Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-09

eight years The distressed, the disheart-
ened the disguised of today were yester-
day the hopeful reformers and reorgan-
iZers. They hoped and labored to restore
the party to the place it held in public
confidence before Bryanism took possess
sion OF it's councils. They dared to believe
that in the presence of the greatest po-
litical opportunity of A century the task
they had undertaken was not Impossible
The candidacy of Judge Parker was a
means to this end. and as such it pros
pered. Except as means to that END,
the Parker movement was movement
without handspring. 1t could not have
begun persisted except as 1t afforded
II geographically and politically avail
g BILE fgurehead for regenerated demOc-
racy. The strength of Judge Parker
throughout the preliminary canvass has
not been derived from his commanding
personality or popularity. for he was
practically unknown to the voters; 1t has
not been derived from the virtue of his
opinions. for he has assiduously kept his
opinions to himself. Even Mr. Hill de-
clared yesterday. in reply to an uncom-
fortably direct inquiry, that he did not
know what opinions Judge Parker enter
tanned on the question of the monetary
standard of value. And from the same
authority came the further statement
that Judge Parker left the matter of
party policy and party platform abso-
lutely to the wisdom of the party in con-
vention assembled at St Louis. With the
convention. and not with the candidate
was the responsibility for the declara-
ton of faith which was to constitute the
democracys guarantee of it's recovered
sanity and truStwOrthineSS.
What, short of an explicit reputation
of the Chicago and Kansas city plat
forms. could be effective guarantee of
democracyS return to sanity and trust
worthiness? What. short of frank and
bold acceptance of the gold standard.
could bring back the democrats who went
to Nc inley and Hobart or to Palmer and
Buckner in 1S96. and to Mckinley and
Roosevelt in 1900; convince the peo-
pie that the national credit and the ma
| tons interest in the stability of business
in thousand lines were safe in the
hands of a reorganized sane democracy?
And it David f. Hill. the origina al
and chief political manager of the Parker
canvass. who bent his head before William
j. Bryan yesterday and consented to the
excelsior from the platform of even the
hating. halfhearted confession of past in
iquity which he himself had prepared and
caused to be inserted therein. And it was
he who quoted Judge Parker's own words
| as promise that Judge Parker too, will
readily acquiesce and participate in the
humIliating surrender.
Is there wonder that so many democrat
today are following the scriptural advice
to curse David? Once more Hills sinister
methods. his utter lack of real political
principle. have interviewed at the critical
moment to Overcloud hopes that were
bright and to turn possible victory into
proba BILE defeat.
But how about Judge Parker? Has Mr.
Hill spoken truly of his candidates wi ling
ness to accept the ignominious compromise
with Organism? Throughout a most trying
experience. Judge Parker has done nothing
and nothing has been done with the direct
authority of his name. to diminish the re-
spect and esteem in which he is held in the
empire state. By the policy of continued
silence, 1t Is true, he has put 1t out of his
own power to remedy the fatal defect in
Me platform by tardy personal declara-
ton for the gold standard. But the at
tempt TO remove the question of sound
money from partisan disputation has failed
us continued existence is loudly proclaimed
by the difference between the two plat
forms. The republican platform is light,
ana Judge Parker knows it. He knows
also that the democratic platform is wrong
dangerously wrong.
VIII Judge Parker accept the democratic
nomination under these conditions? Can
ne consent 70 stand on such a platfolm2