Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-12
HEARsr prsEars pEMooRAcr.

HEARST DESERTS DEMOCRACY.
New York democrats have had their
calculations completely upset by the
latest political attitude of William
Randolph Hearst. who has announced
that he will no longer affiliate with the
democratic party, but will lead the in
dependence league in fight for SUI
premacy in the Empire state against
both the old parties. The announce
ment brings the Tammany organiza-
ton in Greater New York and the up
state democrats face to face with very
puzzling situation, just at a time, too,
when they have begun laying plans
for the national campaign of next year.
1t has been demonstrated very clearly
that the democrats can not win In the
state with Mr.. Hearst and the leaders
have a strong suspicion that they can
not win without him. It is now a
question whether. the party will be
stronger with him in open opposition.
In the state campaign last year thous-
bolted Mr.. Hearst and accomplished
his defeat while the rest of the state
ticket was elected. On the other hand,
Mr.. Hearst carried New York, the Tam
many stronghold. and the leaders fear
that If he places his independence
league in the field with a national
ticket he will secure sufficient demo
cratic support in Greater New York
10 make democratic success in the
state hopeless.
Democrats have learned the error of
Understanding Hearst's influence.
He was outside the party when he ran
for mayor in 1905 against Mcclellan,
who had the prestige of two years sue
cessful administration, and there is no
doubt that fair count in that contest
would have shown Hearst's election by
big majority. He forced the party
to nominate him for governor In 1905
and was defeated by OBJECTIONS in the
democratic ranks. He has not wasted
any time, however, but has been per-
fecting the Organization of the indie
pendence league In every voting pre-
cinct of the state. He has made allies
of both republicans and democrats
from time to time until he now feels
that his organization is strong enough
to open fight on both of the old party
organizations. His lieutenants are
now busily engaged in organising
branches of the league in other states,
with the evident hope of being in q po-
sition to cut big figure in the cam
paign next year.
Outside of New York there is little,
prospect that Hearst will cut much OF
figure in the next national campaign.
The administration at Washington has
taken intelligent action on the railroad
rate Question. the meat inspection,
trust prosecutions, campaign expense
publicity and other issues which Hearst
has been agitating for several years
and hts most effective work on those
propositions in the next year must
serve as an endorsement OF republican
policies. In New York Governor
Hughes has been making every effort
to secure legislation correcting abuses
which Hearst has denounced in that
state and in which he has failed to re-
ceive the support of the democratic
party with which he has been asso-
ciated. If Governor Hughes succeeds,
Hearst's field of activity will prac-
tically be limited to New York City,
where his municipal ownership agita-
ton still gives him strong following.
From every viewpoint the democrats
have the most to fear from Hearst's
decision to work on independent lines
in the next national campaign.