New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-18
NOT FIT TO BE PRESIDENT"


New-York Evening POST upon Judge Parker $
fitness for the Presidency, uttered while that
journal still had an independent Judgment on
the subject and before it fell under the neces-
sity of seeing perfection in his every act ana
heroism in his every pose. Last summer Judge
Parker went to Georgia to deliver an ADDRESS
upon the Fourteenth Amendment, that great de-
fence of the negro against oppression, that
great bulwark of the equal rights and privileges
| of all citizens, that only guarantee against
negro disfranchisement by indirection. On the
eve of that address July !, 1903, The Evening
Post" said:
The judge will be subjected in his Georgia ad-
dress TO a pretty sharp test of his fitness for
President. next time or ever. VIII he nave the
courage to speak "A direct and Wholesome WoIu
TO the people of-the South Oh the question
is rapidly becoming the leading nailohal issue :
We mean, of course, the whole matter OF
abridged suffrage denied citizenship, refusal OF
equal treatment before the law and the recru-
descence of slavery, as affecting our negro pop
uiatien. The Southern papers are fun of IT, ana
demanding that the South be let alone IN IT'S
challenge of human rights and disregard OF the
Constitution. Mi. Edward NJ. Shepard told the
people of New Orleans that the South ought to
as our neat President agree to such nullia
national laws? III be he IS not fit to be
President next year or any year.
Judge Parker made his speech on the Four
teenth Amendment utterly ignoring the subject
that lay at the heart of the Fourteenth
Amendment. He played Hamlet" with Ham
let cut out And on July 6, 1S03 1.-The Evening
Post" shocked 10y his cowardice, his willing
ness though judge and devotee of law, To
see the Constitution nullifed, thus expressed its
moral indignation:
For him the great bulwark of the suffrage.
with the penalties laid down for discrimination
against any class in its exercise, simply did not
exist If wholly TO avoid the burning question Of the
day il to show yourself at man for the Presidency
then Judge Parkers address should have sensbiy adj
ysnced his candidacy.
How sauareIy THE Evening Post" hit the
nail on the head! How accurately it judged
character! How characteristic OF Judge Par
ker it was wholly TO avoid the burning ques
ton of the day." Just as he has avoided every
question of this campaign, even the money ques-
tion until he had secured the nomination by re-
fusing TO let the silver men know that he, who
had voted twice for them, was ready TO admit
the irFevocabiity of the gold standard as es
tablished by the Republicans! Confronted by
this expression Of its honest view that Judge
Parker was mot TT to be President" on ac-
count of his moral cowardice, The Evening
Post in confusion, stammers out that It does
not regard the suffrage question ''as a Joined
issue in the present canvass" Perhaps not,
though one platform stands squarely for the
Fourteenth Amendment and the other squarely
against It. But whether it Is or not makes no
difference. The point is not its being pres
ent issue or what view Judge Parker thinks
on it, but what character he showed when it
was a subject demanding discussion. The
Evening Post" has frequently dwelt upon the
Importance Of character as the vital issue in
the campaign; and here is a man who, &C.
cording to its own statement, by the applica-
ton OF its own touchstone, is found mot fit TO
he President next year or any year" It doesn't
hrt,
before the public. The point was determined
then once and forever, for next year or any
year" by the judges timidity, his evasion, his
surrender to the spirit Of lawlessness which
presumes 10 override the most sacred guaran-
tees Of the Constitution. If the judge was then
unfit ever TO be President he is unfit now, and
"The Evening POST knows II.
Judge Parker is now paraded by 1.-THE Even
ing Post" as the special champion Of the Con
stitution. He himself takes that pose How
can THE Evening Post" commend as the only
safe guardian OF constitutional liberty man
whom it has declared unfit ever to be President
because Of his agreement TO notification of the
Constitution and national laws? There may be
a difference Of opinion as to the practical wis
dom of trying to square law closely to the per-
picking conditions in the South, and many con-
seientleus observers, no doubt, feel that the par
ucular remedy for Acknowledgement prescribed
by the Fourteenth Amendment would work
more harm than good. But such consdera tons
are aside from the point. Those are matters for
loose constructionists, persons who. according
10 Judge Parker in his speech Of acceptance for
get that this government is biased on law and
n written constitution" and who do things TO
quote him again. with good purpose, no doubt
but in disregard, nevertheless, Of the fact that
ours is a government of laws not Of men,"
rip 10Th Hn For ba 10
"usurping," but it will not do for the APOSTLE
OF strict legality. He assumes 10 be the cham
piOn Of law regardless of expedency. He is
trying TO create q new issue, that Of "constitu-
tionalism,' and The Evening POST is daily
preaching that issue and proclaiming him its
holy and inspired prophet; and yet, accord
ing to it's own statement, this great "consIitu-
tionalist' is patron OF notification; while ask
ing votes on the plea Of restoring q reign of
law, lie himself is in league with the most no.
torious Of lawbreakers and preserves cowardIy
silence when they trample on the Constitution
Was there ever case Of more impudent Do
liticai pretence? Can The Evening Post' show
the honest straightforward, law-abiding, hum.
oug-hating American people any reason for not
accepting its sober Judgment, uninfiuenced by
campaign necessities, that Judge Parker. by his
evasion, lack Of courage and paltering with law
lessness, showed himself mot At to be President
next year or any year.?
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STILL THE CONTRACTORS