign. To offer 1t as an issue will be an
attempt to reopen settled case. for the people
have seemingly made up their minds regarding
public utilities just in 1900 they had made
up their minds in favor of n single standard.
We congratulate Mr.. Bryan on filing his opinion
that government ownership was only an ulti-
mate recourse three days before the Chicago
voters expressed theirs to the same effect
But if the Chicago election showed good deal
as to the state of the public mind regarding the
rival policies of regulation and public owner
ship, it was not less revealing as TO the di-
vided state of the Democratic party, whose
condition in Chicago does not differ greatly from
it's condition In the country ar large. Carter
Harrison, representing the conservative wing of
the Democracy, wanted to run for Mayor on a
platform favoring the traction compromise Ordi-
nances. With a united party behind him and
taking position which the results showed to be
popular with the voters he would probably have
been elected, for Chicago is normally Demo
cratic city. But Hearst who proved last fall
that he has about thirty thousand or forty thou
sand votes in Chicago, would not support Har-
rison. and without his support the former Mayor
was sure to be defeated Hearst supported
Dunno, but the Hearst brand OF radicalism is so
Objectionable to the people that even with an
Ostensibly united party behind him Dunno was
beaten. It was impossible to please Hearst and
the rest Of the Democratic party at the same
time, and so it impossible to win either
with without his support.
It will not be Mr.. Hearsts fault II the same
situation as that In Chicago does not confront
the Democratic national party, for he is appar-
emily determined to make his group as imposing
q factor possible before the next national
convention. He improves the opportunity OF
Dunne's defeat to call tpOn Democrats 10 desert
that corrupt" party and Join his honest Inde-
pendence League The usual thing has hap
"pened An honest Democratic candidate. running
ION distinctly Democratic platform, has been
defeated by a corrupt Democratic machine"
The Democratic party "n many localities has
neither honest principles nor honest leaders"
Honest citizens should not be hound by party
names when those names are disgraced and the
party principles betrayed by so-called leaders
that represent the Democratic party only to sell
lit out to the highest bidders in so many places
throughout the nation" Mr.. Hearst occupies
position of enviable independence If a Dem
Ocrat whom he supports wins t is victory
for the Hearst policy; if he loses 1t is proof
of the corruption and degradation Of the Democ-
raCy.