The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-22
RAIN COULD NUT
 DAMIEN ARDOR Judge Parker Emphasizes Charges of EStraVaganct STRONG SPEECH AT ESOPUS Gives Figures to Show Extravaganza of Administration and Promises
 More When Democrats Get
 a Chance at Books.
STRONG SPEECH AT ESOPUS

ESOpuS, IN. l., OctODer 2l.-JudBe Par ker today addressed a delegation from Hudson county N. J., on the subject of administrative extravaganza, answering a speech made by Secretary of War Taft, in which the secretary called upon the democrats to give bill of particulars in connection with their charge that econ omy in government affairs had been for gotten in the years the republicans have been in control of national affairs
 Judge Parker quoted a few totals from official reports which he asserted not only raised the presumption of extraya- gance. but proved it. A bill of particulars will be given, he said, when a demo- cratic administration gets chance at the books.
 From midnight until after noon today rain fell in torrents. Streams overhowed and the roads were converted into brooks and made nearly impossible for pedestri- ans. Nevertheless. the New Jersey dele pus station of the West Shore railroad and marched to Rosemount
 Unmindful of Deuue.
 It had been the intention of the organ lzers Of the trip to have two special train of sixteen coaches each and a party of 2000 persons. The trains were to leave Jersey City at 10 o'clock and ar rive at Esopus at noon. At 10 clock rain was falling in sheets at Jersey City, and few democrats had arrived at the trains An hour later a delegation sufh- cient to fill ten coaches had arrived and nQmindfnl n ff. pay their visit to the candidate despite the certainty of mud bath at the Eso- pus end of their journey.
 Reaching Judge Parkers house the del- egation surrounded the veranda. Though the rainfall had ceased, the trees were dripping and umbrellas had to be rais- ed. When Judge Parker stepped from the house he was greeted by cheers and hand -clapping.
 The New Jersey delegation was pre- sented to Judge Parker by Representa- tive Allen Benny of Bayonne who made a short address
 Judge Parker's Speech.
 Judge Parker said:
 'The expenditures of the government say the administration, have been man aged in a spirit of economy as far re- moved from waste as from niggardli- ness.
 That the expenditures of the govern ment have been free from niggardliness l think cannot be successfully denied hence 1t should be and is frankly admit ted.
 with the claim that the expenditures have been managed in a spirit of econ omy, we must take issue. The facts in support of the charge of extravaganza have not been answered.
 "We asserted that only seven years ago under a democratic president the total expenses of this government were less than three hundred and sixty-six mill lions of dollars and we charged that in the last 1lscal year the expenditures were over five hundred and eighty-two mill lions of dollars.
 Cannot Be Denied.
 "The figures have not been denied. and they cannot be. Deducting from the latter amount the sum paid by this gov ernment for the Panama canal, and the Panama canal rights. we still have five hundred and thirty-two millions of dol lars. After making that deduction We find that 1t cost about one hundred and sxty-six millions of dollars more to run the government last year than it did seven years ago. That statement on it's face raises the presumption of eXtraV- agance and waste. presumption which requires evidence to overcome. None has been presented. By way of indirect answer to the democratic charge of ex- travaganee the inquiry has been put by the administration whether we propose to cut off the pensions? We answer cer- tainly not. And we further assert that the inference suggested by the ques- tion is not ingenious.
 The amount paid out in pensions has been decreasing every year since le9O But for the unwarranted order No 7S which was fully considered in my letter of acceptance. the amount paid for pen sions in the seventh preceding year would have exceeded the amount paid last year. As it was the difference was only $500 0O0. It is therefore. necessary for the administration to look in other direc- tions than the disbursement for pensions for the Justification of the excess of ex- penditures of last year over that of the seven years ago of over $l6500O000.
 Would Reduce Cost of Army.
 "The inquiry is further made by the ad- minstration wether we would dare to re- duce the cost of the army. We answer that most assuredly we would. and we ask the people to decide between the administration and the democratic conten- tion on that point. In the year 1897 the war department cost less than s49. .0O0, GOO which was about the average cost per year for the preceding twenty years. This last year, a year of peace the cost oi the army was s1l50000OO. One of the questions we now ask the people is: What is the use of spending more than double on the army than we deemed wise tC spend previous to the Spanish war?' "A large standing army was unneces- sary then so our statesmen thought. and the result proved It is alike unnecessary now unless militarism is to become part of our policy. If we are to play the rolf of the big policeman in the South Amer ican states, requiring each to act ac- cording to some administrations concep. tion of'decency in industrial and politica matters. and further require 1t to keeI order and pay it's obligations according to the standard which may be set by eact succeeding administration, and if in addi. ton may at pleasure see to 1t that the states govern themselves well and be prosperous and orderly according to the criterion which may be set by each ad- ministration, then we should readily ad. init that we should have an army costing si!5. COG. GOO a year.
 we should further frankly c9pcede