The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-09-01
JUDGE pARKER,s SIEVE REST CRITIC.
1t is a curious fact that the newspa

1t is a curious fact that the newspa-
per of the highest moral pretense in
the United States which is supporting
Judge Parker for the Presidency is the
one which, from the time of Judge
Parkers appearance in politics almost
to the moment when he was nominal
ed for the Presidency, has been his
most venomous assailant. The Mug
wump New York Evening Post began
to attack Parker when he was David B.
Hills campaign manager in 1885, and it
did not miss single opportunity to at
tack him from that time till shortly be-
fore his nomination.
Extracts from the Evening Posts edi-
tiorial columns, published recently by
the New York Sun attest the truth Of
this statement. In 1885 David b. Hill
was candidate for election as Govern
or of New York. He had been Lieu
tenant Governor under Cleveland and
had succeeded to the latter office when
Cleveland became President. He Sc
cured nomination in 1885 and his cam
paign manager was Alton B. Parker.
There were rumors of scandals during
the campaign in connection with build
ing of a new aqueduct, and subSe-
quently a legislative investigation OF
them was made. When, in 1892, Hill
became an avoWed candidate for the
Presidency, the Evening Post publish
ed record Of his life, issuing the same
in pamphlet form, in the course of
which it went over the evidence adduc-
ed at the investigation and connected
Parker with Hill in the aqueduct
scandals. 1t showed that two notes,
Ct nd for ha6
been drawn by Hill and had subse-
quently been paid out of the aqueduct
contract, which, under Hills personal
influence as Governor, had been award
ed to firm of contractors composed OF
it was $4,000 higher than the lowest
bid and out of which these contractors
made a clear profit of $4,000 at the ex-
pense of the State. In its account of
the case, the Evening Post said: ''The
testimony showed that both notes were
finally paid by O'Brien & Clark (the
contractors, presumably out of the
$500 profit made on that bid" Re-
viewing the record a month later, on
March D. 1892, the Post made this slur-
ring and offensive allusion to Parker'S
connection with the notes: John
O'Brien, Chairman of the Democratic
Committee, testities that he contribut-
ed $500 to take up this note: that Alton
B. Parker, who in the meantime had
been appointed by Hill Judge of the
Supreme Court, contributed $500 and
the balance was made up elsewhere
That was pretty plain intimation that
Hill had rewarded Parker by making
him Judge of the supreme Court.
Judge Parker remained on the Su-
preme Court bench until he was nomi-
mated by the Democratic State Com
mittee for Chief Judge in September,
1897. On the day he was to be noml-
mated he published letter saying he
had voted for Bryan While this dis
pleased the gold Democrats on the
committee who had supposed him to
be one of themselves, they nominated
him. In commenting on this action on
the following day, September 3D. 1897,
the Evening Post said:
This was certainly an extraordinary
position to be taken by Democrats who
had regarded the silver issue to be one
Of such momentous Importance last
year as to Justify them in leaving their
party and doing their utmost to help
elect the Republican candidate for the
Presidency. They looked upon the is
sue then as one far above politics, being
entirely one of morals and patriotism,
and surely this is pre-eminently an is
sue which ought to appeal to man
holding one judicial office and aspiring
to another. For Judge to vote for
a candidate whose principles he disap-
proved, simply because of a lifelong
habit of voting his party ticket, no mat
ter what its character, is curious
qualification for higher judicial hon
OrS.'
That was pretty plain intimation
that the Post took low view of the
Judges 'morals and patriotism.
Finally i'll July, 1908, Judge Parker
then an avoWed aspirant for the Presi-
dency, went to Atlanta and delivered
an address. On July 5, the Post in
commenting upon it said: IAN adrolt
CT skating over thin ice, with the air OF
not even being aware that it was there,
was never before Witnessed that while
speaking on the Fourteenth Amend
ment; he avoided the most important
aspects of the case, adding: eff who'll
ly to avoid the burning question of the
day is to show yourself a fit man for
the Presidency, then Judge Parkers
address should have sensibly advanced
his candidacy"
Here again the Judge is accused of
lodging and trickery. His Republican
critics have never assaulted his character
as an honest, fearless, straightforward
man in terms so bitter and diScourteOuS
as these Is Judge Parker the compan-
ion of corrupt politicians and the trim
mer that the Post said he was, or has
the Post been his maligner in the past?
III if fold tho fr,1fb oho1f him in tho
past what is it telling about him now?
Stolen Wisdom
Most people who grant favor ex-
meet two in return