The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-08-11
JUDGE PARkER's ACCEPTANCE.

T o MANY PEOPLE who read Judge
Alton B. Parker's splendid speech
OF acceptance Of the Democratic nom
ination for the presidency Of the
United States. the most striking fea-
1uTe will be his statement that he will
not, If elected, accept a denomination.
Judge Parker las grown very rapidly
in the esteem Of the American people
since his nomination and there is no
thing in his speech that will not
heighten him in that esteem. His posi-
ton on the subject Of reelection places
him Tar above the plane Of ordinary
politics and ordinary politicians.
On this point Judge Parker says:
Several reasons might be advanced
for this position, but the controlling
one with me is that I am fully per-
suaded that no incumbent of that Of
fee should ever be placed in a situa-
/ ton OF possible temptation to consider
I what the effect Of any action taken by
him in an administrative matter Of
great importance might have upon
his political fortunes. Questions of
1nomentOus consequence to all of the
people have been in the past and will
Be In tie future presented to the presi-
pdent for determination, and in ap-
preaching their consideration as well
i-es4n weighing the facts and the argu-
Tnents bearing upon them, he should be
unembarrassed by any possible thought
OF the influence his decision may have
upon anything whatever that may az
feet him personally.
ct make this sfsfer.aT7f 7,of II, critic
ISM OF any Of our presidents from
Washington down, who have either
held the office for two terms OF. sought
TO succeed themselves; for strong ar
guments could be advanced IN support
OF the reelection OF a president. It is
simply my judgment that the interests
of this country are now so vast and
the questions presented are frequently
of such overpowering magnitude to the
people that il is Indispensable to the
maintenance of a beneftting attitude
before the people not only that the
chief magistrate should be independent
but tEat that independence should be
known to all men,"
No other presidential candidate in
the history of the nation. with the
single exception of William Jennings
Bryan, has ever made such a declara-
tion. No question as TO the sincerity
of Mr. Bryan was raised. None as to
the sincerity Of Judge Parker viii be
raised His utterance is the utterance
of man who desires to serve his
country honestly and well and without
regard to his individual ambitions or
the ambitions Of any other man.
Judge Parker's speech settles for all
time all doubts, uttered and unspOken,
regarding his Democracy. Very brief
~ he touched upon the more prominent
issues Of the campaign. There are no
jingIing phrases in his speech. His
evident purpose was to set forth as
clearly as might be his position on the
questions now before the people. In
this he was prominently successful.
There are no equfvOCations. no eva
sions. In language a child may under
stand. Judge Parker tells TIE country
exactly what it may expect from him
in the event Of his election
He is squarely IN favor Of revising
the tariff TO reasonable duties, of pro-
ceeding earnestly and intelligently
against the unlawful trusts that have
fiourished under Republican rule, Of
giving the FilipinOs their independence
as soon as they demonstrate their cap
acity for self government and Of reCOg-
izing tie constitutional rights Of every
citizen, whether he is a humble Ia
bOrar OF a millionaire. Judge Parker
protests against the theory that be
cause we have become a world power
we should take part in the brOils and
disputes Of foreign countries.
Il also protest" he says against
the erection OF any such military es-
Enlistment as would be required to
maintain the country In that attitude.
We should cOnfne our international
activities solely to matters in which
the rights of our country or OF our
citizens are directly involved. That is
not situation OF isolation but Of in
dependence"
There is not a sentence in Judge /
Parker's speech that is not entitled TO
the endorsement Of every Democrat.
And he fntimates that he viii later, in
his letter of acceptance. touch fully on
other planks in the St Louis platform.
There is no reason for believing his
position on them will not be as sound
az his stand on the planls he las dis
cussed