Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-08-16
PARKER'S SPEECH OF ACCEPTANCE
Democratic Candidate for Presidency Defines His Position
Currency, Powers of Government, Philip
pine Questions, and Declares Term Only.

In accepting the nomination for the
presidency on the Democratic ticket,
Alton b. Parker made the following adj
dress at his home in Esopus, \. Y:
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Com.
mittce-I have resigned the office of Chief
Judge of the Court Of Appeals Of this
State IN order that / may accept the re-
sponsibility that the great convention you
represent has put upon me without posi-
bic prejudice TO the court 10 which ! had
the honor TO belong or to the eminent
members Of the Judiciary OF this state. OF
Whom | may now say, rs private clilzeh'
l am justly proud
and before dealing with other subjects
must. in Justice to myself ana 10 reIeNe
my sense OF gratitude, express my pro
found appreciation Of the confidence re
posed in me by the convention AFTER honl-
mating me and subsequently receiving u
communication declaring that fegarueu
the gold standard as firmly ana HreNoca-
bly, established, a matter concerning WhlSh
| felt 81 incumbent upon me 10 hldhe
known my attitude so that hereafter no
man could justly say that his support had
been secured through indlrectlon OF nus
take the convention reiterated us deter
mlnation that | should be the standard
bearer of the party in the present contest;
This mark of trust and confidence snaH
ever esteem as the highest honor that
could be conferred upon me an III honor
that. whatever may be the fate OF the cam
paign. the future can In no degree lessen
or impair
Praises the Platform.
The admirable platform upon when me
party appeals to she country FOR It's conn
dence and support clearly states the pIih
cipies which were so well condensed IN the
first inaugural address Of President J sl
SON. ana points out with force and dlrec-
ness the course TO be pursued through their
proper application In order 10 insure
needed reforms in both the legislative anu
administrative departments OF the govern
ment. While unhesitating In It's promise
to correct abuses and 70 right wronggs
wherever they. appear or however causea'
to investigate the several administrative
departments of the government. the con
duct of whose officials has created scandals.
and to punish those who have Deeh sullt!
Of a breach Of their trust to oppose the
granting of special privileges by whlch the
few may profit at the expense OF the
many; to practice economy in the expen-
diture Of the moneys of the people, ana
to that end to return once more 70 the
methods Of the founders of the republic Dy
Obse rving in disbursing the public funds
Tue care and caution a prudent Individual
observes with respect 10 his own: still the
spirit Of the platform assures conservative
instead Of rash action. the protection OF
the innocent as well as the punishment OF
the guilty; the announcement OF industry
economy and thrift; the protection OF prop
erty and guaranty of the enforcement OF
all Of mans inaiienable rights, among
which. said In the Declaration or lnde-
pendenee are life. liberty and the pur-
suit of happiness Liberty, as understood
IN this country. means not only the right
Of freedom from actual servitude. impris-
onment or restraint, but the right of one
to use his faculties In all lawful ways. 10
live and work where he Will and to pur-
sue any lawful trade or business. These
essential rights Of life. liberty and prop
erty are not only guaranteed to the citizen
by the constitution Of each Of tile several
States but the States are by the fourteenth
amendment to the Constitution of the Uni
ted States forbidden to deprive any person
of any of them without due process of
law.
Departments Are Limited.
Occasionally, by reason OF unnecessary
impatient agitation for reforms. or be
cause of limitations placed upon the de-
partments of government by the Constitu
tlon are disregarded by officials desiring to
accomplish that which TO them seems good.
whether the power exists IN them or not,
It becomes desirable to call attention to the
fact that the people In whom all power
resides have seen fit through the medium
of the Constitution, to limit the govern
mental powers conferred aud to say to de
partments created by 1t; Thus far shalt
thou go and no farther"
To secure the ends sought the people
have by the Constitution separated and
distributed among the three departments
of government-the executive, legislative,
and judicial-Certain powers, and II Is the
duty of those administering each depart
ment so to act to preserve. rather than
to destroy, the potency of the coordinate
branches of the government. and thus Sc
cure the exercise Of all the powers con-
ferred by the people
Quotes Thomas Jefferson.
Thomas Jefferson, in letter TO William
c. Jarvis, touching the perpetuity of our
Institutions, written many years after he
had retired 10 private life, said: If the
three powers of our government maintain
their mutual Independence of each other 1t
may last long. but not so IL either can
assume the authority Of the other. II
must be confessed that in the course of our
history executives have employed powers
not belonging 10 them; statutes have been
passed that were expressly forbidden by
the Constitution eEi statutes were set
aside as unconstitutional when II was diff
fcult TO point out the provisions said TO be
offended against In their enactment All
this has been done with good purpose,
no doubt but I'm disregard, nevertheless
Of the fact that ours is government OF
laws. not of men. deriving Its Just powers
from the consent Of the governed" II we
would have our government continue dur
Ing the ages 20 come. FOR the benefit Of
those who shall succeed rs. we must ever
be on our guard against the danger of
uSurpation OF that authority which resides
in the whole people. whether the usurpa-
tlon be by officials representing one Of the
three great departments OF government or
10y body of men acting without com
mission from the people
Impatience of the restraints of law. as
well as of its delays is becoming more and
more manifest from day TO day Within
the last few years many Instances have
been brought to our attention where in diff
fereut parts Of beloved country sup
posed criminals have been seized and pun
isheG by Il mob. notwithstanding tbs fact
that the constitution os each State guaran-
tees t. every person within us jurisdiction
that his life, his liberty or his property
shall not be taken from him without due
process or law.
Situation in Colorado.
In struggle between employers and
employees dynamite is said TO have been
used 6y the latter. resulting In the loss OF
life and the destruction of property. The
perpetrators Of this OftenSe against the
laws OF God aud man. and all others en-
gagged In the conspiracy with them. should
-, Aft., SAL nm fnn has had
melted out to them the most rigorous pun
ishment known 10 the law. This crime
added perhaps to others, led "a the forma-
ton of committee Ot citlZeas that. with
the support Of the military authority de-
ports from the state. without trial. persons
susperted Of belonging 10 the organizations
OF whiCh the perpetrators OF the dynamite
outrageS were supposed 10 be members In
both cases the reign of law gave way TO
the reign OF force
These Illustrations present some evidence
OF the failure of government 10 protect
the citizen and his property. which NOT
only Justified the action of your conven-
zion in this regard hmt made in lis ,lufv
to cali attention 70 the fact hat cOnStitu-
tiOual guarantees ara violated whenever any
citizen Is denied the right 90 labor, TO ne
qUlre and 40 enjoy property, or TO reside
where his interests or inclination may de-
tpruiue. ana the foidllment NJ she aSSur-
aucc o. re6uke ana punish all denials uf
these rights. whether brought about ny in
divtdualS or government agencies. should
be enforced 10y every official AMI supported
by every citizen. The essence II good gov
eminent lies In strict observance OF conSu-
tnttoEal limitations, enforcement of law
aud order aud rugged opposition 20 all en-
craoehlacut uVou the Sovereignty OF the
people
The foregoing suggestions hut emphasize
he distinction which exists between our
own and many other forms of government
IL hes hetu we'll said, IN substance that
there are bait two powers In government
one the power of the sword. sustained by
the hand Thar Yields IL. and the other the
power Of the law. sustained 6y an entSht-
cpcS pUkNc sentiment. The difference In
these powers Is the difference between
republic such a. ours. based on law and 4
written constitution. supported by intelli-
geucc. Yi-,uc and patrl0ttSm-and a mon
archy. suStsined 10y force eXerted by an In
dlvilual and uncontrolled nv laws other