The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1904-08-04
THE TRUSTS
AND PARKER.

ination as the Democratic candidate
for the Presidency to certain power
full financial interests in Wall street
is matter of record. The chief
promoter Of his candidacy was
August Belmont. On April 10,
three days before the assembling OF
the New York Democratic State
Convention, which instructed dele
CATION to the National convention to
vote as unit for him, Judge Park
er paid visit to New York City.
The object of that visit, and what
occurred at the conferences which
attended it, were set forth fully and
franklyin the New York Times, an
ardent Parker supporter, on the fol-
lowing day. Appended is an ex-
tract from it's report:
Judge Alton B. Parker spent
several hours in this city yesterday
in consultation with William f.
Sheehan and others. discussing
principally the draft of the platform
which has been prepared by ex-
Senator David B, Hill for adoption
at next Mondays Democratic State
convention.
"Judge Parker, Mr.. Sheehan and
August Belmont lunched together,
and late in the afternoon Judge
Parker accompanied by Mr. Shee-
han left for his home at Esopus,
where he will remain until after the
State convention. Mr.. Sheehan will
remain at Judge Parker's home un-
til some time to-day, when he will
go to Albany to take the approved
draft of the platform back to Sena-
tor Hill.
GAS it stands the platform is
understood to have the full approval
of Judge Parker, all of the PROPOSE
tions advanced by Senator Hill as
being likely to attract the radical
vote having been eliminated at the
wish Of the prospective candidate
for the Presidency.
The platform which has been ap-
proved and which will be presented
to the convention on Monday, is
understood to be drawn on ulta-
conservative lines, and to avoid all
references to the rocks on which the
party split in the last two national
campaigns.
''The fourth plank of the platform
thus approved and subsequently
adopted by the conven ton, reads as
follows:
"Corporations chartered by the
State must be subject to just regu-
lation by the State in the interest
of the people,
There is no mistaking the mean
ing of that declaration. It abolishes
national control of trusts and all
similar combinations. If embodied
in law it would compel the repeal
of the statute Under which the
Northern Securities suit was
brought and won by President
Roosevelt. 1t is absurd to suppose
that Judge Parker, who is nothing
if not an able and experienced law
yer, could have read and approved
this declaration without fully COM
pretending it's meaning, It is
equally absurd to suppose that
David B. Hill and Mr.. Belmont were
not fully aware of its intent, aud of
its effect in operation were it to be-
come law: No question that was
to come before the New York CON
vention was calculated to command
more careful consideration from
Judge Parker and his friends in
this conference than that of trusts.
Nobody knew better than they that
the only reason for taking the Dem
Ocratic nominee for the Presidency
from the State Of New York was
that President Roosevelt had in
Cured the bitter hostility of Wall
street because of his uncom promis-
ing conduct in enforcing the law
against the trusts. The Democratic
hope rests solely upon finding a
candidate who would be acceptable
to the trusts and who would not
only get their votes, but their
money in the campaign. Judge
Parker knew this, and Mr.. Belmont
knew it. The only safe course was
to put in declaration favorable to
the trusts, and this was done.
After the convention had been
held and the platform had been
adopted, the Democratic State Com