The river press., 1904-09-28
THE ONE-TtRM PLEDGE
IMPORTANT DECLARATION BY
CANDIDATE OF DEMOCRACY.
Attempt by Alton b. Parker to Give
Points to Washington and Lincoln
1T Is the People Who Decide the'Term
Question.

In his speech of acceptance Alton Is.
Parker, the Democratic candidate for the
presidency, declined in advance second
nominal ton for that omce, and explained
himself by saving: Il am fully persuaded
no incumbent of that Office should ever
be placed in "a situation Of possible temp
tation to consider what the effect OF ac-
ton taken by him in an administrative
matter Of great Importance might nave
nnon his political fortunes. Guestions OF
momcntous consequence to all or the peo-
p]e have been in the past. and VIII be III
the future presented to the President Tor
determination, and in approaching tnclr
consideration. as well as in weighing the
facts and the arguments bearing upon
them. he should be unembarrassed by any
possible thought of the influence his de-
!, cision may have upon anything whatever
that may affect him personally
Coming as it does from man who IS
80 unfamiliar with governmental meth
ods, and who is SO little acquainted with
the machinery of administration. who has
never held a civil office except on the
bench. who has never been i'll the Legs
lature or i'll Congress, and who has kept
himself far renewed from the people. tins
declaration of Judge Parker is strange
one. He had n perfect right to say, If
he wished to, thnt he would not be
candidate for reelection. If chosen this
xear hnt II was unfair. unwise. and i'm
Dertincnt Of linn thus to read lesson TO
the great men of the United States who
have lived and died before him, and who
have left behind them great names which
have been in no wise dimn,ed by the fact
that they were repeatedly candidates for
the suffrages OF their fellow citizens. and
that they were repeatedly honored by re-
election.
Washington, Lincoln, Grant. Cicvelan%!
and Mckinley were all candidates for
reelection, and no one of them. it may
snfelv be said, ever allowed his candi-
dacy to influence his action in any i'm
portant matter brought to him for his de-
cision. 1t is but little short OF an insult
for this mere tyro in government to in
sinuate that the great men who have
worthily held the Office OF President, to
which he aspires, have permitted them
selves to be influenced in their action by
their desire for reelection.
What would have happened to tins
country in the trying times of 1SGi if
Abraham Lincoln, who honestly and
properly utSJicu Ic-ClCA1"a', Ai"' 49,
that he could not ask his fellow-citiZens
to choose him President again. for fear
they might think his desire Of election
Influenced him in controlling the armies
in the field which he had put there to
preserve the republic and not to affect
his own political fortunes?
Does Judge Parker believe that in the
early days of the foundation Of the re-
,.- n, l,.,h Il Sviv,
en- his life and his property to his co'n-
try. could have been swerved from his
belief in the right or wrong of any ac-
ton by the desire to be elected Iresi-
dent again?
Can anyone believe that William Nc
:, Kinley resting under the laurcls so fresh
>ly placed upon him by the Spanish war,
and secure in the unbounded affection OF
the people Of every State, would have
permitted himself to sign bad law OF
TO refrain from signing Il good one, mere
ly because Of some effect it might have
upon his chances for reelection?
The American people know only t"'
well that any man who is tit to I've Presi
dent can be trusted to perform the duties
of that high office without disgracini
himself by permitting his personal ambi
ton to influence his publc acts. II
record Of the American presidency is fre
from such disgrace. and it is only char
table to suppose that this declaration q
Judge Parker. rejecting as it does npo
the reputation Of the greatest men Of tn
republic. was merely the careless thcor
OF man who has never sufficient
studied the American system Of govern
ment, and who in his retirement is S:
premely ignorant OF the political histol
OF his own country.