Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-09-23
The 0NE-TeRm PLEDGE
IMPORTANT DECLARATION BY
cAhO'DATe OF DEMOCRACY.
Attempt BY Alton n. Parker to Give
Poiats TO wsshington aud Lincoin-
II IL the People Who Decide the Tern
Qusstlou.

In his speech of acceptance. Alton d.
Parker, the Democratic candidate for tho
presidency. declined In advance second
nomination for that o,hcc. and explained
himself by saying: II am fully persuaded
no Incumbent OF that office should ever
bs placed In situation OF possible temp
tation to consider what the effect OF nc'
tion taken by him In an administrative
matter of great importance might have
upon his political fortunes. Questions OF
momcntous consequence to all OF the peo-
pie have been In the past. mud will be In
the future. presented to the President for
determination, and In approaching tneir
consldcra ton. NJ. well ms In weighing the
facts and the arguments bearing upon
them. he should be unembnrrassed by any
possible thought of the influence his de-
cision may have upon anything whatever
that may affect him personally"
Coming NJ Il does from man who is
% unfamiliar with governmental meth
ods, and who In 40 little acquainted with
the machinery Of administration. who has
never held q civil ONCE except on the
bench. who has never been In the Legis-
lature or In Congress, and who has Kept
himself far removed from the people. this
declaration OF Judge Parker II strange
one. He had . perfect right to say. "
be wished TO. that he would not bc
candidate for reelection. " chosen this
year. but Il was unfair. unwise. and im'
pertinent OF him thus to read lesson to
the great men OF the United States who
have lived and died before him. and who
have lsfl behiud them great names which
have been In NO wise dimmed by the fact
shat they were repeatedly candidates for
the suflraxss OF their fcllow-citizens. and
that they were repeatedly houored b, re-
election.
washinst,r. Lincoln. Grant. Cleveland
and Mckinley were all candidates for
reelection. and NO one OF them. u may
safsly b. said. ever allowed his candi.
daey to influence his action In any I'm
portaus matter brought to him for his de-
eisiou. Il is but little short Of an insult
for this mere tyro In government to In
slnunts that tho great mon who have
worfhily heid the once Of President. TO
which he aspIrcs. have permitted them.
selves 10 be Influenced In their action BY
their desirs for reelection.
What would have happened to thl.
country In the trying times OF 1874 "
Ahrsham Lincoln. who honestly and
properly desired q reelection. had felt
that he could not ask his fcllow-citircns
20 choose him President again. for fear
they might think his drslre Of election
Influenced him In controlling the armies
In the Geld which he had put there To
preserve the republic and not to Affect
bis own political fortuncsf
Does Judse Parker believe that In the
early days OF the foundation Of tho re.
public. George Washington. who had CIV
On his iife and his property to Ills coun.
try. could have been swcrvcd from his
belief In the right or wrong of any ac-
tiou By the desire to 10 elected prcsi.
dent agaiuf
Can anyons believe that William Nc
Kinlcy. resting under the lnureis 80 fresh.
ly placed upon him by the Spanish war.
aud secure In tho uni,oundci affection OF
the people Of every State. would have
permitted himself to sign a had law or
10 rrfrntn fr.m signing n good one. merit
~ because OF -omc effect II might have
upon his chances for rc-ei-ctionf
The American people know only too
well that any man who IL NJ to bc rrcsi.
dent eau b~ trusted to perform the duties
Of that hiEh once without di.xracinr
himself by permitting his personal amhi.
ton to Influence his public acts- The
record Of the American presidency IL free
from snch disgrace. and II IL only chnri-
table to suppose that this declaration o.
Judge Parker. rejecting ns II does upon
che reputation OF the greatest men Of the
republic. was merely the careless theory
Of a man who hns never sufficiently
studied the American system Of govern.
mens. aud who In hi. retirement Is su.
prcmcly ignorant Of the political history
of his avu Snuusry