The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-01-13
JUDGE PARKER's VOTE IN NEW
YORK

YORK.
Owing to the growing prominence of
| Judge Alton B. Parker of New York
as a candidate for the Democratic
nomination for President, some of the
! New York papers are investigating the
vote which was cast for him in 1897
when he was chosen Chief Justice of
the Court of Appeals. with the view Of
finding out whether or not he disclosed
phenomenal running strength. The
Brooklyn Eagle, for instance, i'm its is
sue of Sunday last, has a very elab-
crate article on this line. an article
that has no doubt attracted a great
deal of attention, especially among
those politicians who are studying the
qualifications, availability and popu-
larity of the various men who are men
toned in connection with the presi-
Dental nomination of either the Dem
ocratic or the Republican party.
The opinion has prevailed quite gen.
orally, that Judge Parker made a phe-
nomenal run.in 1897. The figures pre-
scented by the Eagle show that such
was not the case. His majority was
only about $4,000 over the Republican
candidate, Notwithstanding the fact
that those who voted the Seth Low
ticket in the New York city mayor
atty contest did not vote for Chief
Justice of the Court of Appeals. over
$4,000 voters cast their ballots for that
ticket, and it is probable that the great
majority of them were Republicans.
But whether they were or not, it is
certain that the vote received by Judge
Parker was much smaller than that
received by the Democratic candidate
for Governor in 1896, nearly 10000
smaller 1t was nearly 10000 smaller
than that received by the Democratic
gubernatorial candidate in 1898, and
about 100000 smaller than that re-
ceived by the Democratic candidate for
Governor in 1900 and over 100, 900 less
than that received by Coler, the Dem
ocratic candidate for Governor last
year.
The inference which the Eagle wishes
to draw from these figures is plain.
1t is that Judge Parker did not show
great running strength when he was
elected to the chief justiceship of the
Court of Appeals. 1t is not to be in
ferred. however. that the Eagle is
against Judge Parker as a candidate
for the presidential nomination of the
Democratic party. 1t simply calls at
tention to facts which the lead
ers of both political parties will study
1t doesn't want the rank and file of
the Democratic party to jump at the
conclusion that because Judge Parker
was chosen to his present position by
a good majority over his Republican
opponent, six years ago. it is certain
that he could carry his state as pres
idential candidate in 1904.
1t says that it particularly desired
the nomination of Judge Parker for
Governor last year, in order that 1t
might be shown just what his running
strength was. 1t believes that he would
have been elected, and that in that
case he would have stood very good
chance for the presidential nomination
of his party. While it does not say
so, the inference from what it does
say is that his chance for the nominal
tion under the present circumstances
is not very good.
The Eagle thinks Judge Parker
would have been elected Governor last
fall if he had been nominated. Does
it think he would carry New York if
he should be nominated for President
jim 1904? The inference from it's article
is that it is by no means certain, from
anything in his political record, that
he would