The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-09
WHAT DEFEATED PARKER.

to the American people. All that was
known of him gave the people good
opinion of him. But his candidacy,
backed by Mr.. Hill, defeated and
unpopular politician, and Mr.. Bel
mont, rich banker and representa-
tive of the Rothschild interests in
America, did not appeal to the rank
and file of the voters. He grew great
ly upon all those with whom he came
in contact, but unfortunately they
were too few to make a general i'm
preston. He conducted very con-
servative campaign until a few days
before the election. 1T was too late
then to reach the people. They had
incorrectly put him down as Z candi-
date who was in sympathy with the
machine politician and the corporate
interests, and had settled in their
minds to vote against him before he
clearly disproved the untrue charges.
unjust, of being the creature of
monopoly and machine politics, while
the whole power of the trusts was
turned against him and the adopts at
machine politics compassed his de-
feat. If he had been as 'gingery'
in the early days of the campaign as
during the last ten days he would
have largely changed the view held
by many, but the result could not
have been changed.
The trust magnates early in the
campaign gave it out" that they were
eternally opposed to Roosevelt. The
people-or many-jumped to the con-
cluson that they were for Parker. No
doubt some of the New York Demo-
cratic leaders hoped to get their sup
port and did not wish to offend them.
1t was during these days that the Ia
Dor vote made up its mind that Par
ker was in sympathy with the trust
leaders, and when afterwards it was
demonstrated that the trusts fought
him more savagely than they fought
Bryan, the early misconception in the
public mind could not be sufficiently
corrected to induce the antitrust
voters to rally to his support. AS
matter of fact the trusts talked against
Roosevelt only to force him to terms.
They did this and then they threw
their influence and their money to
secure. his election. Their course,
designedly or otherwise, had given to
thousands of voters the idea that
Judge Parker was a negative charac-
ter and would not prosecute the trusts
vigorously if he was elected. He
fell between the two strong influ-
ences, the victim of conditions that
were not attributable to him. BY rea-
son of the widespread idea that Par
ker was not against the trust idea, he
lost the enthusiastic following of thou
sands of voters who would have sup
ported him if his speeches made in
November had been made in July. Be-
cause the trusts knew him to be hon
est and free from any influence that
would cause him to favor the trusts,
they were hostile to him and spent at
least eight million dollars to defeat
him. Those voters who were misled
as to his real attitude toward monopo-
lies, and who early made up their
minds to vote for Roosevelt and stuck
to it in spite of his later aggressive
and magnificent warfare against trust
corruption, Will live to regret their
votes Parker is honest, courageous
in emergencies, and would have made
a President of the best type. 1t is
a misfortune to the country that he
has not been chosen. He did not seek
the office He made a great sacrifice
to respond to the call of his party to
become it's candidate. He was worthy
of their confidence and in defeat he
will continue to- enjoy their esteem.
He conducted the campaign upon
high plane and in the hour of his
a true type of the American states
man of the best days of the Repub-
lie.
The chief cause Of Judge Parker's
defeat is not due to him or to the
party platform or the management
of the campaign, but to conditions
not controlled by any body of men,
The industry and thrift of the people
has brought general prosperity to the
country. Mr.. Roosevelt has contribu-
ted nothing to it, but it has prospered
in spite of his policies. Notwithstand-
ing that fact, when men are employed
and getting on pretty well the advice
to stand pat, accompanied by the
promise of square deal has
weight with the voters. The Repub-
licans made thousands of votes by
this campaign slogan: ''Remembcr
the panic and the soap houses of
1S93-'4-'o-'6. Then the Democrats
were in power. If you vote for Par
ker, there will be a return to those
conditions. III you vote for ROose-
welt, present conditions will remain.
Do you wish to go back to the Cleve-
land panic?"
The panic was not due to Mr..
Cleveland, but unfortunately he had
to bear the responsibility of it just
as Roosevelt is given the credit for
dollar wheat and ten cent cotton. Bry-
an lost thousands of votes in 1895
by the same sort of argument when
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