The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-07-14
WHAT WAS DONE AT ST. LOUIS.

public had to be put in type without
being first delivered, but the unex-
pected development of the closing
hours of the convention gave an oppor-
tunity for display of typical Demo-
cratic enthusiasms which differs but
little from what is usually known as
rioting. Now that the echoes of the
conventions noisy strife are growing
fainter it is possible to consider
calmly what the delegates assembled
actually did.
They put ticket in the field-Par-
ker and Davis. Judge Parker is in
some respects a strong man-one who
should make good vote getter In
other respects he is weak man to
put at the head OF the ticket. He
Is recognized as a jurist of ability,
though not of such marked ability as
to put him above scores Of other jur-
lists of the country. He is quiet and
unassuming, SO far as has been shown
of sound integrity and clean personal
character. But with that about all
of his strong points have been named.
He has had no experience in political
affairs. It is not even known what
his private, beliefs are. In fact until
his telegram to Sheehan dropped like
bomb in the convention there was
not single thing really known as
to his opinions on political questions.
A,to l. i,,, 30 Io
lacking in political wisdom. But for
the clever work of his friends he
might have split the party then and
there on a question which that party,
though it's delegates, had decided
had been fully and deccsively ans
wered by the voters in the last two
national elections and which the
warning factions had decided to put
out of the way as no longer, by any
possibility, of live interest. This is
but an indication of what may happen
to the Democrats because of their
choice of candidate formerly I'M
known in the political world.
The head of the ticket is an un-
known quantity so far as his ideas on
the great questions of the day are
concerned. His running mate is
eighty years of AEGEAN old mana
former war horse of the party, but
now so far advanced in years as to
preclude active political effort and to
make very improbable his ability even
to perform the duties of presiding Off
Ger of the Senate, should he be cleo
ted vice president Should the Demo-
Gratis by any chance win at the polls
this fall, and should untoward circum-
stances bring him to succeed to the
position of Chief Executive of the
United States, he would be physically
incapable of performing its duties.
So much did the convention dot
nominated a question mark for Presi-
dent and has been for vice president
1t did more. 1t adopted a platform
which for juggling with issues has
hardly parallel even in the long list
of juggling platforms which the party
has thrust before the people in past
years. 1t is lengthy document and
deals with many subjects but in its
declarations as to the really important
questions before the country it must
be disappointing to the thinking
Democrats
The platform declares against trusts
and monopolies and says; Whenever
it shall be established in any court of
competent jurisdiction that such mo-
nopolization exists, such prohibition
should be enforced through compre-
hensive laws to be enacted on the sub
ject. The only suggestions are that
the interstate commerce commission
be given enlarged powers and that
trusts be not permitted to do business
outside the State where they were Or
ganized. Both suggestions are of no
effect, inasmuch as the interstate COM
merce commission now has power
enough, the difficulty coming in the
securing of evidence. The platform
is notioesbly silent as to the Sherman
administration declared could not be
enforced but which President Roose-
welt has shown can be enforced The
whole trust plank is conglomeration
OF words which it is evidently hoped
the voters will swallow but which do
not commit the party to any course
which would endanger the interests
which backed the Parker candidacy.
1t 10 asserted that this country
should at once promise to give the
Filipinos their independence and
should set them upon their feet, free
to work out their own destiny. The
platform does not deny, and could not
deny, that the .Filipinos are being set
upon their feet as fast as possible.
They now have what they never had
before-a voice in the government Of
their own affairs. II they are to be
set free ultimately this course of grad.