The Elbert County tribune., 1904-09-22
Democratic Candidate Began
His Career as a Boss"
A PRoTEGs OF DAVID B. HILL
practical Politician" whs Is Now
Surrounded and Supported by Tam
many Hall Leaders-Brief Glance
At His Political Record.

DemocraGc NauOndl convention OF lotf
adjourned, after nominating for Pres
ident of the United States Alton B.
Parker, of New York, the people of the
country have been trying to find out
something about the man for whom they
are asked to vote early next November.
| 1t has been hard work. Outside of
the State of New York Alton b. Park
er was practically unknown before the
meeting of the Democratic convention at
st. louis. He still remains, to the vast
majority of voters throughout the coun-
try, unknown. except by his name and
place of residence, with such additional
light as has been thrown upon him by
newspaper portraits.
In the matter of supplying pictures
of Judge Parker. his home, his wife.
children, grandchildren, sonin-law and
| other relations there has been no stint
The country has gazed its fill upon news
paper cuts representing Judge Parker.
trimmed, SO to speak. with various and
| assorted young relations, and in all of
these pictures Mr.. Parker has present
ed that bland, open and somewhat pa
tronizing front with which mankind
faces the world when 1t is striving to
"look pleasant" and at the same time
keep some infant prodigy still under the
process of photography.
To be sure, the voters have seen pic
lures of Mr.. Parker galore, and pictures
of his house and Of his family. They
have been told that he was. when nomi-
mated. a judge, high up on the bench of
the State of New York. and ''the rest
is silence" It is true that Mr.. Parker.
when notified of his nomination, pro-
| nounced a speech of acceptance" but
that proved such a merry-go-round of
fat and. meaningless words as fairly
stunned the unterrified In their lairs. 1t
gave no inkling as to what kind of a
man the Democratic nominee might be,
except that he possesses the not uncom-
mon faculty of talking n great deal and
saying nothing.
Searching the Record.
And so the American people sat down
and studied. by such means as they had
at hand, the man who asks their votes
for the office of Chief Executive.
ut seems like sort o. 'unsight and
Unseen game" said an old Illinois farm
er. II guess we'd better not trade, this
timew
There remained and remains for the
awakened gaze of the American people
the record of Mr.. Parker's life, so much
of 1t as has been in the public eye. With
his private life let 1t be said, once for
all, there is no reproach.
| Alton B. Parker was born at Cort-
land, New York. in the neigbborhood
where he now lives, more than fifty
years ago. He grew up in Ulster county,
and began the practice OF law there as
young man. From the beginning he
was known as n politician of the kind
| which gains ends rather as manager
than as candidate. In plain language.
he was County Boss" In the Demo-
cratic fold. While very young man
he directed a campaign for Judge Shoon-
maker, in whose office he had studied
law. Encouraged by his success in this
effort he sought for himself the post of
Surrogate, as the Probate Judge is call
ed in New York State. He was elected,
| and held the Office for many years.
In this office Judge Parker continued
| his silent and underground activities in
| politics of the New York variety;
variety in cities exempliied by Tam
many, and in the conutry districts not
one whit behind Tammany in zeal, cum
ming and unscrupulousness.
Favored by Hill.
Says 4 recent writer. speaking of this
| period of Judge Parker's life:
Politics in New York is hard and IRON
| bound. 1t is without sentiment. and has
| no principle save the principle Of success.
true Of the cornaelds as Of Tammany Hall
Victory Is the only virtue. defeat the only
crime-in New York. Judge Parker knew
| no dreams, iapsed into no trapces. Pa
tiently, practically. he added one man to
| iii the result OF his additions was the CON
| troll Of the county Of Ulster"
The steady success of Judge Parker.
his even, business methods, cold and
bloodless In calculation and results, at
tracted the attention and the favor of
David Bennett Hill. In 1885. when Mr..
Hill was about to make his first can.
vass for the governorship of New York,
| he chose for the practical manager OF
his campaign Judge Parker. Thus at
the age of thirty-three years Judge Park
err became Hills political manager. He
elected his man.
Mr. Hill, early in his administration
as Governor, rewarded his faithful man
ager by appointing him to the Supreme
Bench of the State of New York. Judge
Parker has, practically speaking. occu-
pied the Supreme or the Court of APP
peals bench ever since.
There Is Judge Parker's public record.
A practical politician, a manager of
campaigns. n discovery and protege of
David Bennett Hill!
And now, at the end of this plain, IN
vanished tale, it remains to be noted
that from beginning to end there is not
set down in all the pages devoted to
Judge Parker and his candidacy one
single utterance of inspiration, enthusi
asm. patriotism. or oven one word sug
gesting broad and generous apprecia-
ton of public needs and public interests.
small or great, in all the years during
which Judge Parker has handled" local
campaigns.
His Couuselors.
Next to a mans acts, judged by his
nvowed motives, there is no safer guide
L a.. hi- cha ..tor md his rnnrtal nm litios