The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-01
ORIGIN OF THE PARKER Room.

ORIGIN OF THE PARKER BOON.
Judge Alton b. Parker, it seems, is
still talked of for the presidential nom-
ination of the Democratic party. 1t is
probable that most people thought he
disappeared from the list of possi-
BILE presidential candidates when he
failed to get the nomination for Cover
nor of New York.
The other day. however, Borough
President Cantor of New York return
ed from a trip to the West, and in an
interview said that he was surprised
to find a strong sentiment among the
Democrats of that section in favor of
Judge Parker for Democratic leader in
1904. 1t is probable that New York poll
iticians were surprised to hear This for
the reason that they regarded him as
having taken himself out of the polit-
ical field when he declined to permit
his name to go before the Democratic
convention of New York for the nom
ination for Governor.
The explanation of this presidential
boom for Judge Parker is said TO be
a fight which Western and Southern
senators organized and conducted
against Mr.. Bryan during the last ses-
sion of Congress for the purpose of
breaking down his domination of
the Democratic party. According
to this explanation an understanding
was reached between these senators
and Democratic leaders of New York
d.. ghn
mated for Governor of New York, and,
If successful, as it was thought he
would be, he should be the Democratic
nominee for President in 1904.
When this agreement had been made
Democratic senator's and representa-
tives quietly notified their friends in
their respective states and districts
that Judge Parker would be the man
who would lead the Democratic forces
in 1904 In that way it came to be un-
derstood that he was the coming
leader of the Democracy.
OF course when he was not nomi-
mated for Governor of New York it
was the understanding among the
leaders that he ceased to be a presiden-
tial possibility, but it seems that both
in the South and the West the pre-
liminary work that had been done in
his interest was much more effec-
tive than it was generally thought to
be; hence there are many in the South
and West who are now talking in fa-
vor of Judge Parker as likely to be
chosen to lead his party in the next
presidential campaign.
In view of the fact that he is scarce
ly known outside of New York it seems
a little strange that there should be a
strong sentiment for him in either the
South or the West. In fact, there is
ground for doubling that there is as
much of a sentiment as some of the
newspapers pretend there is. 1t is
certain that the Southern newspapers
have not been booming him. If his
friends are numerous in the South,they
must be doing little talking in his be-
half
AS a matter of fact may 1t not be
that Mr.. Cantor is trying to start a
boom for Judge Parker instead of hav-
ing found one? There is no doubt, of
course, that Judge Parker is an able
man and a very popular one in New
York, but there is no reason at pres
ent for thinking that he has such
hold on the affections of his party that
he will be asked to become its candi-
date for President. IL he had been
dominated and elected Governor of
New York the situation would be diff
fprant