Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-08
Hearst More for Taft Than for His

gen.
In the face of all the democratic
party has done for William Randolph
Hearst, in the face of what Bryan has
done for him, in taking upon his own
shoulders his battles, in the face of
every condition and circumstance en-
tering into the politics of the nation
in the last 10 years. the discrimination
shown by the head of the new indie
pendent party in his discussion of the
old parties in his Labor day address
at Suburban island. yesterday, struck
all who heard it and who nave heard
of il, as a surprise and dis
appointment. The savagery of
Mr. Hearst's' attacks upon Mr.. Bryan
and the democratic national commit
tee. together with his total disregard
publican national candidate and plat
form, served only TO create the i'm
preston that the chief ambition of
Mr.. Hearst in the pending campaign
| is to elect Taft. To the accomplish
! ment of this end, he is willing to sac
rifice not only the party that has done
him honor greater than ordinarily be-
ganiZation of his own creation of
which he is now the representative.
Mr.. Hisgen thus becomes a mere fig
urehead in the Hearst campaign. Taft
| is the man whom Mr.. Hearst seeks TO
elect In the addresses Mr. Hearst
has thus far made. not a syllable has
escaped his lips derogatory of the re-
publican national candidate or cam
paign management. the central idea
being TO draw FROM Bryan and not
from Taft. In the interests of his
| new party, if Hearst was sincere,
he could not consistently be blamed
! if he sought TO discredit both old par
ties. particularly the one which he has
always so bitterly arraigned. but he
has no fight apparently except with the
democratic party.
Having fought the battles of democ
| racy. while he was candidate for
the highest distinction that it could
confer, and having gone to radical
extremes in assailing the opposition
party. he turns squarely about and
opens fire upon the principles he has
| long advocated while contributing as
| far as he is capable Of doing to the
continuation in power of the party
which he has so often proclaimed as
| destructive to American institutions.
There has been no swap in the rela
tive attitudes of the two great parties
during the past four years. The demo
cratic party has taken higher ground
if possible than ever before in its his
tory-and with this has come the part
ing of the ways with Mr.. Hearst. The
republican party is no Better than i
has been for campaigns past and doe
not assume to be or pretend to be
In fact it points to its past RECORD
with PRIDE confident that it will b.
endorsed by the people once more.
Yet William Randolph Hearst. one,
the earnest champion of endurin;
democratic principles. once and oftel
the loyal supporter of Mr.. Bryan. one
and often the most relentless opponen
of republican tenets and measures an,
, doctrines. is found today lambastin
the men and institutions he has here
tofore upheld and Indifferent to tn
, dangers he has heretofore pointed on
) and emphasized. And all to what pu1
, pose-to wreck if possible the demo
> cratic party and continue in powe
, of the republican party
. Mr. Hearst in aim and act is NOR
/. interested in the election of Taft i
, the present campaign than he is i
| the triumph of his own candidate an
+ the principles for which ne stands.