Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-07-14
THE TWO TICKETS.

that will contend in November for
control of the government OF the Unit
ed States for the next quadrennial
term.
The personality of the men put for
ward for these high honors is always OF
interest, particularly because of the in
fluence they may cast. for veal or
woe, on the nations fortunes in case Of
their success at the polls. The presi-
dency especially is a great office, with
powers and prerogatiyes scarcely less
than those of some monarchs, so that
the character and capacity of the men
from whom the choice is to be made
may properly be considered of high
importance.
Theodore Roosevelt is so well
known that be need not be described to
even the smallest schoolboy or the
newest immigrant. For four years
since the death of Mckinley he has
been at the helm and how well or how
i'll he has guided the ship is question
that one voter feels as competent to
pass upon as another. Roosevelt's
reputation is more. than national it is
worldwide.
In contrast, the democratic nomi-
nee, Altonl B. Parker, is almost I'M
known. Heaoccupies a seat on the
bench of the court of appeals OF New
York state, position corresponding
TO one of ourhsupreme court Judge
ships. He is unquestionably a good
lawyer and jurist, and his record is
said to be fawless. In New York po-
litical circlesJhe has some prestige,
mainly founded on the fact that it was
with his name at the head that the
Democrats last carried that state some
years ago. But in the wider domain
of national public life Judge Parker is
virtually a stranger. WHO'S Park
er ?' has been asked ever since his
name was first mentioned, and the
question will recur at every stage of
the campaign.
While Parker's faint personality
viii tremendously handicap him in the
in the pre-eonvention can
vass, suchwere the peculiar conditions,
ii was of distinct benefit to him. The
Democracy has lately passed through
another transformation scarcely less
than when Bryan and
Populism swallowed il at Chicago eight
years ago. Since then it has met with
two signal defeats and has learned
4 lesson. Ii has come to the con-
clusion that if it is ever to win again
and it is TOR that purpose that it
exists-it must give the American
people credit for sanity and honesty.
It must cut loose from dangerous
neresies and stand for principles that,
however they differ from Republican
do not insult the intelligence
and the probity of the voting masses.
Therefore we have seen Bryan and
bis followers reduced to an impotent
and forced to subscribe TO
.enets that contain perhaps as much |
error, but not so much threat, as the
Chicago and Kansas City declarations. |
The free coinage of silver, the income
AK, the stab at the courts and other
radical doctrines do not appear in the
st. Louis platform. Instead, we read |
IN appeal to the business interests
If the country that the Populized |
Democracy was accustomed to sheer
1t, and an air of conservatism per-
7ades the declaration such as used to
Democratic platforms in
he old days. In word, the re0rgan-
Izers are on top and Organism is
down. The Democracy OF Hill, Cor
nan, Pattison and Jones is the
Democracy OF today instead OF the
irebrand kind sustained by Bryan
md Hearst.
The transformation described has
brought Parker to the front. He
possesses the qualities needed for the
situation. An Eastern man from a
pivotal state; Parker of New York
illed the bill. 4 conservative in
whom confidence would not be mis-
placed; such was Parker. A Demo-
crat who had not, and would not be |
likely to, offend the radical minority |
by rash acts or utterances; Parker is |
a sphinx. So it came about, by the |
of almost every other
as lacking one or more of
these qualifications, that Judge Par
ker of New York was left the only |
available man. The nomination fell |
to him like a ripe apple.
But winning the Democratic nomi- |
nation this year will be quite another |
1.