New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-07
TIE DESCENT OF PARKER.

TIE DESCENT OF PARKER.
Have +be u+terapces Of Alton B. Parker during
| the last two weeks disclosed unconscious moran
disintecratiop in him, brought on by the ext
gences of politics? Or have his last woros nap
PLY exhibited to the electors III good season 'he
real man! Has a normal, decent but meoioc'e
| citizen graspiug al the fringe OF glory ana
power, been suddenly changed into Daooier' d
libeller a scandalnonger, a Wrangler9 VI oo
these later utterances give us the man uue
measure? Has politics, thoughtful men ask, de-
stroyed good judge in a dozen weeks! UT dia
this State have until recently chief judge VINO
voted for BRYAN in 1896 because he belonged 10
that school-who voted for him again in l9Oo BE-
cause the act squared with his real beliefsE tut
such questions as you will, answer them as you
must, and the conclusion is the same Ihere Is
no misunderstanding the utterances OF the Dem
ocratic candidate since October q. Whether the
quality of his final appeal represents the man as
he always secretly was, or represents him
wrecked by ambition and by bad advisers,
makes little difference to the voter
On July 10 certain great papers In this city,
opposed to the election Of President Roosevelt
and seeking Moses for the Democracy, cried
out historically after reading Mr. Parker's gold
telegram. "A man at last!' We submit that,
having seen their candidate describe the dizzy
descent from that altitude to- the level of Satur-
earlier expression and say THE man at last!'
-Four months ago Judge Parker stood before
the electors, without distinction of party, ap-
parently a man indeed. although THE man was
still unknown. To-day THE man is known, and
the voice of that earlier conviction, which hailed
A man. is still The self-revelations which have
so bitterly disappointed Democratic hopes and
public expectation have eliminated rapidly. The
descent Of this candidate began with his speech
% Tic LATTE 70 r-nta~
| did not check it; silence only added TO the i'm
preston made by his first utterances Stiffness
on programme in the Philippines which finally
ended in a fat declaration in favor of ultimately
hauling down the flag added TO the impetus of
the descent Violent sympathy with the brown
| man, which cost no votes did not square with
no sympathy whatever for the black man, which
would cost him all the votes he was at all GER
tain to get. Hence there was at once grave
doubt as 10 the sincerity Of his expressed love
of humanity.
Distrust of the Democracy. which for eight
years had been acute, began to accumulate
Opinion crystallized; the drift was clearly
toward Theodore Roosevelt who meantime had
addressed the American people with the most
vigorous, manly. fearless and fascinating letter
ever put out in the history of American politics.
The managers who had successfully shifted the
scenes and handled the lights that brought forth
press men and interests for contributions of
money. These men and interests hesitated
They saw the candidate who had been ac
claimed as "A at last dissolving into THE
man Many Of them finally refused fatty.
Then and not until then, the attack on the
President, the trusts and Sfr. Cortelyou began.
1t was concluded that as certain peopie would
not contribute to the Democratic fund thew
must have contributed 10 the fund of the enemy.
On this conclusion Judge Parker made ready for
his final plunge Desperate and already de.
feate0, "A man at last threw off the mystery
Which paralyzed the ST. Louis convention and
even for a brief season bewildered the country.
and THE man stepped forth. The Democratic
musings from ESopus to Brooklyn. BY Yvay of
Madison Square New-Jersey and Connecticut
teemed thenceforth with infamous charges
scandalous hints and innuendoes. The discus
sion OF political issues was discarded. Even
manufactured statistics would not do at this
point; the campaign had advanced too far No
proofs whatever We're needed now: the merhods
80 he used at the finish called only for Islander
The slanderer the deliberate or desperate
maiigner does not care about his facts IF q
IS necessary to his purpose to call the President
Of the United States conniyer ar noIi+ical
oiackmail. he does not hesitate; and THE man
did not hesitate. If tie seeming needs If 4ha
hour call for imputations on the honesty and
good faith or an individual who rates first in
the estimation Of all citizens the ernnIovar of
such methods does not balk; and THE man did
not balE. He went straight on downtown ~
the depths that no candidate of any party has
ever before sounded.
There the voters will find him to-morrovv
They have the correct measure Of THE man
The verdict is certain because our people. IN
common with the self-respecting people of every
land, love brave man who is also bonost
They despise trimmer who would lead thar,
into the political gutter