The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-09-27
Judge Parker's Acceptance.

We print today in full Judge Park
er's letter of acceptance. 1t is mas
terly dissertation, sound, sensible and
patriotic. 1t covers every issue and
every point in less than half of the
words used by President Roosevelt in
his document of two weeks ago. Every
sentence is q telling epigram and every
paragraph is filed with cold facts
1t is a text book for the Democratic
cause, so simple and yet so strong, so
brilliant and yet so argumentative, that
to answer it must be the one task of
Republican pen and rostrum
Judge Parker says that grave public
questions are pressing for decision.
While the issues involved are numer-
Gus, some stand forth pre-eminent in
the public mind. Among these are
Tariff Reform, Imperialism, Economi-
cal Administration and Honesty in the
Public Service" On the question of
Tariff Reform he deals extensively. He
points out the fact that the Dingley
tariff is excessive in many of it's rates
and unjustly and oppressively bur-
densome on the people. He shows that
the present tariff is so adjusted that it
falls heaviest on the consumer and
with all the Republican talk about high
wages it is none the less a fact that
nearly half of the laborer's earnings is
taken to pay tariff taxes.
Mr.. Roosevelt in his letter of accept
ance took occasion to misrepsent
Judge Parkers attitude on the ques-
ton OF Imperialism. He said that the
language of the Democratic platform III
"a little obscure" also that Judge
Parker deliberately substituted the
term self government" for 'inde-
pendence." He charged that the words
were so used in order that Judge
Parker might convey the impression
and that in the event of his election,
the Roosevelt policy would be his pol
icy; also that because of trouble in
the Democratic ranks, Judge Parker
recanted the self government promise
md substituted independence. Also
that the Democratic party and its
candidate occupied three entirely diff
feIent positions within so days" 1t
is difficult to conceive Of a public man,
occupying the highest position in the
country making such plain misrep-
resentation Of an opponents attitude
but what else could be expected of a
man who characterizes Thomas Jeffer-
son as the most incapable president
the country ever had? On this point
Judge Parker says: I'm some quart
ers it has been assumed that in the
discussion Of the Philippine question
in my response, the phrase "self-goy-
eminent" was intended to mean some
thing less than independence. 1t was
not intended that 1t should be under
stood to mean, nor do / think as used
1t does mean less than independence.
However, to eliminate all possibility
for conjecture, now state that I am
in hearty accord with that plank in our
platform that favors doing for the
Filipinos what we have already done
for the Cubans; and I favor making
the promise to them now that we shall
take such action as soon as they are
reasonably prepared for IT,"
The letters of acceptance of botf
candidates are now before the people
The thinking man who has read bott
of them must conclude that Roose
Velt's dissertation revives the creed
of Alexander Hamilton while Parker!
Is a declaration for Jeffersonian prin
ciples.