The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-08-04
. aTHlR ROPES General EdIto r
A OOMPAR ISON.


representative of safe and sane'
Democracy His supporters claim for
him that he is wonderfully we'll
fitted for the Presidency, that he
would make a wise and prudent chief
executive officer for this great coun-
try, far wiser and safer than Presi-
dent Roosevelt. 1t is asserted that
since he has been satisfactory Chief
Judge he would be a satisfactory Chief
Executive.
What foundation is there for this
claim of the Democrats?
OF two men who are Of equal abil-
ity, the one who has had the more
experience in given line of work is
the one who is the best qualified for
that work. There is no teacher like
experience. Judge Parker has had
experience as lawyer and as judge,
while Theodore Roosevelt has never
practiced law, although he read law
and was admitted to the bar. 1t is,
then, to be considered that if these
two men have equal abilities, Parker
is best fitted for judgeship at the
present time. But what of the quail.
ifications for the Presidency
Judge Parker has never had expe-
rience as an executive officer. He
would, if elected, take up the work
as Chief Executive without any train
ing even in minor executive posi-
tion. On the other hand. Roosevelt
has had wide experience in executive
labors. AS member of the munich
pal government in New York city, as
assistant secretary Of the navy, as
military officer, as Governor of New
York, and as President of the United
States, he has tried his hand. In
every place he has not only shown ap-
titude for executive work but he has
shown far more than mere aptitude
He has shown remarkable ability in /
executive office, ability far beyond
that disclosed by most men in those
positions. His work has been done,
not simply with commonplace excel
ence which would leave it on par
with the work of many Others but
with an excellence, an originality, a
vigor, and results which demon
strate that he has an adaptability for
executive labors with which few men
are endowed
1t by no means follows that
because Parker has made wise
judge he would make wise execu-
tive; no more than would the assump-
tion be warranted that, because Roose-
welt has proved himself supreme in
the performance of executive duties,
from the lowest to the highest, he |
would therefore be the man tor Chief !
Justice of the Supreme Court of the |
United States. In question uf that |
sort the argument would be all on the |
side of Judge Parker-as in the pres.
ent case it is all on the side of Presi-
dent Roosevelt. Judge Parker is I'M
tried in the executive field. Some of |
the most conspicuous failures in ex-
ecutive Office have been successful in
judicial capacity, or in some other
phase of public life. Parker is au
unknown quantity so far as fitness for
the Presidency is concerned. But
ROOSEVELT has proved that he has the
proper material for President. His
wonderful native qualifications for
executive service have been developed.
He has shown himself wise, cool,
clear headed, quick of thought and
action. He has made no mistakes of
any consequence. He has done many
things that weaker personality. a
less keen mind could never have ac-
complished.
1t is the tried against the untried,
the known against the unknown, the
positive against the negative. Roose-
Welt has been tested and not found
wanting. Not only that, but he has
been found we'll above the prescribed
standard of excellence Is it wise to
think of turning him down for man
unknown and untried as an executive?
Do men, in practical business affairs,
supersede an eminently practical and
successful business manager by an at
torney, though he may have been
wise and able counsellor?
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