The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1904-08-18
Judge Parker's Speech.

Judge Parker's Speech.
Judge Parker's plain, straightfor-
wrrd and candid speech of acceptance
is a welcome relief after an era of bonn
bast, turgidity and merry misstatement.
The speech of Mr.. Roosevelt was stu
dlously evasive where it it was not
grossly inaccurate. He misstated the
facts when he said that the gold stand
ard had been established by the Re-
publican party, as it is matter of eve
ry day history that it was to the unre-
hitting efforts of Mr.. Cleveland that
the credit for this result was due. Mr..
Roosevelt also SHE'D from the truth
when he declared that the panic of
1898 and all the various internal troub-
les of that time were due to the cscend
ency of the Democratic party. In 9TH
er respects, which need not be specifi-
ed here, The President fatty contradict
ed some of the statements contained in
his own messages to Congress, While
the Presidents speech was eonserva-
tive for man of his hectic mind, It
was not at all creditable to him to be
detected in the act of disappearing
the facts Of history for partisan advan-
tage. This sort of thing may be all
right in a crossroads Demosthenes or
a small bore politician, but it was ut
terly unbeooming in President of the
United States.
1t has been been q long time since so
admirable speech as that of Judge
Parker hes been made by any of our
public men. He does not seek to avoid
any issue now before the American pee
pie, and he discusses each ques tion
with the poise and lucidity of veter.
an statecraft. There is no attempt at
oratory. He does not run after elusive
phrases that soond we'll and signify
nothing. He speaks so clearly thai
even women who know nothing of pol
itics know what he means. He puts in
an earnest plea for the institutions Of
our country which we have learned t.
cherish and honor during the century
and quarter of the existence Of the
Republic.
! He shows moreover the character oil
the statesman and not that of the hasty
and reckless reformer. On the sub
iect of tariff he is eminently sane anC
prudent. He does not bslieve in max
ing mad leap from the Tarpeian Rocl
He would revise the tariff gradually sc
as not to disturb business conditions.
But the Democratic candidate is es
pecially convincing whom he speaks
for the preservation of constitutional
government, and when he speaks OF
| imperialism he has in mind the gross
usurpation of the powers Ut the co-or.
dinate branches of the Government by
the executive rather than the territori-
al expansion which must accepted as
an accomplished fact. 1t isn't the ac-
QUESTION Of the Philippines that con.
stitutes imperialism. tits the course
pursued by President Roosevelt in
making war on Colombia without au.
thorlty from Congress, in issuing ad-
ministrative edicts granting pensions
for service, in blotting out postofiices
for political reasons, IN prostitutins
the Civil Service to his personal ambi-
ton, aud finally in retaining for his
private use, after the manner of Eu-
ropean monarch, one of the vessels of
the United States Navy--it is these
gross violations Of the Constitution
and the law that constitute the imperi.
alism that, if left unchecked, will
translate the Republic into an empire.
Judge Parker's speech harks back 70
the best traditions Of Americans states.
manship. 1t Is worthy to rank with
the state papers of Jefferson, Madison
aud Cleveland, 1t is the utterance OF
an open minded gentleman, who has
nothing to conceal. and no apologies
to make; and moreover it is state
ment Of issues that cannot be challeng.
ed in any particular for diverging
from the sraight line Of trnth. Unless
We are much mistaken, it's sincerity
and the admirable temper in which it
is couched cannot fail to impress most
favorably the great American electo-
rate. Commercial Appeal.