Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-07
Politicians Attach Immense I'm
portance to Former Presi-
dents Endorsement
TAKEN AS DECLARATION OF WAR
And it Will be War to the Knife to
Drive Bryan and Hearst Out of the
Party-Difference of Opinion Prevails
as to the Effect cIeveland's Action
Will Have on Judge Parker.

special to the Chicago Tribune: I'M
mense Importance is attached by poll
ticians of both parties to the statement
from former President Grover Cleve-
land, printed yesterday morning, in
dorsing the candidacy of Judge Parker,
and likewise saying a few things re-
garding the platform to be adopted at
st. Louis. The. letter is said to be
unique in politics, coming from a for
mer president, and seeking II this open
way to have direct influence on the
election of successor.
More than that, however. experienced
politicians say that 1t Is not intended
solely or even chiefly as a means Of
assisting the nomination Of Judge
Alton b. Parker, but rather is an open
defiance to Bryan. a call to arms for
conservative democrats, and an open
declaration of war against the anarch-
lists or fiat money men of the crank
genus who dominated the party so
completely at Chicago In 1896 and to a
lesser degree alt Kansas City in 1900.
tiated is said TO be nothinb more nor
less than declaration of war; and
war to the knife 1t is true he accepts
Judge Parker as an ideal candidate, but
in doing so he seems to make it quite
evident he regards Parker as avail
able chiefly because he is a man upon
whom the conservative element of the
party can readily unite. The Bryan
and Hearst men here have had no diff
Guilty at all in recognizing the mailed
hand of Grover Cleveland in the blow
which has just been struck them.
He makes no plea for compromise,
seems to have not the slightest idea
of nominating Parker with Bryan as a
running mate. and declares once for all
that the party must return to first prin-
ciples, and that after all the platform
is infinitely more important than the
candidate.
Every political forecast has been
certain that the conservative element
would be in control at st. Louis, but it
generally has been believed that Bryan
and Hearst between them would be
able to force a series of compromises
and inject into the platform a num-
Der of more or less meaningless phrases
which might be taken as some sort OF
an Endorsement of the Chicago plat
form. Grover Cleveland's letter Is ac-
copied as an announcement that the
conservative people believe themselves
to be so completely in the saddle they
can afford to drive Bryan and Hearst
out of the party, and this Is believed to
be the plan of campaign which is 10 be
inauglrated the minute the gayei falls
In the ST. Louis convention.
In one significant sentence Ma. Cleve-
land has summed up the situation as
seen by the party leaders here, when he
said:
II hope in this platform our party
will say precisely what 1t means and
tha. every word 1t contains wiz bear its
share OF meaning in declaration of
principles free, from doubt, evasion, or
dlsingenuous compromises.
This war, and the war OF extermina-
ton, but the party leaders have be-
come fully convinced that 1t is the
safest course for them to pursue and
the people will appreciate their bravery
in defying Bryan and all his theories
and islns once. for ail.
AS natural result 1t is believed
Bryan and many of his people will bolt
the st. Louis convention. Substantial
democrats viii give them a scene
somewhat similar to that in the repub-
lican convention in st. Louis eight
years ago, when Teller, Towne, Dubois,
and other silver republicans made
their farewell speeches and left the
party forever.
AS to the effect on Mr.. Parker. there
is considerable difference of opinion.
There are those who say that If he is
made the standard bearer in the war
of determination, the Bryan-Hearst
element will at least be enabled to con-
troll enough votes in the convention to
prevent his nomination, and in that
way lead to the selection of some other
candidate, who may represent exactly
the same things Parker does, but who
viii. none the less, be claimed by
Bryanites as a second choice or some
nrodnis<a candidate.