New-York tribune., 1904-08-11
ENTHUSIASM DAMPENED.
Rain Iuterfered 1cith Parker Motif
cation Ceremonies.
ley TELEGRAPH TO TIE rR1BUSz


Escpus Aug. 10 - Standing bareheaded be-
Meath trees that drtpped a steady deluSe. and
addressing hundreds of wet. bedragsled and dis
gusted spectators. while soddeE banners and
watersoaked bunting cOlorcd the streams OF
water that flowed through them. ex-JudEs
Parker to-day accepted the commission OF the
Democratic convention given to MIN by the
notification committee, headed by Champ Clark.
He broke his silence of months. and delivered
typewriter address which failed to evoke any
thing but the most uncOnvincing applause and
for the most part was received with a respect
full but uninspring silence
Struggling with a damp easterly rain which
soaked the spectators. speaking in good voice,
but occasionally missing his place in the sheets,
the candidate delivered mis- first formal utter
ance. while Democrats from every State and
Territory in the nation patiently endured the
climatic discomforts for the hour that the cere-
mony occupied but displayed little Of the err
thusiasr that had been heralded as a Demo-
cratic asset.
only once did the audience rise above the dead
level of perfunctory applause. and that was
hardly pleasing TO yhe candidate. When, with
full appreciation of the dramatic possibilities OF
the situation. the candidate raised his voice and
declared that if elected he would not seek a
nomination the crowd rose and cheered wildly.
and it was several seconds before they seemed
mentary to their candidate. and then the cheer
ing ended abruptly. For the rest it was a COM
bat between the elements and faint tendency
to applause.
Not August Belmont. with his SLOUGH hat and
sChOobOy enthusiasm, not the minute guns fred
from the Sapphires deck not the kindly hands
Of neighbOrs and friends. succeeded in rousins
anything that could be called a stirring demon
stration. and similarly, when the speech was
over. the comments to be heard were on its
clever and adrot silence rather than on any
statesmanlike passage contained therein.
FAILURE AS A SPECTACLE.
As spectacle to-day's performance was a
lugubrious failure. Long before the signal an
bounced the coming Of the Sagamore. with her
strange passenger list Of nondescript Democrats
the last possibility OF a successful affair had
vanished. All the morning the floods descend
ed. and before noon the programme had been
entirely reCast. The few early cOmers storm
bound on the piazza. and surrounded by drip
ping bunting and damp umbrellas reioiced
when IT announced that the notification
would take place on board the Sycamore From
back window the candidate watched the coun-
try people as they came in in every sort of a
carriage and farm wagon While he received a
few more prominent guests inside out in the
trum erected for the speakers. the farmers gath
cred under umbrellas and discussed the weather
in scientific fashion.
Just before The coming of the Sycamore the
clouds lightened. and the programme was has
tily changed Once more the bunting was ca~1
ried to the grove. huge picture of the caadi-
date was appropriately hung over swing and
a more cheerful air manifest. II was a 1T
tie after o'clock when. through the thick mist
the footing OF the whistle of the Sagamore an
nounced the coming of the committee. In-
stantly there was a headlOng rush down over
the steep bank and through the tall grass. stn-
ulated by the rUmOr, happily true. that the boat
was laden with provisions liquid and solid.
II was nearly 1870 o'clock when the Saga
more came TO the pier. and Thomas lTaggart w
S. Rodie and Cord Meyer. with true Dernocrasic
harmony. attempted TO direct the landing of ths
gangplank. while a telegraph clerk called -
an inprOvised list of names OF passenge-s tor
whom messages had arrived. Far asterr a few
Tammany watchers espied their leads. while
forward and outside the three mile limit OF
hostllities the long form Of Senator AFsCarren
was easily dtscernible. Behind the sassr,ore