The Teton peak., 1904-08-25
Judge Parker's Acceptance
Speech a Disappointment.

Jou,e dl hel acceptance speech
as follows:
The acceptance speech of Judge
Parker must be a distinct disap-
polntlnent to his followers, who
had supposed that the Judge would
add valuable and much needed
contribution to the national COM
mlttee's stock of campaign litera-
ture. Instead of doing so, Judge
Parker did little besides to reiter-
ate much that is in the platform on
which he is to stand. He did not
even discuss at length his famous
home made plank about the gold
standard, dismissing that subject
with a dozen words of incidental
mention. He declares it "a matter
concerning which | felt it incum-
bent upon me to make known my
attitude that hereafter 10 man
could justly say that his support
had been secured through indirec-
tion or mistake As to wlv he
did not make known his views
before the convention, SO that ''no
delegate could justly say that he
was hornswoggled into supporting
him for nomination, the Judge is
silent as the grave. Perhaps he
would better not attempt to explain
that, though.
About two thousand words of
his address are consumed with rep
etition of what the platform says
about trusts, the tariff and the
Philippines.
| In the whole address of Judge
Parker the only notable or original
thing is the concluding declaration
that, if elected, he will not bea
candidate for denomination. His
reason for this is given in the fol-
lowing words:
II shall not be a candidate for,
nor shall accept denomination.
Several reasons might be advanced
for this position, but the control
ling one with me is that I am fully
persuaded that no incumbent of
that Office should ever be placed in
situation of possible temptation
to consider what the effect of action
taken by him i'll an administration
matter of great Importance might
have upon his political fortunes.
Questions of momentous conse
quence to all of the people have
been in the past and will be in the
future presented to the president
for determination, and in approach
ing their consideration, as we'll as
in weighing the facts and the argu-
ments bearing upon them, he
should be unembarrassed by any
possible thought of the influence
his decision may have upon any
thing whatever that may affect him
personally"
There is much on each side of
this question to be said. If Judge
Parker means this as confession
that he has not the backbone to
make a good president when the
allurements of a second term are
dangling before him. then it also
is confession. that he has not
backbone enough to make good
president at all. Washington and
Jefferson and Lincoln and McKin-
ley made splendid presidents in
spite of this temptation which
Judge Parker so vigorously bids
get behind him, and practically
very other incumbent Of the presi-
dents chair has hoped and worked
for a second term. They have
mostly been good presidents, and
Judge Parker cannot make us be-
lieve that he will be any remarka-
bic improvement upon them,
should he be elected. In first
term a president accumulates ex'
perience that is invaluable to him
and to the country he serves
throughout a second term. He also
gives the country an opportunity
to find out, during his first term
whether he is fit man for presi
dent. Reelection of a good presi
L. L. IL