The sun., 1903-02-08

Edward Cooper David d Hill Abram :,
Hewitt. Samuel Tildeu. Edward Apgar
and their friends oottoned TO Parker, the
young handsome debonnair. clever Demo-
crat who had won In two pitched battles In
what was considered a normal Republican
county. Parker went a. a delegate to the
Democratic National Convention and there,
with DAME! Manning and others Of Grover
Clevelands friends succeeded In norunat-
ing Mr.. Cleveland for President.
With Clevelands election David B. Hill
became a political power through succeed
ing Cleveland a. Governor. In the fall Of
1885 Mr. Hill wa, a candidate for 81 ,ction
Mes York one day in railroad train found
himself confronted with Mr.. Hill and several
other prominent Democratic polite j; ns, who
insisted upon his managing Mr.. Hills cam
paign as chairman Of the e1ecutiv. CON-
mi,tee OF the Democratic State Committee.
Mr.. Parker at first declin, d peremp, orily
to touch the place. saying that such place
was not in the line Of his profession as a
lawyer. but no finally cons@ntcd to take
it for that campaign only. II proved TO be
a campaign which had TO bc managed with
great skill. but Parker, by his genius as a
tact ician and his masterful knowledge Of
the state. brought Hill in a winner over
Ira Davenport by 1000 plurality.
From that day to the present hour there
have been two stories. one Numerically
opposed to the other, concerning the rela-
| tions between Mr.. Hill ard Mr.. Parker.
| One story is that Mr.. Hill never forgot his
! debt OF gratitude to Parker for the great
work which Parker did in conducting
Mr.. Hills victorious campaign in 1886,
and that Mr.. Hill swiftly showed this grati-
tude by appointing Mr.. Parker successor to
Justice Theodore r. Wsstbrook Of the
| Supreme Court upon the death Of tho latter
| In 1896.
The following year Judge Parker had
proved to be such . satisfactory Judge
| that he was nominated by the Democratic
| party. and the Republican party put for.
ward no candidate against him. His elec-
| ion as a Justice Of the Supreme Court
followed.
In January. 1880, the Second Division Of
the Court Of Appeals was created and
Justice Parker was appointed to il by Gov.
| Hill, the Judge being the youngest man
who ever sat In the Court Of Appeals in
this State. He was then only 80 years old.
| He retained this ONCE until the dissoli-
tion OF the court in 1892. Then. at the re-
| quest OF other Judges. he was appointed by
Gov. Flower q member Of the General
Term Of the Supreme Court OF the First
Department, and continued at work In
| New York city until tho creation OF the
Appellate Division Of the Supreme Court
when he resumed the duties OF the trial
terms in his own district In Novemb,r ,r
| 1891. Judge Parker was elect, d Chief Judge
| u the Court Of Appeals.
The other story about the relations be-
tween Mr. Hill and Chief j, .e Parker
dating from that campaign in 1885. has been
very often repeated by Democratic politi-
! clans in this State. II In to the 20 ,ct tia,
Mr Hill quickly perceived that Mr.. Parker.
in 1885, possessed all the genius. diplomacy,
keeniiess and intellect to become a great
Democratic statesman. and Furthermore,
| easily TO become the Democratic leader of
the State of New York. and that II was for
,hcse reasons that Mr.. Hill at the first op-
poItuni'y ofarcd by q vacancy on the
Supreme CouIt bench. quickly shunted Mr..
parker on to the bench. out from the politi-
cal arena, and into the judicial closet well
showing that a man like Parker would not
soil the rohes 81 his ofYfce by scramhline
'ovr into ~" gutter Of politics Thus 20