Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-10-14
MODEST JUDGE PARKER.


His Letter Of Acceptance Assumes a
Monopoly of Honesty.
No one can read Judge Alton y. Park
ers letter Of acceptance without being
struck with its femerity and self-sula
cheney in making an issue OF administra
tive honesty between the Republican and
Democratic parties. Evidently this
progeny Of David Il. Hill and Taminany
Hall h one Of those rare men 'who can
hear the Decalogue and feel no self-re-
proach.V Written primarily for Demo-
cratic consumption this letter presnmes
that members Of his party possess mon
opoly Of the qualities of honesty, sineeri-
~ and economy necessary to run a gov
eminent without corruption, crookedness
and extravaganza.
So far rs Judge Parker IL willing TO
admit the Republican party Of this gem
Grafton included but one honest politi-
clan, and he is dead. With ostentatious
recognition Of the axiom de mortuis nil
| nis bonum, ii recalls and garples pass
age from the last address OF our mar
| tyred President, William Mckinley,
who had won the affection OF his coun-
trymen." in order to convey the impress
| sion that with his demise all that was
honest and trustworthy had passed out
! of the Republican party. This from the
candidate who was discovered and
groomed for the presidential race by Da-
| yid Il. Hill, William +. Sheehan and Pat
| rick II. McCarren, argues colossal inn
pudence or an ignorance OF the situation
50 dense as to be almost beyond belief
How Judge Parker harps upon this is
af lnnaatv ha iutvnI fran Stt9l
passages as these:
Among these Gssues) are tariff re-
form. Imperialism. economical admins
tration and HONESTY in the public SER
vice
Whether the purpose of the bill ito
reclaim arid lardsl will be fully accom-
plished must depend in large measure
upon the ability, sobriety Of judgment,
independence and HONESTY Of the off
GERS of the Interior Department having
this great work in charge The
magnitude of the conception and the
enormous expense its carrying out in
wolves makes us realize the Overwhelming
Importance Of broad capable and
HONEST administration of the work
authorized by the statute.
Both tthe army and navy. however,
uuft SuHeftu lToll peESlSttul iuJStliOH VI
personal and political influence. Promo
tions and appointments have been fire.
quently based on favoritism instead of
merit. Trials aud courts-martial have
been set aside under circumstances indi-
eating political interference.
A return to the constitutional prinei-
Piles. frugal expenses and administrative
PURITY OF the founders of the republic
Il. ,
the times--the commanding issue now
before the people of the Union QUOTED
from Democratic platform of 1876 as
expressing the demand of the people in
lgOD"
The postal frauds in which the guilty
rascals were exposed, tried and convict
ed, are made the excuse for the unsup-
ported assertion that "a widespread inn
preston exists that a thorough investiga
ton may discover other cases of misfeas-
ance." 1t would be interesting to know
whether Judge Parker conjured this un-
founded impression up out of the Vastly
deep" Of his own unfamiliarity with pub
lie affairs or had it thrust upon him by
the INSCRIPTIONS cock of Wolfert's
Roost
He charges "yiolaton of national
EbOl ldtiu litt bitthpuS ny WllCn the
executive acquired the Panama canal
route and rights" without one icta of evil
dence to support the assertion. which is
an indictment not only of the executive
but of the American people. rs the votes
ratifying the treaty and appropriating
the money to clinch the violation of ma
tional good faith" were practically unani-
nous,
The entire letter invites "A comparison
OF the honesty. courage and administra-
tive capacity of its author and his party
with President Roosevelt and his party
Fame has already taken the measure of
Theodore Roosevelt's qualities No one
has ever questioned Judge Parker's hon
esty, but whether he possesses high civic
courage and administrative capacity no
| one knows.
As between the two parties such a
| comparison would be odious to the party
which to-day rests its entire hopes of
success upon the favor of Tammany
Hall. Investigation and punishment of
crime has been the position OF the Repub-
lican party; the attitude OF the Democ
racy to crimes committed under its rule
has too often been illustrated in the in
solent and brutal question of Boss
! Tweed, What are you going to do about
| III"