Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-03
Enthusiasm Marks His Tour
in Connect cut.
SPEECH AT BRIDGEPORT
DWELLS UPON MANUFACTURING
INTERESTS AND MACHINES.
Refers to "Stand Pat" Expression as
Applied to Evolution in
Mechanical Arts.

When Judge Parker's special train pulled
into the station here from New York today
the judge was received with an outburst of
applause by the people who thronged the
platform. Mr.. Parker was Immediately
welcomed in formal way by Gen. Henry
A. Bishop. candidate for lieutenant govern
or on the democratic ticket, whose guest
he was during his stay in this city.
Mr.. Parker was driven to the residence of
Gen. Bishop for luncheon. Among the
other guests at the luncheon which was
served were Mrs. Harriet F. Parker, the
judges mother; Mr.. and Mrs. James A.
Miles, all Of Derby, and Mr.. Fred Parker,
who is accompanying the judge on his visit
to this state.
After the luncheon Judge Parker was
driven with Gen. Bishop to the Sd Regiment
armory. where he delivered an address to
an audience which taxed the capacity of
the building.
General Bishop presided and on the plat
form were many of the prominent demo-
Gratis of the state AS Judge Parker en-
tered the armory with General Bishop the
band played and the audience cheered for
fully five minutes. Before taking his seat
Judge Parker bowed in acknowledgment Of
the reception accorded him. With very
brief introduction General Bishop intro
duced the presidential candidate, who spoke
as follows:
Parker's Address.
1 shall only detail you for a few min
utes at this, the first stop during my hur-
ried trip into your state, with few words
of greeting to the many friends whose de-
votion and Partially have brought them
here. There are, however, one or two topics
which may fittingly be dealt with in few
words In great manufacturing center like
that in which you carry on your useful
work and pass your lives In our later days
the claim is often made, not only by prac-
teal men, but by students of economic his
tory. that our rapid Industrial progress is
the result of the development of machinery
This theory assumes that whatever our
ancestors did in the way of building up
institutions and industry, everything is now
so changed that We have now become de-
pendent upon the machine and must be con-
tent to remain so hereafter. The fact,
however is overlooked that whatever ma
chinery may have done, it has been de-
vised and adapted by mans ingenuity, has
been perfected by human patience and in
dustry, and that it must be operated by
men of mind and bone and muscle. No one
Will presume to deny that it has become an
important factor in industry, but it is
merely an incident, an auxiliary. In truth,
In nothing of what We call modern progress
has there been so much of eXaggeration as
that which relates to the machine. This is
due entirely to the assumption that it is
something in and of itself, something sepa-
rate from the human mind and the human
body. We have thrown over it the aegis
of the law, and for the reason that we have
recognized it as form of property, and
thus an expression of human thrift, every
hlHu OI prOlecllOn winch society could de-
wise has been given to it.
Man Behind the Machine.
Still the fact remains that it has been the
man behind the machine who has enabled
the great mass of the people of our country
to procure better shelter, more food. more
comfortable clothing. and to enjoy the
blessings of the world which God has given
not for the few but for ALL
During the past few years an entirely
do frJr 1.,- hra had r.. ID<x
is that whatever else we have done in the
world, whatever human imperfections may
still exist, SO far as the levy of taxes IS
concerned We have reached absolute per-
lection. The phrase, standing pat" used
to denote this idea, may not be elegant but
it is, at least, expressive.
1t would be interesting, if time permitted,
to inquire what this country and the world
would have been, If, at different periods
during the past few hundreds years, our
ancestors had thought of this doctrine and
had accepted it. 1t might, for instance,
have been used go years ago to perpetuate
all the abuses of feudalism There was
much In that idea, and in the resulting
system of government which was interest
ing. The castle from which armed retain
ers went forth to battle, either for an idea
or for defense. had great fascination for
many minds. and it has. perhaps. added
tinge of interest, or even glory, to modern
historical study.
"Stand Pat" Proposition.
A great many people in the world were
sure that the work of James Watt was. to
say the least, superfuous; some even
thought it dangerous, but he refused to
"stand pat" and the world has been able
to progress by reason of his thought and
action.
So. too, many people and great interests
might have been satisfied If the world had
kept to the sailboat, and If Robert Fulton
had never lived to disturb it. And, still
we. in this country, do pride ourselves
somewhat upon this original contribution
to modern progress.
1t will be in the memory of many of those
who listen to me. that there were many
people in this country who were willing to
stand pat upon the question of slavery.
1t is no less certain that in the early days
of New England history Roger Williams
was forced out into the wilderness because
the people about him insisted on standing
pat" Still we do not recall the act with
conspicuous pride, and. as If in mockery of
the doctrine, that great apostle to the In
dams is one of the commanding figures OF
our early history.
In fact. the whole of modern progress has
come largely from the refusal of the world
to "stand pat" Each successive genera
ton has recognized the virtues and ac-
cepted the labors of it's predecessors, but
in doing so none has ever declined or re-
fused to recognize new demands or to cor
rect old abuses.
There is no more reason why we should
resolve not to revise our national revenue
laws than there would have been at other
periods of history to stop all progress. This
is especially true of abuses which become
rooted in our human life.
1t Is easy enough for the favorite, who.
In this case. Is the predominant partner
with the government. to resist any sug-
gestion of change. But the farmer, the
laborer. the man woman of fixed income,
the student struggling for an education,
the poor girl supporting her mothers fam
ily--these are entitled to inquire whether
this policy of using the law to give favors
to the few. while the many are left to nurse
sense of injustice. should become perma-
nently fixed merely because power, or cor
ruption. a short-sighted economic policy
has brought it to us as heritage.
Judge Parker was given the closest atten-
ton by the audience, which heartily ap-
plauded when he had concluded. The peo-
pie then began to press forward to greet
him. and 1t was arranger that he should
hold a reception during the few min
utes at his disposal. Shortly after o clock
Judge Parker and the members of the party