The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-07
CLEVELAND
FOR P ARK.E:,R''
/ Former President Comes Out
Strongly for the New York
Jurist's Candidacy.
PLATFORM WILL BE SHORT
Assured Now That the Selection
is 4Wise-Only Worried
fs,st Over 1ssues.
tspecial 10 The Times -Disratoh.)

! lMGtaeE Especial to The Times DlsTdtci.'
NEW YORK, April O.-Grover Clese-
! land, former President of the uh1ted
states, dictated the following message 10
l,World staff correspondent at his Prihce-
1 ton home to-day:
deeply appreciate the very
Kindly sentiment that prompted my Dehi
43ocratic neighbors In their action OF iasl
Il night at the princeton primary election.
Z 1t is a fact that | have but just 1ea l i'eu
4 Of 1t through a social visitor.
II ..-rhis may be taken as an evidence o.
how entirely disconnected am VIII
the organization activities OF politics.
j n .,The recent movement looking to a
a concentration upon Mn Parker's candi-
\ dacy afforded me the greatest posslole
relief and satisfaction, not only SO 1ar
\ as my personal comfort IS concerEeu'
d but as a Democrat anxious Tor my
Il m rty,s supremacy and delighted with
Z the prospect OF its return to sanity and
(, patriotic effort.
Si'@.I do not see how any ono protesting
h to be a real, intelligent Democrat can
4 hesitate to accept Mr.. Parker, II he
should DO nominated. ms ft repesen-
tatiye of safe ard conservative Demo-
Z cratic principles, entitled to hearty ana
q i,nreserved Democratic support.
u ia" Some Of us may have been OF opinion
n that another nomination might be more
erpedient. But that should be a mere
II matter OF opinion. which should pass
4 out Of sight Immediately II the choice
Al az thu convention should fall upon MI
= Z THE PLATFORM.
Y "Teeling assured, as do. that nomi-
nation will be made representing true
SDemocratIc principles. am only con-
cerned about the platform which Will
4 be presented to the people with our cam
Il didate.
n "It should be remembered that the
mora understandable the candidate We
select the more will our opponents be
driven to search for campaign material
in our platform declaration.
81 do not believe that l can be ms
taken in my conviction that in this
campaign, of all others, our platform
should be short and to the purpose.
'rThere have been campaigns IN whlch
platform-make have indulged IN USE
less foolish vagaries In safety
"Thero may be such campaigns again.
but l know this is not one of them.
"There are certain Democratic doc
+rines believed II. by that coulserva-
tive element of the party winch VIII con-
troll at st. Louis
"rhese doctrines should, in no event, be
svaded.
at this time the most vital campaign
issues should be given the greatest prom
inence, and should be announced In such
q, way as to exclude all doubt as to their
Y nearing and all appearance Of eompro-
mise
I'm other words, there are certain lines
of battle which promise, better than
others. successful results.
''These lines, having been carefully Sc
lected and plainly marked out, should
be followed persistently and with faith
and enthusiasm.
II earnestly hope that our platform
will be short-so short that the voters
Fl of the land will read It,
II hope that in this platform our
party will say precisely what it means.
ard that every word 1t contains will bear
its share of meaning in a declaration
Of principles free from doubt, evasion or
disingenuous compromise