The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-07
PARKERs REPLY TO ROOSEVELT.

PARKERS REPLY TO ROOSEVELT.
The careless reader may not find
Judge Parker's reply to Mr.. Roosevelt
wholly satisfactory because it does not
contain as strong language as Mr..
Roosevelt's letter does. There are no
such words in # as wicked falsehood.' .
"atrociously false" base and I'M
worthy personalities" as there are in
Mr.. ROosevelt's letter, but the thought
full readers will recognize it as a COM
plete answer to Mr.. Roosevelt and as
fully sustaining all Judge Parker has
said since the trust contributions to the
Republican campaign fund became the
chief issue of the campaign.
Mr.. Roosevelt does not deny that the
trusts have contributed large sums to
the campaign fund of his party, but
he attempts to excuse these contribu-
tons by intimating that the trusts have
also contributed to the Democratic
| campaign fund. He also denies that
either he or Mr.. Cortelyou has made
any promises of favors to the trusts
for contributions to the Republican
campaign fund. He admits, however,
that he openly promised them square
| deal"
Judge Parker blocks the effort of Mr..
Roosevelt to excuse his party for put
ting itself under obligations to the
trusts by stating that he requested the
Democratic National Committee not to
receive any contributions from them,
and Judge Parker says he has been
informed that his wishes have been
respected. Therefore, if Mr.. Roosevelt
should be elected he would be under
obligations to the trusts-obligation
as he himself admits, to give them
square deal" What that means, any
body who has had any experience in
politics knows. 1t means that as be-
tween the people and the trusts the
beneficiary of the trusts would be
generous to the trusts. The trusts
would be permitted to do under the
next administration as they are per-
mitted to do under this administra-
ton, namely, fill their pockets at the
expense of the people.
If Mr.. Parker should be elected he
would be free to deal with the trusts
in accordance with the laws, and there
is no doubt that he would enforce the
welt would, that he would have to be
generous in dealing with them. There
would be no question of a square
DEAL for them If he should be chosen
President. There would be the law for
them, nothing less and nothing more.
1t is because they have been having
square DEAF under Republican rule,
because of their campaign contribu-
tons to the Republican party, that
they have become so powerful.
With force and clearness Judge Par
ker points out that the floating vote,
owing to the corruption fund furnish
ed by the trusts to the Republican
party in other campaigns. has become
so large that there is a prospect that
it will control the election tomorrow.
1t is a purchaseable vote and there is
no good reason to doubt that the money
furnished by the trusts will be used to
swell the Republican vote in the doubt
full states.
Mr.. Roosevelt waited twelve days be-
fore replying to Judge Parker's
charges. and why? If he were so in
dignant why didn't he reply as soon
as the charges were made? The in
ference is that all the contributions
from the trusts had not been collect
ed and his letter might deter some
of them from paying up. He played
the part of a shrewd politician, not
that of a sincerely indignant states
man, and 1t is said that in all the
heated campaigns of the past, no Pres
ident and no presidential candidate
ever used such language in speaking of
a political opponent as that used by
Mr.. Roosevelt to Judge Parker. His
departure from precedent in this mat
ter was doubtless due to the weakness
of his cause.