Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-10-27
Character Sketch Of III, Democratic
Standard Bearer.
ALTON BROOKS PARKER'S CAREER
Descended From Farmers and Pat
riots, Judge Parker while
ma ntnininR High Ia
reer on the heHch
Has dung to
His arm.

farmers, honest men VINO lived their
lives on their farms, cultiyntng the
soil, raising crops and cattle. his
grandfather, John Parker, passed
from the old homestead In Massachu-
sets and bought n farm in Cortland
County, New York, In 1903 and here
was born John Parker, and on May Ia,
1852, Alton Brooks Parker, the Dem
ocratIc candidate for President. Love
OF the SOIL Of crops, Of cattle, OF pure
air and clear well water are Unborn
traits of this sterling American citl-
zen.
one day John Parker, who was
man OF sludOus habits, widely and
deeply read aud gifted with rare mem
DRY for the best passages In the works
OF best authors was summoned to do
Jury duty in Cortland. He took Alton
with him. The boy was 80 greatly
impressed with the proceedings that
he determined to become Il lawyer
Overcoming by diligence, persistency
md ability all obstacles, he not only
became lawyer, but was elected by
81 900 majority chief Judge Of the
Court Of Appeals, the grentest gift In
the legal profession that can be be-
blOWtu ny lHt pcpPl' - wv h''P''
State.
Az soon ms circumstances permitted
the Judge bought himself Il farm at
Esopus, n. y. Here he began raising
his now famous herd Of Red Polls,
hornless cattle good In the dairy and
In beef.
In the fine old house he has great
library out of doors Alton Brooks
Parker ~ the farmer who seeks to win
from nature every gift sought by the
husbnndmnn; In his library the same,
rugged, hearty man seeks In volumes
OF yellow calf parallels and preccdents
to guide him In his decisions, And so,
by reason Of his dual occupations, his
many friends cnll him the Farmer.
Judge.
MEN AND THE CONSTITUTION.
70 every man who loves his country
Ill country made great and powerful
by virtue OF institutions rooted In the
Constitution, guarded aud shielded by
the CONSTITUTIONAL Is pleasing may,
inspiring, to behold In this age OF
wealth and corrupt political and ilnan.
cal organization, man OF simple ori.
GIN, removed from every favorable
dustrious parentagr, so battle all OBJ
siacles and SO rise In the esteem, aztec
ton aud admiration OF men that he
be called upon to resign virtually n
life position, the most commanding at
the bar of his or any other State, TO
become the standard bearer OF one OF
the great political parties. And when
II Is borne In mind that the great
grandfather of Alton Brooks Parker
was one Of those farmers who left his
farm when the War of the ltevolu-
tlon broke out to shoulder Il musket,
that by the work done by these en-
battlcd farmers liberty aud independ-
ence was won FOR all Americans, and
that the Constitution was the direct
outcome of the sell.sacrliice, hcrolsm,
patriotism and blood of those farmers,
II Is not to be wondered at that Alton
Brooks Parker, the great grandson, Is
now engaged in the battle to preserve
that Constitution from usurpntIon aud
destruction. As the great grandfather
fought that liberty might be secured,
30 the great. grandson fights that lib
erty may ever be preserved by the
Constitution.
what the Constitution has enabled
Alton Brooks Parker to become, so will
the indebted Constitution enable all
other farmers sons to become In the
future years.
HIS EARLY STRUGGLES.
But what OF those early days?
Young Parker was greatly In earn
est to become n lawyer. His father
did not possess the means to educate
him thoroughly for the profession; not
outstanding, Alton perscyercd In his
purpose. He was graduated at the
Cortland Academy when sixteen years
OF age, and Oh that very dry he start
ed out To obtain n school to teach and
he obtained one In Virgil, thirteen
miles from his home. His hrst expert,
ence as n teacher was extremely try.
Ing. Some OF his pupils were nearly
MS old and MS large MS he. More than
one conflict of authority was neces.
sary before he could subdue and con
troll his scholars, but this Is the end
he accomplished. The year following
the young teacher obtained license
or degree from the normal school OF
his town, and through this crcdentIal
secured position in the county In
which he now resides, Ulster County,
n. \, His salary was three dollars
per day, and the position was as
principal Of the school, which gave him
some leisure in which to study law,
and, In fact, so Industrious and encr-
getlc was he that he held this posi-
ton but a year, when he became TWEEN
ty.one years of age and was ready
TO he admitted 70 the bar, having now
supported himself for the Ave years
just past.
As soon as he was admitted TO prac-
tlce he became the junior partner in
the office of Schuonmaker Il Harden
bergh OF Kingston, \, Y. He had a
strong friend in augustus Sehoonmak.
er who took an interest IN him and
encouraged him to take u course ut the
Albany Law School. The friendship
between Schoonmakcr and Parker be.
came still closer, Ioun Parker was
hardly a partner IN the firm when he
took lively interest In THE political
fortunes of Schoanmaker who had
been county judge, but was defeated
for reelection, ana was SO discouraged