The Springfield herald., 1904-10-14
AN ARTFUL DODGER
JUDGE PARKeR'S oExTERITY IN
THE AIT OF EVASION.
n Few Reflection. Upon the Demo-
cratic Candidate's Letter of Accep-
tanco Document that Does Not
Convince the Reader.

Few people outside OF those politically
interested will be found who claim to
have waded through all of Alton Ii.
Parkcr's letter of acceptance. Those
who have performed the feat must adj
nit fatigue. Although the tone of the
! letter is more clear and emphatic than
| that of the ncrveless and insipd speech
of acceptance. it is without that supreme
| quality which fixes attention. As one
| reads the mind wanders. The perform
nnce. in short, is not convincing.
In some passages there is marked evil
dencc of the foxy cleverncss OF David
Bennett Hill. Here is the voice OF
Jacob indeed. but the hand is the hand
| OF Esau. But. even with the injection
of Hill there is little in the document
| to ward off the gentle influences OF
slumber-land.
In his remarks upon "Imperialism"
intended to be impressive. the judicial
| candidate succeeds only in being solemn
and dull, and his long words and long
sentences lead nowhere for he gives no
instances of the violation of the liber-
ties and constitutional rights he is so
| anxious to uphold. He merely winds
round and round the subject he has
| introduced with n flourish. as "Consti-
| tutional vs.. Imperialism" and ends
abruptly with n general and scattering
| fire upon an ina ginary determined. am
bilious and able executive" who might.
| could, would or should do something
real devilish' some day. il the Repub-
! licans are retained in power
Will Not Follow Democrats.
And the statesman of Esopus forsets
| n good many things. or. possibly he
| doesn't forget. Perhaps he never knew
,.,1, bout A.;
| the United States.
SHALL WE FOLLOW THE
FOOTSTEPS OF OUR FATHERS
ALONG THE PATHS OF PEACE,
PROSPERITY. AND CONTENT
MEN!' he asks.
NOT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP
OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY,
| comes a many-voiced reply.
When has the Democratic party ever
| led among the pleasant fields of peace,
| along the streams of prosperity where
fed the fat hocks of contentment?
| PEACE!
| Whist party plunged this nation into
such a war Of Rebellion as the world
has never seen. and kept it there, at
untold expense of blood and tears and
treasure for four long years?
PROSPERITY!
What party undermined the wealth
and productive force. the credit and the
| industrial life of the United States to
| the appalling conditions of 1898, con-
ditions which so worked upon the minds
| OF men as to render them easy victims
| to the schemes and visions OF the silver
| craze of 1896.
CONFINEMENT!
What party has fostered within its
bosom all the tirelcss agitators, the dis
turbers, cranks and misanthropic pessi-
| mists, who have had full hand in a
| full country!
Save us from the Democratic version
of peace, prosperity and contentment!
Further Evnsious.
In his utterances upon the "Imperiar'
| bogy Mr.. Parker is gushing. When it
| gets to the tariff he settles down into
the jog-trot of party dulness and fog.
| In his discussion of pension order, No.
| rs. he begins dodging questions with
neat dexterity, and he keeps this up.
with varying success throughout the let
ter. executing grand summersault when
whizzing by the trusts.
The amusing assumption of Repubi-
can ideas OH the Panama Canal, the
| irrigation of arid lands. foreign relations
and American citizenship need no conf
, ment. They constitute what is an old
story to Republicans, hut may come
as n revelation to Democrats.
Following President Roosevelt's ex
ample, Mr.. Parker winds up his letter
with eight or ten questions, but in select
| ing the questions Mr.. Parker departed
| from the excellent model at first chosen
and asks only questions which answer
themselves.
| 1t is comforting to be assured that
| the Democratic candidate and his nsSo-
ciates await the peoples verdict with
calmness and confidence"
SO do the people themselves. especial
] ly the Republicans among them. There
is really nothing to get Hurried about;
nothing to scare the most timd Demo-
crat in the bunch of scary brethren.