Hearst, hurst, WILLIAM RANDOLPH (1863- ), an American editor and politician, born in San Francisco, son of George F. Hearst, a noted politician and capitalist. He received his education at Harvard University and entered journalism, becoming editor and proprietor of the San Francisco Examiner in 1886. He later bought the New York Journal and The Advertiser and established the Chicago American. He was elected to Congress from New York and was made president of the National League of Democratic Clubs. He was a prominent candidate for the Democratic nomination for the president of the United States in 1904 and was defeated for the mayoralty of New York City on the municipal ownership ticket in 1905. He was the candidate of the Democratic party of New York for governor of the state in 1906, having first been nominated by an independent party created by his efforts.