The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1904-11-04
ALTON CROOKS PARKEV'S CAREER
Descended Prom Farmers and Pat
riots Judge FarAeF While
IA uGafRsnE q High "a
reer On the Bench
HRs 6iunE 10
His harm

lives on their farms, cuItivating the
soil, raising crops and cattle His
grandfather, John Parker, passed
from the old homestead in Massachu-
sets and bought a farm in Cortland
County. New York, IN 1903; and here
was born John Parker, and on May IA,
1852, Alton Brooks Parker, the Dem
OCratic candidate for President Love
Of the soil, OF crops, Of cattle, Of pure
air and clear well water are Unborn
traits OF this sterling American ciu-
zen.
One day John Parker. who was 4
man of studiOUs habits, widely and
deeply read and gifted with rare mem
DRY for the best passages ID the works
Of best authors was summoned 10 DO
Jury duty in Cortland he took Alton
with him. The boy was 50 greatly
impressed with the proceedings that
he determined to become a lawyer
Overcoming by diligence, persistency
and ability all obstacles, he not only
became a lawyer, but was elected by
81 900 majority Chief Judge OF the
Court Of Appeals. the greatest gift III
the legal profession that can be be-
slowed BY the people c. the Empire
State.
AS soon as circumstances permitted
the Judge bought himself 4 farm at
EsOpus, N Y Here he began raising
his now famous herd Of Red Polls, Il
hOrnless cattle good in the dairy and
in beef.
In the fine old house he has a great
library Out OF doors Alton Brooks
Parker is the farmer who seeks to win
from nature every gift sought by the
husbandman: in his library the same,
rugged, hearty man seeks in volumes
of yellow calf parallels and presidents
to guide him in his decisions. And 50,
by reason of his dual occupations, his
many friends call him the Farmer
Judge.
MEN AND THE CONSTITUTION.
To every man who loves his country
"a country made great and powerful
by virtue of institutions rooted in the
Constitution, guarded and shielded by
the CONSTITUTIONS is pleasing, nay,
inspiring, TO behold in this age OF
wealth and corrupt political and imam
cial organization Il MAE OF simple Ori-
gin, rem owed from every favorable
condition save those of honest and in
duStriOus pareHtage, so battle all OBJ
stacles and so rise in the esteem, Gfec-
ton and admiration Of men that he
be called upon TO resign virtually d
life position, the most commanding at
the bar of his or any other State, 10
become the standard bearer OF one Of
the great political parties And when
it is borne in mind that the great
grandfather OF Alton Brooks Parker
was one Of those farmers who left his
farm when the War OF the RevOlu-
ton broke out to shoulder i muSket,
that by the work done by these en-
battled farmers liberty and iGdepend-
enCe was won Cor all Americans and
that the Constitution was the direct
outcome Of the Self-sGcrihce, herOiSm,
patriotism and blood OF those farmers,
it is not to be wondered at that Alton
Brooks Parker, the great-graEdsOn, IS
now engaged in the battle 20 preserve
that Constitution from usurpaJiOu and
destruction As the great-grandfatner
fought that liberty might be secured,
so the great-graudsOn fights that lib
erty may ever be preserved by the
Constitution
What the Constitution has enabled
Alton Brooks Parker to become, so will
the undefiled Constitution enable all
other farmers sons to become in the
future years.
HIS EARLY STRUGGLES.
But what OF those early days?
Young Parker was greatly in earn
est to become a lawyer. His father
did not possess the means to educate
him thoroughly for the profession; not
withstanding, Alton perSevered in his
purpose. He was graduated at the
Cortland Academy when sixteen years
OF age, and on that very day he start
ed out 10 obtain a school to teach and
he obtained one in Virgil, thirteen
miles from his home His first expert
ence as a teacher was extremely try
ing. Some Of his pupils were nearly
as old and as large as he. More shan
one conflict Of authority was neces-
sary before he could subdUe and con-
troll his scholars, but this is the end
he accomplished. The year following
the young teacher obtained q license
or degree from the normal school of
his town, and through this credential
secured a position in the county in
which he now resides, Ulster County,
n. Y. His salary was three dollars
per day, and the position was as
principal OF the school, which gave him
some leisure In which to study law,
and, in fact, so industrious and ener-
getic was he that he held this posi-
ton but year, when he became TWEEN
ty-One years OF age and was ready
to be admitted TO the bar, having nO-z
supported himself for the I'VE years
just past.
AS soon as he was admitted to prae-
tice he became the junior partner in
the Office OF SchOonmaker & Harden
bergh, OF Kingston, n. Y. He had a
strong friend in Augustus SchoOnmak-
er, who took an interest in him and
encouraged him to take a course at the
Albany Law School. The friendship
between SchOonmaker and Parker be-
came still closer. YOun Parker was
hardly a partner in the firm when he
took lively interest in the political
fortunes OF SehOOnmaker. who had
been county judge, but was defeated
for reelection, and was so discouraged
BY this that he was about TO give ND
politics forever. Young Parker dis
suaded him from doing so, and he ar
BANGED matters for Shoemaker S