The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-26
Senator Knox Issues Sensa-
tORd Letter to Public
ALSO HITS At CLEVELAND
Says Judge Parker Was Cog In the
Most Corrupt Political Wheel
Ever Known In the
Country.

Washington, October Ex-senator P. c.
Knox. who was until recently attorney
general under President Roosevelt. to-
night issued the following statement in
answer to Mr.. Parker's speech on trusts
and former President Clevelands re-
marks on the same topic:
IN the early part of this campaign
Judge Parker stated:
The common law affords a complete
legal remedy against monopolies, and
ex-President Cleveland, in commenting
on the deaison in the Northern Securi-
ties case, said: There is a distinct differ
ence drawn between railroads and purely
producing corporations. 1t could not be
said that the sugar trust or the beef
trust, orgthe Standard Oil company, was
directly engaged in interstate transporta-
tion. They were engaged in the manu-
facture and sale of products.
crltcises Mr.. Cleveland.
"Within the past few days Mr.. Cleveland
in public speech criticised the repubn-
can administration for not running
amuck in the business interest of the
| country, which so eminent philogist as
he, knows means that he is criticising tho
President for not dashing wildly at ev-
erything in sight. and destroying the
| guilty and innocent alike; while Judge
| Parker only yesterday bewails the fact
that corporations permitted to violats
the law, and that they are contributing
to the republican cause.
what can be the reason for this
| change of front9 Mr. Cleveland on
March II, 1904. Notwithstanding the de-
cree Of the circuit court pronouncing
the beef tiust' unlawful, says It was
not within the prohibition of the law.
thus throwing the weight Of his opinion
in favor of the beef trust and against
the United States at time when the
case was pending and undecided in the
| highest court; while on October p, 1904
he inferentally demanded that all in
corporated business should be wantonly
assailed
Are Belmont Trusts Involved?
rs there any connection between Judge
| Parker's abandonment of his futile conf
mon law panacea. which meant immunity
| to the trusts, and the fact as he alleges.
| that the trusts contribute to the success
of the republican party? Do the prin-
iples Of law which Mr.. Cleveland thought
last March protected manufacturing mo-
nopolies, change in October, and II So
trusts or only those which are suspected
of seeing In the perpetuation OF repub-
lcan administration the continuation On
general prosperity of the country
Judge Parker In his speech on Mon
day also said;
, " Many years have passed since my ac-
tive participation in politics. In ths
meantime a startling change has taken
, place In the method of conducting cam
paigns, a change not for the better but
for the worse a change that has intro
duoed debauchng and incorrect methods
which threaten the integrity of our gov
ernment'
Charge Is Astonishing.
'It is astounding Judge Parker should
be willing TO change the comparison
which this statement inevitably calls out
When Judge Parker last participated In
politics off the bench, he was chairman
OF tho New York state democratic com
mittee which elected David b. Hill as
governor He was a cog In the Hill wheel
There have never been in our history
methods which were more debasing and
corrupt than those of the Hill machine
in New York and they eliminated In
the steal of the state by the Maynard
frauds, and the overthrow OF the Hll
machine in consequence. This was the
machine which Mr.. Parker ram until,
when as a reward for running It, he was
made a Judge by Hill; and these are the
methods he deplores.
f"Again. Judge Parker speaks of the
campaign contributions by great corpor-
ations He states that some OF the en-
terprises which have unduly thrived
through favoritism have become so rich
and strong that they can and do contrib
ute vast sums when it is made clear that
it will be advantageous to them
Strength of Tammany Hall.
Judge Parker is describing precisely
and exactly the sources which give Tam
many Han its strength, and the cutting
off Of which in the political election would
remove every chance of his carrying New
York state There Is not an honest man
in political life who does not know that
this is the case. and know that Judge
Parker is now seeking to be the bene-
ficiary of the very methods which he az
fects to denounce.
Again Judge Parker says Political
contributions by corporations and trusts,
mean corruption They cannot be hon
est. A corporation will subscribe to
a political party only because the corpor-
alton expects that party Trough its con-
troll Of public offices, executive or legis-
lative to do something for the benefit OF
the corporation, or 10 refrain from doing
something TO its injury. No other motive
can be Imagined in the nature of things;
no other motive can exist
ut is astonishing that Judge Parker
, should have the temerity to say this when
/. his own Associates, the men who are con-
ducting the campaign for his nomination,
and are now conducting the campaign Tor
. his election, represent these corporations
which he affects 10 dcnounce. or either
owe their political strength solely TO their
contributions though they have received
| | from them in the past and expect to re-
, | ceve from them In the future. Mr.. Cord
Meyer Mr. Patrick McCarren Mr.. Au-
| gust Belmont. Mr.. William F. Sheehan.
Mr.. Thomas f. RYAN. Mr.. ION p. Nc
Donald Mr., David y. EIill and Mr.
Thomas Taggart one and ALL owe their
r whole power In politics to the Intimate
v connection they have established between
! the management of corporations and the
, | management Of public business. Mr.. Par
: ker was created by them. would never
: |
Continued on Second Paqe)