The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-11
.PARKER'S RISE IS THROUGH MERIT Is Looked Upon as Model Amer
 ican Citizen. HIS LIFE AS A JURlST He Is Very Popular With the Voters of New York, Having Carried
 the State by Major
 ity of eo,ooo.
HIS LIFE AS A JURIsT

was born on a farm near Cortlanuf N. i.i May 14 1852. and ssoon grew into a rugged healthy boy, with q capacity for hard work. He was neither rich nor poor, as farmer boys went. and it was not till he was 12 or 1s years of age that the limitations of his surroundings oppressed him.
 Then, however. a keen aspiring mind asserted itself. Once when his father was summoned to Cortland, N. r.. for ser- vice on a jury that tried a case of unusual import, he took the lad to court with him. The proceedings impressed the boy so much that as they were returning home the lad declared that when he grew to manhood he intended to become law yer.
 This was not a passing fancy with young Parker. He was in earnest about 1t. Just as he was in earnest about his les sons at the little school of his district and about his summer work on the farm. His father, however, did not possess means to educate him thoroughly Tor his chosen profession, but nothing daunted the lad and he persevered in hls purpose.
 At Is years of age Alton Parker gradu- ated from the Cortland academy, and that very same day. consulting no one and asking no assistance, he started out to get a job as schoolteacher. Several dis appointments awaited him. but he did se- cure position in the township of Virgil, thirteen miles from his home. Elated by his success, he returned home only to find that through his fathers efforts an- other and better position was open for him. Young Parker, however, in the very outset of his career preferred to keep faith with his employers in Virgil and de- cined the more promising offer.
 As Pe1agogue.
 His first experiences as a pedagogue were trying in the extreme. He was only 16 years of age, and some of his pucils were nearly as old and as big as he. More than one fistieuff was necessary be- fore he fully established discipline. But, of course, he mastered the situation. That was in his way of doing things, and very orderly school was his after the first few days of the term
 The following year the young instructor obtained a degree from the normal school of his town, and through this credentiai secured a better position in the county in which he now lives His salary was SS a day, and the position-that of principal of the school-gave him leisure to pursue his study of law
 So assidu> us was he that he held this position only year, and when he reached his majority he was ready for admission to the bar, having been self supporting for over five years
 As soon as he was admitted to practice he became a junior partner in the office of Schoonmaker & Hardenbergh of Kings ton. His special friend was August S. Schoonmaker, who had taken great in- terest in him and encouraged him to take a two-year course at the Albany Law school.
 united in marriage to his partners daugh- ter, Mary l.. Schoonmaker.
 A National Delegate.
 In 1884 he was a delegate to the demo- cratic national convention that nominated Grover Cleveland, and in 1885 he also went to the state convention that named David B. Hill for governor. In this convention he first came into state prominence, and after being chosen member of the state executive committee he was made it's chairman and directed the successful campaign that followed.
 In 1886 there was vacancy in the New York supreme court, and Governor Hill appointed Parker to that justiceship It was, of course only for the unexpired term, but at it's close Judge Parker was renominated. Many leading republican at torneys, impressed by his able impartial ity on the bench, openly supported him and he was unanimously reelected. In this position he remained for twelve years.
 In the meantime he had frequently de- clined to leave the bench and enter ac- tive politics. After Cleveland's election in 1884 he was offered the first assistant postmaster generalship. but he did not even hesitate in declining it. He also twice refused the nomination for lieuten- ant governor in years when party suc- cess was promising.
 Another personal triumph. however. was in store for the able jurist Just af- ter Mckinley had carried the Empire State by majority of 26S.0 600 the election for chief judge of the court of appeals came due.
 The democratic state committee made the nomination on the fifth ballot and in November, 1897, Judge Alton Brooks Par ker carried the state by over 6O000 ma- jority. making a change of 330.OO0 vote in a single year. This responsible post has been his since 1898, and to it he has given ms dDSOiute ana devoted attention. He is known as the hardest working man on the bench and his decisions mark him as 2 man of keen judicial insight, calmly impartial and unaffected by pressure or prejudice. He is popular with his fellow judges and popular with the attorneys practicing in his court.
 As presiding judge his conduct of business is dignified, sometimes rigid. but never arbitrary. His opinions and de- crees have been quoted as models worthy of the emulation of other judicial officers. and the temper of the man as gleaned through his official utterances show him to be a man of sterling mental and moral strength In fact. as it has been said of him, "The jurist from the Hudson would make a good president
 Judge Parker's home life has been a singularly happy one, the only cloud be- ing the death of his only son. John M Parker, when he was ' years of age This was a great sorrow to the turist and Mrs. Parker.
 Sketch of Henry G. Davis
 Henry G. Davis, the democratic nomi- nee for vice president, is resident or