Omaha daily bee., 1908-05-15
THE TNprPENDENcE LEAGUE.

THE INDEPENDENCE LEAbJb'
With the certainty that Mr.. Taft
will be the republican nominee at
Chicago and Mr.. Bryan the choice of
his party at Denver, some share Of the
political attention will be directed to
William Randolph Hearst and the part
he is to play in the national campaign
His personally conducted Independ-
ence league, which recently decided to
change its name TO the National Inde-
pendence party, has a national conven-
ton scheduled to be held at Chicago
on July 27, and political forecasters
are aware that they will be compelled
to reckon with the Hearst forces as
factor in the campaign, particularly In
some of the eastern states. The ex-
tent and potency of the Hearst influ-
ence can not be gauged with any de-
gree of accuracy until his plans for
his convention are more fully re-
vcaled.
To date Mr.. Hearst has been some
what reticent concerning the indie
pendence party plans, although he has
made a few things plain. He has an
nounced that the party will not sup
port Mr.. Taft or Mr.. Bryan and will
not fuse with any other political or
ganization, but will have a candidate
of its own and make its own fight in
its own way. The question appears to
be whether the independence league,
which has had branches in a number
of states and made fights on issues
that were purely local, can be welded
into a national organization with ma
tional control in view. Some dominat-
ing issue would naturally be required
to form the basis for such action. Mr..
Hearst has not, as yet, announced such
au issue, although he has shown some
disposition to make inland waterways
Improvement a paramount plank in his
national platform. This would hardly
serve to disrupt either of the older
organizations, as both the republican
aud democratic conventions doubtless
will declare in favor of this policy.
In a recent issue of his New York
American Mr.. Hearst described the
national independence party as "a
mountain rising out of the sea of po-
litical uncertainty. Its aim is just
government, not more government. In
dividual liberty and business prosper
ity are alike ieopardized by unneces-
sary interference" All of which
sounds well enough, without meaning
anything in particular. Mr.. Hearst,
both as a member of congress and in
his editorial capacity, has been one of
the most persistent advocates of more
government and has offered bills and
plans for laws regulating almost every
thing under the sun. His recent con-
version to extreme conservatism is un-
explained.
Whatever the Hearst plans may be,
the result of his participation in the
national campaign with an independent
ticket should not be underestimated.
While he doubtless will be disap-
pointed in. his apparent hope that bis
candidacy will cause great deEections
from the ranks of both the old parties
1t must be remembered that hethas o
following in New York, in Massachu-
sets and in California that is sufficient
to cause extreme worry to other poll.
ticians. II he accepts the nomination
of his party for the presidency, which
is quite probable, he has good chance
of polling more votes than Mr.. Bryan
in New York and Massachusetts, and
perhaps in New Jersey. The first net
result of his candidacy would be the
final and absolute elimination of any
hope Mr.. Bryan may now entertain
Of making any better showing in "the
enemy's country" than he did in 1896
or 200. "a, a..