Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-08-11
The Speech of the Sphinx.

Dublic utterances had consisted or
reluctant confession that he voted lot
free silver in 1896 and 1900 and gold
plated telegram sent to st. LOUIS ai'ei
the silyerites had been fooled into md
ing his nomination possible. But yes
terday, he was formally notined VI ~
nomination. and he made MS io'i7
awaited speech as revised by Hill ana
! belmont No political utterance III re-
cent wears has been awaited with
greater curiosity or will be more "ine's
Rad And what did Judge Farmer
eavo The speech in full is publisheu
| elsewhere in the Journal, this morning
and orr readers will study II ana Juo7e
81 for themselves. We only ask theH
| 70 read in connection with it the Speech
If President Roosevelt in accepting the
Republican nomination, two "eeh9 IS
In srch n case contrasts and compIil-
sons are inevitable, and in TINS instance
m. more contrasts drawn ana the
r,ora comparisons made the more votes
for Roosevelt and Republicanlsm.
Democratic partisans We're all pre-
n,red 10 throw UP their hats anu shout
approval. no matter what their 'a''n'-
dat. said or failed to say, yesterday
7, ms q case where they must make
,t. host of it. anyway. But what is
,b.ra in the speech that is notable or
ctrongo What is there in it to show
tic .,uthOr as a great statesman and
I-.d.r whom the American people
should elect rs President over Theodore
Hnoseyeit? There is nothing of tn"
kind in it. The speech on the contrary
is tame and nat. Some important mat
ters are lodged altogether, and upon
others the speaker wobbles sadly. He
makes il plain that he stands upon the
st. Louis platform, hole and all, and he
proudly brings in the name Of Jefferson
in almost every paragraph. There is
nothing else bearing the Democratic
brand to which he takes occasion to
point with pride. There is no list of
Democratic achievements paraded out
for public inspection, no catalogue of
Democratic leaders given. In these
omissions Judge Parker shows a wis
dom worthy of the man who was crafty
enough TO hold back his gold telegram
until his nomination was secure.
In opening his address. Judge Parker
referred to this same famous telegram.
know that the st. Louis convention af-
ter getting that telegram reiterated
it's determination" that the author
should be the standard bearer Of the
party. ON the contrary it was we'll
known fact throughout the country that
the indignant delegates would gladly
have chosen another man at that time,
had not such a course been too absurd
and suicidal, so they ground their
teeth in impotent rage. cursed Judge
Parker under their breath and made
the most of the bargain into which
| they had been tricked.
| Judge Parker devotes several long
paragraphs to drawing the distinction
between constitutionalism and imperial
Iism. 1t is possible that he expects the
American people to believe that the Re-
publican party represents Imperialism,
but he does not say so in his address.
There is nothing in his logic or ar
arrangement of facts to lead to such an
Iunwarranted conclusion. 1t seems to
be rather an abstract discussion of the
lsuhject upon which all people, of this
lcountry, at least, are pretty well
lagreed. In touching upon the tariff, he
lis considerable enough of the feelings of
Ibis protectionist running mate, Henry
ICassaway Davis, not to coincide in the
lopinion of the St. Louis platform, that
1.-The tariff is robbery. but he mildly
holds that the present tariff is unjust in
some of its operations. He would like
to see reforms along this line, but
lplaiply feels that little can be accom-
lplished. even by a Democratic Presi-
, ldenttand Democratic House, as long as
1.-The Senate continues in control of the
, lRepublcanss
II Consideratc also Of the feelings of the
TRUST magnates who secured his nOmi-
nation and control and make up the
, Executive committee which will run the
, Democratic campaign, Judge Parker is
!, las mild as a lamb i'm talking about
Those combinations, popularity called
I trusts" He thinks there is law enough
= already ION the statute books to deal
with them effectively. yet this depends
:, lupon public officials rather than upon
h 1.-THE courts. This has already been
:, demonstrated by the manner in which
e president Roosevelt smashed the great
t railroad combine and made enemies of
d 1.-THE powerful monopolists who are now
e backing Parker.
II When he comes to discuss the Phil