The Irish standard., 1904-08-13
President Mckinley, at Kingston,
Judge Parker unconsciously described

Nv
himself:
His mind was judicial, and would
not be drawn from patient search
for the evidence that would show ii
which direction truth and justice lay
by the clamor of those who insistentl,
demanded that the president should
always lead the people instead OF
working their will. Presi
dent Mckinley devoted his time t.
the performance of duty as he under
stood it, not in attempting to make
the people think he was doing his
duty. He submitted without mur
muir to undeserved criticism, and kept
his counsel when unjustly assailed, ap
parently content that his deeds should
in the end speak for themselves. And
this was wise counsel, was it not:'
These We're the highest qualities
that Judge Parker saw in n popular
war president
The Democratic candidate for presi.
dent is not only the head of a great
court, but he owns and operates three
farms i'll New York state. He has
been 4 practical and successful farm
er always. His charming old-faslion-
ed home at Esopus is on one of these
farms, on the brow of a green slope
Oh the Hudson river. 1t is only sixty
miles from Albany, so that his week
ends and summers are spent in this
beautiful place, with his family, his
trees, crops, FLOODED cattle, and fine
library. He rides for an hour on
horseback every day, directs and per-
sonally assists in the farm work, and
is widely known and trusted by the
country folk.
Standing among his great bulls or
striding over his well-cultivated fields,
he is the incarnat ton of manly 4Ameri-
canism. Nor does he need a SLOUGH
hat to suggest virility.
The judges great grandfather WAS
farmer Of Worcester, Mass, who left
his fields to serve as a private soldier
under Washington and returned to
them when the national independence
was Won. The son of this farmer
patriot was also farmer, man of
superior intelligence, education, and
spirit. He moved to New York state
in 1903, and bought farm near the
village of Cortland, on which the Dem
ocratic candidate for president was
born, ON May II, 1852. Judge Par
ker's father was also born there He
was Il man of broad and acuuisitivc
mind, and his love for books was a
matter for comment among his neigh
bors. In spite of his bitter struggle
for existence, he read widely and
deeply.
There was nothing remarkable
about the youth of Judge Parker He
worked about his fathers farm, went
to the village school, and afterward
went to the Cortland academy. His
early steps We're guided by devout
and intelligent mother, who is still liv-
master, established his authority by
thrashins the school bully and devcl-
oped into a serious. dgniticd young
man, with an income of three dollars
a day.
His fathers necessities compelled
him to give up his hope of entering
nj ifx- IT..
small income was needed at home. He
went to kingstOn-on the Hudson and
enter the law office of Schoonmaker
& Hardenburgh as a clerk. Then he
studied in the Albany Law school, re-
turning to his clerkship after grad
uating. Presently he took young
lawyer named Kenyon as partner and
opened law Office in Kingston. For
twelve years he practised law, win
ming several important cases, but not
greatly distinguishing himself, except
for his integrity and common sense.
1t was an accident of circumstances
that took Judge Parker into politics
at first. His old employer, Mr..
Schoonmaker, had been driven out of
politics by the Vaccinations of his
personal enemies. The young lawyer
entered political life simply to vindi-
cate his former protector, and he never
rested until Mr.. Schoonmaker had
been restored to influence and popular
ity. The fight was long, hard, and I'M
selfish. Judge Parker was soon
recognized as the ablest party man in
Ulster county. Samuel ]. Tilden, then
the national leader Of the Democracy,
sent for him and asked him to revise
the list Of working Democrats in his
county. Mr.. Manning, Mr.. Tilden's
ablest lieutenant, also consulted the
young leader. It is characteristic of
Judge Parker that in those days, when
he controlled the Democratic organ
ization Of his county, he declined to
assume the titular leadership, content
ing himself with the position of prin-
cipal party adviser, and leaving the
nominal honors to others.
In 1877, when only twenty five
years old, he was elected surrogate Of
Ulster county. He discharged his
judicial duties so satisfactorily that
OF ,S,,;vnx3o,, 10 re.