The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-11
JUDGE PARKER'S SPEECH OF &C
CEPTANCE.

No public utterance in a decade will
be read more critically than the
speech of Judge Parker, made at ESQ
nus Yesterday afternoon, accepting the
Democratic nomination for the presi-
dency.
Except a few years in his early life
before he was elected Surrogate, and
a brief period when he served as State
Democratic Chairman when Governor
Hill was elected Governor, Judge Par
ker's life has been largely spent in Ju-
dicial harness. Since 1890 he has been
on the appellate bench. His Judlcla
position has made it improper for hin
to publicly discuss political questions
or take active part in politics. The
public, therefore, has had no oppor'
tunity to judge of him as a statesman
or to estimate his political saSacity
though his friends and the New York
bar have had faith that he woulo
measure UP to any occasion calling fo1
sound sense and political sagacity. He
has always been a Democrat of the
straightest sect and has never
scratched a Democratic ticket, thus
demonstrating that he does not AFRO
gate to himself all the wisdom ano
virtue in the party.
The first impression that will be
produced in reading the speech of ac-
ceptance will be it's judicial tone. lie
is still the judicial officer, weighing
questions, in his public utterances
If judicial in tone and in treatment
it is the sort. of judicial utterance that
leaves no doubt as to the decision. II
is conservative in tone, mild in ex-
preston, frank, direct, positive, and
free from any suggestion of the hust-
ings The brief and modest reference
to his telegram to the Convention is in
exquisite taste, as is his allusion to his
recent resignation ''in order that
may accept the responsibility that the
great convention you represent has
put upon me- Herein, by suggestion,
he touches upon the warp and wool OF
his address-tbat the perpetuity and
safety of the Republic rests upon the
preservation unimpaired of the three
separate departments of government.
There is no promise of any radical
steps to correct even the gravest
wrongs Constitutional methods are
alone relied upon to bring about re-
forms, and, even where the demand is
urgent, the candidate tells the people
he will move only in the legal and
n 4 -
founders of the government. He ar
raigns in manner all the more eff
fective because couched in judicial
language the action of officials who
stitution desiring to accomplish that
which to them seems good That is
lick at Roosevelt's Panama, Indian
ola, and other acts squarely between
the eyes. Judge Parker quotes with
approval Mr.. ,Jefferson's letter to Wiz
liam c.. Jarvis, in which the sage of
Monticello says:
IF the three powers of our govern
ment maintain their mutual independ-
ence of each other, it may last long,
but not so if either can assume the au-
thority of the other"
With judicial calmness he points out
how each department of government
at one time or another, has broken
down the barriers that separate the
three departments and in that con-
nection criticizes judicial usurpatior
by saying that statutes have been SET
aside as unconstitutional when it was
difficult to point out the provisions
said to be offended against in their en-
actment." Usurpation by judges
has done as much in the past to de-
stroy the independence of the three de-
partments of government as executive
usurpation has done under Roosevelt
and senatorial courtesy is doing every
day.
AS concrete example of the re-
suit of the "impatience of the re-
straints of law" Judge Parker reviews
the Colorado crime where men have
been deported from the State. with
out trial of any sort. upon mere sus-
picion that they belonged to the union