Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-10-26
TALKING!
Candidate Parker Makes
Address at Esopus.
Talks on the Campaign Practices
and Abuses.
But All His Talk Is Not Very Seriously
Considered.

(; SITS and addressed crowd OF sever
hundred persons on the general top
&c of campaign practices and abuses.
He rebuked the present administration
| Tor the part government ofhcIalS are
alleged to have taken in the campaign.
He charged that the officers OF the gov
ernment are practically chosen by
handful of corporate managers VINO
| contribute the assets Of the corpora
| tons to keep the conduct Of the gov
eminent in the hands they consider
best for their private interests
In comparison of modern and early
methods OF raising money for the con-
duct OF political contests, Judge Par
kcr said:
"IndiNiuuals Of al classes used to
| contribute 10 the campaign fund. vast
| sums are now contributed! ~ corpor-
atoms which thrive through govern
ment faVoritisln.
This has built up the class called
floaters and has mad" them a most
important factor in elections"
Judge Parker further charged that
| Excessively protected interests have
| been Joined by IT, trusts. Their plan
is to perpetuate the present admins
tration, to purchase i"Il. t'.'"' more
of profit by tariff taAu,iuH ur four
years more of extortion from the pub
lie by means Of monopoly"
| The question to be settled is Wheth-
CT the tioaters and illegal combinations
can together control an election in this
'.uuntry. Such a contest means on
one side vast sums of money and tV-
,ry man with an itching palm. 1t
ought to array every honest iadepcnd-
tmt and patriotic citizen on the other
Side"
The largest delegation of those call
ing at Eoscnuunt, today, was made W
hy friends and noiShbors Of the cundi-
date from Kingston and GSopus. The
other delegations We're from the Parker
independent Clubs, the Parker Consti-
tuition club, the Duchess County De
mocrtcy.
Mr.. Parker further said:
"Apnrpciating the responsibility put
upon me by the Democratic party, and
the duty which acceptance imposed up
on nc. / have carefully considered the
utttrancrs ] am about to make and am
well persuaded that had a situation
calling for its consideration but at the
time presented it would have met the
will now meet the approval of every
thoughtful, right-mnded citizen OF the
United States without regard TO party
| creed or party prejudice.
| "Many years have passed since my
active participation in politics. In the
meantime Il startling change has talk
en- place in the method of conducting
campaigns a change not for the bet
IItt for 10 worse. "A change that
has introduced debasing and corrupt
methods, which threaten the integrity
of our government, leaving it perhaps
| a republic in form. but not q republic
in substance, no longer a government
of the people, by the people, for the
peopIc hut a government whose Off
GERS are practically chosen by hand
ful Of corporate managers, who levy
unon the assets of the stockholders
whom they represent, such sums OF
money as they deem requisite to place
the conduct of the government in such
hands as they consider best for their
private interests.
| Il make no complaint nor should
| complaint be made of any lndlVldual
who contributes towards the many le-
gitimatc expenses Of a great campaign.
! THE capitalist, as an individual, has
as much right to contribute to such
purposes and in proportion to his
means. as has hes less wealthy fellow
! citizen. Whatever ne may do, based
on a aptriotic desire to help elect the
| candidates. of that party, which 1t
seems to him will best serve the inter-
ests of the country, should be encour-
aged.
Equally it is true that all right
thinking men favor encouragement OF
thrift, he accumulation of property ana
its due and just protection, and they
are equally opposed to either the say
ing or the doing of anything that viii
array one class against another. All
classes are mutually dependent upon
and mutually helpful to each other. ana
no word or act of mine shall cause
, gulf to be opened between them. But
there is a wide difference between an
individual employing his wealth in the
manner authorized by law and indi-
yiduals or corporations who operate i'll
defiance of law. The first is imdepend-
| ent Of. the latter dependent upon gov
ernment faVoritiSm. II is hut Il little
| while since the body Of the people at
large provided tie legitimate expenses
of n campaign.
Then farmer and lawyer, doctor
and merchant. day laborer and banker
each contributed something toward the
erection OF banners the circulation Of
literature and the expenses of public
meetings each contributor was a bet
ter citizen for it. 1t stimulated his
patriotism and the contributions We're
devoted to the Legitimate advancement
of the cause, not made for the deliber-
ate corruption of masses of electors.
Gradually and. alas, effectively. but
surely not permanently, has all this
been changed. Some OF the enterprises
which have unduly thrived through
favortism. and which have been per-
mitted by statute TO Indirectly levy
tribute upon the people, have in the
course Of time become so rich and
strong that they can and do. contribute
vast sums when it is made clear that
1t will be of advantage to them, and
they contribute upon the promise, di-
rect or implied, that they shall be per-
q