The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-04-01
JUDGE PARKER coMMnNDED.
Ex.Gov. ID. H. Chamberlain Writes or
the New York Jurist.

|
TO the Editor of the State:
1t has seemed to me singular fact |
that the name and personality of |
Judge Alton B. Parker of New York |
should have met with the treatment
which one sees on many hands. The
most persistent and universal remark
has been that he Is an unknown
quantity." Now, it is true that Judge
Parker has not been for many years
participant in mere partisan politics.
suppose he has never in his life man
ipulated primaries or packed caucuses.
He has held judicial Office s!uce he was
30 years of age, and he is now the
chief judge Of the court of appeals Of
the State of New York, an Office which
In dignity, power, and importance is
second to but one other judicial office
in our country. He has respected and
honored his position by observing at
all times judicial demcanor and by
carefully avoiding participation in the
| feuds and Scramhles of factions and OF
partisan political warfare. Does this
make him an unknown quantity? The
truth is, he has been known on all
hands during his whole life Us strict
and unreserved Democrat. l don't
believe there Is man it the State Of
New York who is known everywhere
as more unequivocal, ingrained Dem
ocrat in his principles, his sympathies
and his conduct. Has the word Dem
ocrat. has the name Democratic, no
such significance, no such fixed value,
that a great public character of so
years standing must come before the
people, in the incipiency of his candi-
dacy for political Office with defini
tion Of these terms, and with fresh
verbal vouchers of his political stand
ing and views?
1t seems to me that Judge Parker
has followed and is now following the
only course which self respect. person.
al and official decorum, and due re.
gard for public propricty defmit. lie
is TO more an unknown quantity than
Grover Cleveland or Richard Olney.
He IL no more called upon to issue a
political pronmciamento than is any
other great Democrat who has lived
as such in the public eye for more
than quarter of Il century. 1t sim
ply argues ones own ignorance to
speak Of Judge Parker as unknown
|
any man in his party, he has behind
him 4 record OF lifelong, upilinching
and devoted adherance to his party, in
point, too, of personal character. habit
and associations, he will bear compar-
ison with any living man. lie has no
occasion to attest 5y fresh words
his party fealty. lie has attcsted it
by a life of unvaryi ing, open and un-
questisned loyalty to his party and
his political faith. He has carried
the State of New York, too, when
every other candidate of his party was
overwhelmingly defeated.
Fer one, | trust Judge. Parker viii,
hold his PRESENT way until events
shall make it proper for him to lay
aside his judicial character and accept
political leadership. by such Il cours.
he will best comncnd himself to the
confidence of. his party and of the
country. In my judgment he is quite
certainly to be before long adjudgcd
the one available Democrat who can
with reasonable certainty carry the
State OF New York in the next preSi-
dental election; ard the man who
will then carry New York will proba-
bly, be our next president. Cleve-
land has Withdrawn himself pcrc mp
torily and finally, and it seems the
striking felicity OF the hour that our
great pivotal State can present anoth-
er candidate second to no man in our
whole country in ability, in character,
in devotion to the principles $ of his
party as they will undoubtedly be ex-
pressed by the coming Democratic ma
ti,nal convention, and in general tit
ness for the high Office of our chief
executive; and quite unequaled in
his probable capacity to win success
in the State and States where the real
tts5 and decisive conflict will lie.
ID. II. CHAMBERLAIN.
Columbia, March 2l, 1904