The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-03-09
Jaage alton Brooks Rarker.

later got out of the Cortland normal
school all the equipment for life that
it could give him. He delighted ina
study and formed a strong desire 20
round out all his academic beginnings
by a course at Cornell. His parents
were not able TO send him 10 college
or even 10 take care Of him while he
was trying to find a fOOthOld. At 16
he became "A country school teacher.
There is a tradition that at this imma-
ture age he was obliged in order TO
maintain his prestige and place. to
thrash the school bully. He wandered
as far afoot from home as the VIII
lage Of Rochester. in Ulster county, TO
find a school IN which he could earn
So a day as a teacher.
The dream of a college life faded
away. Reluctantly he was obliged TO
give up the hope of a broad training
for his profession and to think of the
Old-fashioned approach to the bar
through the Office of a preceptOr. Hav-
ing surrendered one cherished am
bltiOn. but not his chosen profession,
he was admitted TO the Office of
Schoonmaker & Hardenbergh of
Kingston as a student of law. Both
men We're eminent IN their profession.
Hardenbergh became a state senator
and at Albany was distinguished for
his intellectual force and for a re-
markable power Of concise and forclole
statement. Working his way, he was
at last enabled TO enter the law school
at Albany gravitating between the Of
flee of his preceptOrs at Kingston and
the law school, according to season
and necessity. In 1872 he graduated
and soon after the sign Of Parker &
Kenyon was hung out at Kingston.
A natural interest in politics led him
very early TO participate in local eff
fort I'm that line. He speedily dem
onstrated a decided ability for pOliu-
cal management. From the start he
was a Democrat. In 1877. when he
was %, the Democrats of Ulster coun-
ty nominated him for surrogate of the
county. He was elected for a six
year term. and In 1888 was reelected.
While he was thus winning his way
10 a place of honor and profit in his
own town he had attracted the atten-
ton of the state leaders. Samuel j..
Tilden had inspired him with ideas
about government and party policies.
His frequent visits to Albany and -
political gatherings had brought him
into association with Daniel Manning,
Edgar K. Apgar and other active men,
and his cleverness in leadership In his
county had given him a high reputa-
ton with competent judges Of political
management With Daniel S. Lamont
born q year earlier than Iarker IN
his own county of Cortland-he was
especially well acquainted. They were
sympathetic. holding very similar
views as 20 political methods and the
enlistment Of young men in political
campaigns. In 1884 he was a delegate
90 the convention at Chicago that nom
mated Grover Cleveland for president,
and he helped TO pull the candidate
through the holly contested campaign
of that year.
Cleveland was elected. and IN Janu-
ary he turned over to Lieutenant Gov
ernOr Hill the uncOmpleted term of
Office he was obliged to surrender in
order to become president. When Mr..
Cleveland was filling up the offices la
Washington he offered the position of
first assistant postmaster general to
Judge Parker, and the offer was de-
clined. There was more Important
business cut out for him. Governor
Hin was nominated in the fall The
Democratic party was worn out with
the efforts 1T had made in the preced-
ing year. its money was exhausted.
its stock Of patience was giving out
under pressure Of queer reports from
Washington concerning the distribu-
ton of patronage, and the Republic
ans confronted their opponents with
a candidate possessing large means
and a great desire to be governor.