Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-08-20
.PARKER'S PLATFORM
Democratic Candidates Speech
Accepting Nomination.
REPEATS GOLD DECLARATION

Oenounces Executive Usurpation.
Touches on Colorado Labor War.
Asserts Necessity of Tariff Revision.
Regulation of Trusts-Opposes Mill
tarism and Imperialism.
Esopus, \. Y, Aug. 10-The speech
of acceptance of Alton Brooks Parker
in reply to the committee which noti-
fed him of his nomination for the
presidency by the Democratic party is
as follows:
MIR. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Com
mittee:-
l have resigned the office of chief Judge
OF the court of appeals of this state in or
der that L may accept the responsibility
that the great convention you represent
has put upon me without possible p-eiu-
dice TO the court to which 1 had the hon
or to belong or to the emil ut members
OF the judiciary OF this state, of whom [
may now say as a private citizen L am
justly proud.
At the very threshold of this response
and before dealing with other subjects
L must, in justice to myself and to re-
heve my sense of gratitude, express my
profound appreciation of the confide. ce
reposed In me by the convention. After
nominating he and subsequently receiv-
ing communication declaring that L re-
irrevocably established, matter concern
ing which 1 felt il incumbent upon me to
make known my attitude so that here
AFTER no man could justly say that his
support had been secured through indi-
rection or mistake. the convention reiter-
ated its determination that L should be
the standard bearer of the party i'm the
present contest. This mark of trust and
confidence shall ever esteem as the high
est honor that could be conferred upon
mean honor that whatever may be the
rate OF the campaign, the future can in
no degree lessen or impair
The admirable platform upon which
the party appeals to the country for its
confidence and support clearly states the
principles which were SO we'll condensed
In the first inaugural address OF Presi-
dent JEFFERSON and points out with force
ana directness the course to be pursued
through their proper application in order
to insure needed reforms in both the legis-
latiNe and administrative departm OF
the government. While unhesitating in
its promise to correct abuses and to right
wrongs wherever they appear or however
caused; TO investigate the several admin
istrative departments of the government
the conduct Of whose officials has Gre
ated scandals. and to punish those who
have been guilty OF breach of their
trust. to oppose the granting OF special
privileges by which the few may profit at
the expense OF the many; to practice
economy in the expenditure of the mon
eys OF the people and to that end TO re-
turn once more to the methods OF the
founders OF the republic 10y observing in
disbursing the public funds the care and
caution a prudent individual observes
with respect to his own. still the spirit OF
the platform assures conservative instead
OF rash action. the protection OF the inno-
cent as well as the punishment OF the
guilty; the encoura cement OF industry
economy and thrift; the protection OF
property and guarantee of the enforce
ment for the benefit of all of mans in
alienable rights, among which, as said i'm
the Declaration of Independence are life
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness"
Liberty, as understood in this country
means not only the right OF freedom from
actual scrvitude. imprisonment or re-
straint. but the right of one To use his
faculties in all lawful ways. 10 live and
work where he will and to pursue any
lawful trade or business. These essen
tial rights of lie, liberty and property
are not only EyaraNtee1 to the citizen
by the constitution of each of th- sew
eral states. but the states are by the
fourteenth amcudmcDt TO The C-AStitI-
ton of the United States forbidden TO
deprive any person OF any one of them
without due process OF law.
Occasionally. by reason OF unnecessary
or impatient agitation for reforms or be-
cause the ,lmitatons placed upon the de-
partments OF government by the consu-
tuition are disreGarded by officials desir-
Ing 10 accomplish that which 20 them
seems good, whether the power exists in
them or not, it becomes desirable to call
attention TO the fact that the people, in
whom all power resides, have seen fit
through the medium OF the constitution
TO limit the governmental powers con-
ferred and to say to departments created
by it, THUS far shalt thou go and no
farther" To secure the ends sought the
people have by the constitution separat-
ed and distributed among the three de-
partmentS of government-the executive,
legislative and judicial-certain powers,
and il Is the duty of those admin STEERING
each department so to act as to preserve
rather than to destroy the potency OF
the coordinate branches of the govern
ment and thus secure the exercise of all
the powers conferred by the people.
Thomas Jefferson, in letter TO William
c. Jarvis touching the perpetuity of our
institutions, written many years after he
had retired to private life, said IF the
three powers of our government maintain
their mutual Independence of each other
1t may last long, but not so If either can
assume the authority OF the other" 1t
must be confessed that in the course OF
our history executives have employed
powers not belonging to them. Statutes
have been passed that were expressly for
hidden by the constitution, and statutes
have been set aside unconstitutional
when ii was difficult to point out the pro-
visions said to be offended against in
their enactment All this has been done
with a good purpose no doubt but in
disregard nevertheless of the fact that
ours is government OF laws. not Of men,
deriving it's Just powers from the consent
or the governed" If we would have our
government continue during the ages to
come for the benefit of those who shall
A