Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-05-19
A NARROW ESCAPE
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE PAR.
kER GETS A SCARE.
Reporters Are the Bane Of His Existence. A
Newspaper Woman Clutches the Judge.
His Policy Of Silence on Public Questions
Not Popular With Democracy.

NOT Popular With Democracy,
A correspondent for the New York
Tribune called upon Judge Parker April
"a and sought to obtain some statement
from this presidential candidate con.
corning his views upon public questions.
The Tribune correspondents reports
Judge Parker as saying:
II can't for the life OF me understan d
why all these newspapers keep sending
their representatives after me continually
when thev know l will have nothing to
say to any OF them upon any Of ,hesepuhlic
questions. Personally, L want to treat
them all courteously and in a friendly
way, but they want something more
which I cannot give. A reporter OF a
we'll known New York paper camped on
my place nearly all day recently. and
most every day for a time, and of course,
got nothing. But l was badly caught
| by a we'll known woman reporter the
other dav. She was waiting for me
without my knowledge and 1 walked
| right in the hall where she was. I was
bit afraid Of her. too, knowing her
methods fearing what she might say.
But, OF course, she got nothing Of impor.
lance and find no reason to complain
OF her report"
Judge Parker seems to be in the dark
on question wherein he could be en-
lightened Immediately by any sixteen
year-old schoolboy.
A child in his teens could tell Judge
Parker that when man is presented as
a candidate for the presidential nomina-
ton at the hands of a great political
party, the members Of that party, as
we'll as the people generally. are anxious
to know the position he takes upon great
public questions.
although in Judge Parker's case it may
be said tosbe rapidly approaching that
stage. By the members Of party hav-
ing fixed principles have the right to
know the opinion entertained by man
who aspires to the highest honor within
their party's gift. 1t is the boast of Mr..
Parker's friends that it has been his fixe d
policy to remain silent on public ques.
ions ever since he mounted the bench !;
and since he was suggested as presi-
dental candidate he has persistently
refused to make his position known.
1t is strange to hear candidate for
the presidency say that he "cannot"
give his opinions upon "any of these
public questions;" and touch of humor
is added to this particular situation when
this presidential candidate describes his
narrow escape from being GLADLY caught
by a well-known woman reporter the
other day." According to this presiden-
tial candidates statement, this woman
reporter was waiting for him and he
"walked right in the hall where shewas."
He declares that he was ga bit afraid of
her, too, knowing her methods" but, as
Judge Parker explains, "This woman
reporter got nothing of importance"
and SO Judge Parker was happy.
1t was, indeed, narrow escape. 1t is
safe to say that never, in the history Of
politics was there another instance where
a man being formally and persistently
offered for the presidential nomination
at the hands Of great party, bent his
energies. as Judge Parker has done. in
the effort to avoid taking the public into
his confidence and permitting the mem
bers Of the party to which he is presumed
to belong to learn his opinion upon the
great questions of the day.
Under those circumstances, is it any
wonder, then, that the Parker boom, in
spite of all the bluff and buster that has
been made in his behalf seems incapable
of real progress? Is it any wonder,
then, that the democrats who have faith
in their principles aud hope for their
party decline to grow enthusiastic oyer
the candidacy OF man who seems to i'm
agine that the test Of an available cand.
date for the presidency is in his ability
to keep the people in doubt as to his
position on public questions and who
acknowledges himself unable to under.
stand why his opinions with respect to
public questions are sought for by news
paper men?