The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-02
ParkerThus CharaCterIzes
1t Amid Applause.
ROUSES HIS HEARERS
TwenfY-Six Minutes of Applause. The
Candidate is Heard Distinctly all
Over the Vast Hall Despite a
Throat Afiecti: n He is
Suffering.
BY JAMES CREELMAN.
(NeW York WORLDLY !

voice as of stormy ocean use
from the mighty multitude i'm Madison
Square Garden last night hen Judge
Parker stood forth on the platform to
denounce the Republican party for
matchmaking campaign funds out of
favored corporations.
The Democratic leader looked down
into the acres of waving flags ana
shrieking men and WOMB the calm
est figure in that swooning scene OF
color and sound.
1t was his first speech to a great
New York audience-an utterance ma
tional in its i'm" Ortance-and during
the tWenty-siX minutes of roaring ap-
plause that greeted his arance he
seemed TO study his audience. His
brown eyes steady. his cheeks rosy his
left hand held the sheets of his speech
without a tremor
Heard Throughout the Hall.
There was rumor that his voice
had broken down. 1t was known
that in the afternoon he had consult
ed a throat specialist, but when he
spoke his words rang to the most dis
tant corners of the vast hall.
And as he attacked the supreme
issue of the ampaipn-organiZed
prising fervor in his voice and man.
ner. He did not make many gestures.
but stood very straight and read what
he had to say yet at times his earn
estness and the boldness of his SEN
fences lifted his utterance to high
plane of eloquence.
The many thousand New Workers
crowded under q ceiling made of one
vast American flag had come to see and
hear a Presidential candidate, known
for his honesty and dignity. They saw
and heard a man whose words seemed
to flash newly from his brain as he
dashed, Republican corruptiOn-a lead
er alive to the sinister alliance be-
tween the allied trusts and the Nation
al government And it was plain II
see that he stirred them deeply.
Significant OF Great Change.
AS a test of the political situation
in the metropolis eight DAYS before
the election last nights demonstra
ton was significant of great change.
not only in the spirit of the Demo-
cratic masses, but also in the charac-
ter of the dominant issue.
1t was not alone that thousands of
solid business men were in the roar
ing audience, that the platform was
packed with men whose names are
eminent i'm the world of commerce and
finance. nor that the police outside had
to turn thousands of persons away,
but the swift, thunderous response
to Judge Parkers singing criticism
| of Chairman Cortelyou'S methods OF
raising campaign funds showed that
he had struck the very centre of the
target.
The crowd was still while he de-
scribed the manner in w ich Presl-
dent Roosevelt advanced his Driva-e
secretary to be a cabinet officer with
power to wiring their secrets from cor
porations and then to be chairman OF
the Republican National Committee,
charged with the duty of collecting
funds from the corporations.
For an instant Judge Parker raised
his eyes from his manuscript and
spoke at his audience. He raised him
self to his full height. clenched his
right hand, threw back his head
slightly and said:
Whole Performance Shameless
"The whole performance is shame
less exhibition of Il Willingness to make
compromise with decency in order
that sums of money may be gathered
together sufficiently vast to Justify the
insolent boast even now that there ~
no question as to the success which
by such course the Republican man
ayers SO confidently predict. The per-
Torrance is entitled only to the cred
il that is as bold as it is improper and
indefenSible."
A thunderclap of applause came
from the multitude as it recognized
the fact that the Democratic candid
ate had at last thrown polteness to
the winds and was attacking the
Roosevelt administration in plain lam
guage.
Until Judge Parker spoke the thou
sands had been more or less llstlesS,
save for an outbreak of cheering
when some one on the platform was
mistaken for the leader himself. ISL
dor Straus had talked of tariff reform.
Hoke Smith had described the success
ful feats of the two Cleveland admin
istrations. The crowd had applauded
mildly.
When he arose to speak he made
no gesture to the audience but stood
motionless, with his manuscript in
his hand. until silence was restored.
No one who heard him last night can
have any doubt of his convincing
power as public speaker or of his de-
termination to be the real leader in
the fight from this time on.