The Washington times., 1904-04-17
The Man Parker, Whose
Quiet Tastes Mark the
Simple American.
The Political Candidate
Who Has Never Suf-
fered Defeat.

the stately beauties OF Taliu1ah Falls.
his views upon one of the question:
that seemed 10 them of largest impo'
lance. At the time the air reverberat
with his name. that OF Judge Alton p.
Parker. OF New York. but ne studiously
avoided all references to the Presidency
and TO his ambitions
From the time he entered the State
until lie left. he was besieged by news
paper men. all with the one question.
viii you be candidate for the Demo-
cratic nomination for the Presidency"
For each and all he had the same
answer.
Il have come here to address your
bar association. gentlemen ne would
gay: 'as a lawyer. and not as a poll
than it would be improper and indeli-
cate for me to express myself on politi-
cal questions l trust you will excuse
me. and that you win simply say, as the
truth VIII warrant, that I am In love
with the South and with the men and
women who have shown me her glowing
and glorious hospitality"
Like the Man.
Il was not a pose or an affectation; il
was the expression, simply. of the char
acter OF the man, the manifestation OF
the rule he has laid down for himself
during nineteen years of incumbency OF
the bench. He guards his professional
honor as closely and as jealousy as he
does his personal honor, and he would
do nothing that would cast a stain upon
either Judge Parker believes the err
mine has been intrusted TO him in spot
less dignity. and that in spotless dig
nifty he must return IL to the people.
4
would he swerve from this position.
The South wants victory said Rep
resentative Hardwick. Of Georgia, one
OF the most determined. aggressive and
intelligent champions of the young De-
mocracy CT that part of the country.
the other day. I'VE want to win, and
we think we see In Judge Parker the man
who can lead us to victory. We are
tired of being sacrificed on the altar of
party expediency. We are wearied Of
the candidacy of any man whose very
name is the signal for strenuous oppo-
sition within our cwn ranks. We want
man upon whom all of us can unite. and
who stands a reasonable chance of lead
/ ing the party to success at the polls
A Political Moses.
/ Parker. It's leaders and politi clans be-
! lieve that in him all men who stand for
/ the ideals OF Democracy can reach a
/ point OF agreement. He is without the
| deathly disadvantages of the leaders OF
either of the extreme wings Of the party
He is sane and able and clear-headed;
we think ne ought to be able 10 win"
Why IS Judge Parker a desirable can
didate OF the Democratic psrty7 In the
first place. his friends point out there
is nothing that can be SAID against him.
Judge Parker, during his nineteen years
on the bench in the Empire State, has
invariably been on the right side In
other words. his decisions have been
such that they have been sustained by
public opinion.
Again. his supporters contend, Judge
Parker has no political entanglements
True it is that he is a strong friend OF
the erstwhile Democratic leader of New
York, David p. Hill: but Alton B
PaEl<er has never taken part in any OF
the fractional controversies that have
lost to the Democratic party the con-
troll Of the thirty-eight electoral votes
of that State.
Judge Parker has never been a figure
conspicuous in the State conventions OF
the Democratic party of New York. but
has name has always been, for more
than q dozen years. an honored one
whenever assemblages OF his party con
vened.
Thoroughly American.
Il do not know of a man on the bench
today who so thoroughly typifes IN,
American idea of judge as Parker,
said New York lawyer, the other day
when he leaves the court Of appeals
al Albany he takes with him his cases
to his farm home. either at Esopus
which fronts the Hudson River, or Il
one Of his other farms. at Cortland OF
Accord, and there. amid his books and
trees. formulates the decisions thai
have placed him in the first rank 0,
American jurists-"
This Democratic candidate comes o
good, old American stock His ancestors
fought in the war of independence, and
In later times have contributed sturdily
to the strength. the happiness, and thu
well-being of the American Common
wealth. The Parker Of the old tim,
fought as a private I'm the ranks ot
Washington's army and his descendant
lave not been distinguished in any way
They have been clean-cut. simple farm
ers OF the better class, with yearn
ing toward education that most of then
have found IL possible TO crafty
Born on a farm, IL was among sur
roundings such as these that Alton B
Parker spent his early days. The mum
Der OF his brothers and sisters Ia,
played its part in increasing the diff
culties OF life that confronted his father
and hard work in the fields and foresti
Of the Parker farm formed his early
portion. Here he acquired habits of in
dustry and independence that have con
tributed largely, perhaps. TO the distin
guished success in life he has since
achieved.
Could Not Reach Cornell.
The ambitions of the future chief
judge Of the courts of appeals pointed
toward Cornell University, but they
were not to be realized. When they gave
fondest hope of fruition his father died
and he started in to teach school. He
was sixteen years old when he began
and he taught for three years. During
all Of this time he was studying law,
and at last it was possible for him to
enter the Albany law school. He grad
uated and began practice at Kingston,
a few miles from where he was born.