New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-16
JUDGE PARKER AND TAMMAEY.

If Judge Parker is the kind Of man who is
fit to be President of the United States ana
worthy Of the support Of the Democratic dele-
cations from distant States necessary TO noml-
nate him. he will not give those assurances OF
devotion TO Tammany which Mr.. Murphy is
said TO demand as the price Of support. judge
Parzer's taste in friends as illustrated Dy his
choice Of David B. Hill may not entirely COM
mand admiration. But such as he Is, with his
friends and his enemies, Judge Parker Is re-
ceptive candidate for a Presidential nomina-
ton Democrats In many States are thinking
Of him with favor for what he himself is, or
what they suppose him TO be, not because ne
has secured the support of certain delegates 10
the national convention. IL at the demand OF
Mr. Murphy he will turn bis back on bis old
friends, he is not the sort of man Democrats
at large are assuring themselves that he is.
Such a surrender TO Tammany is not betting
the dignity of a man of Presidential size. 1t is
not necessary to any man of that size, and 1t
would be degrading even II it were necessary.
Twice Grover Cleveland was nominated and
elected In spite Of the protests of Tammany
Hall and the opposition Of the organization In
his own State. Democratic national conventions
loved him for the enemies he had made The
party more recently has not seemed quite so
particular, and Mr.. Murphy seems to be met on
terms Of equality by national Democratic lead
ers Nevertheless the attitude Of national con-
ventions toward Tammany Hall was truthfully
described as late as 1901 by the present Tam
many Controller, Mr.. Grout when he said that
g person suspected Of being q Tammany man
was looked upon with scorn and contempt.
and declared: The Democracy of the United
Estates will rejoice II Tammany is brought TO
the dust" If that is the popular attitude OF
hard and fast alliance with It against other
Democrats would hardly promote Judge Par
kers interests at the polls. though 1t might as
sure him some delegates from his own State
1t is not for us to advise Judge Parker how
to promote his candidacy. But for the coun-
try's sake, If by any possibility he could be
nominated and elected, for his own sake, and
for the sake Of the high Office he holds and is
likely to continue to hold we should be sorry
to see him lay aside his so far perfectly self
contained dignity to intrigue with Tammany
for the support which 1t gives TO no man with
out exactng q price. His strength has so far
been his supposed superiority TO all factions, his
dwelling on the austere heights Of judicial aloof
ness. His name is put before the country as that
OF distinguished Democrat of extraordinary
strength with the people OF the Empire State,
the only one Of prominence who has carried It
for years. Democrats turn to him TO bring
strength to their party They have plenty OF
politicians who would be glad to have the party
or any faction Of II lend Its strength to them.
If Judge Parker is the original force the De-
mocracy is seeking. he has no need to bargain
with Tammapy. If he has to work up Tam
many delegates to make his nomination posi-
BILE, he is of no more use as political Moses
than any other favorite son OF an important de-
batabIe State