The Teton peak. [volume] (St. Anthony, Idaho) 1899-1904, 1904-10-13
AN ARTFUL DODGER
JUDGE PARkERS DExTERITY IN
THE ART OF EVASION.
A Few Reflections Upon the Demo.
cratic Candidate's Letter of Accep-
tance Document that Does Not
Convince the Reader.

Few people outside of those politically
interested will be found who claim to
have waded through all of Alton B.
Parker's letter of acceptance Those
who have performed the feat must ad-
nit fatigue. Although the tone of the
letter is more clear and emphatic than
that of the nerveless and insipid speech
of acceptance, it is without that supreme
quality which fixes attention. AS one
reads the mind wanders. The perform
ance, in short, is not convincing
In some passages there is marked evil
dence of the foxy cleverness of David
Bennett Hin. Here is the voice of
Jacob indeed. but the hand is the hand
of Esau. Bat even with the injection
of Hill there is little in the document
to ward off the gentle influences of
Sunderland.
In his remarks upon imperialism"
intended to be impressive. the judicial
candidate succeeds only in being solemn
and dull, and his long words and long
sentences lead nowhere. for he gives no
instances of the violation of the liber-
ties and constitutional rights he is so
anxious to uphold. He merely winds
round and round the subject he has
introduced with a flourish, as "Consti-
tutional VS.. Imperialism" and ends
abruptly with a general and scattering
fire upon an imaginary determined. am
bilious and able executive" who might,
could, would or should do something
''real devilish" some day, if the Repub-
licans are retained in power.
Will Not Follow Democrats.
And the statesman of Esopus forgets
a good many things, or, possibly he
doesn't forget. Perhaps he never knew
much about the history of the people Of
the United States
SHALL WE FOLLOW THE
FOOTSTEPS OF OUR FATHERS
ALONG THE PATHS OF PEACE.
PROSPERITY, AND CONTENT
M EN- he asks.
NOT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP
OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY,
| comes a many-voced reply.
When has the Democratic party ever
led among the pleasant fields Of peace,
along the streams of prosperity where
fed the fat hocks OF contentment?
PEACE.
What party plunged this nation into
such a war Of Rebellion as the world
has never seen. and kept it there, at
untold expense of blood and tears and
treasure for four long years?
| PROSPERITY!
What party undermined the wealth
and productive force, the credit aud tho
| industrial life of the United States to
| the appalling conditions of 1898, con-
ditions which so worked upon the minds
OF men as to render them easy victims
| to the schemes and visions of the silver
| craze of 1896.
| CONFINEMENT!
| What party has fostered within its
bosom all the treless agitators, the dis
| turbers, cranks and misanthropic pessi-
mists who have had full hand in q
| full country.
| Save us from the Democratic version
of peace, prosperity and contentment!
Further Evasions.
| In his utterances upon the "Imp2rial'
bogy Mr. Parker is gushing. When it
gets to the tariff he settles down into
the jog-trot of party dizziness and fog.
In his discussion of pension order, No.
| rs, he begins lodging questions with
neat dexterity, and he keeps this up.
| with varying success throughout the let
ter, executing a grand summersault when
whizzng by the trusts.
The amusing assumption Of Republic
can ideas on the Panama Canal, the
irrigation of arid lands, foreign relations
and American citizenship need no COM
/! ment. They constitute what is an old
story to Republicans, but may come
as a revelation to Democrats.
Following President Roosevelt's ex.
ample, Mr.. Parker winds up his letter
with eight or ten questions, but in select
ing the questions Mr.. Parker departed
from the excellent model at first chosen
and asks only questions which answer
themselves.
1t is comforting to be assured that
the Democratic candidate and his asso-
ciates await the peoples verdict with
calmness and confidence"
SO do the people themselves, especial.
ly the Republicans among them. There
is really nothing to get hurried about;
nothing to scare the most timid Demo
crat in the bunch of scary brethren.