Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-08-11

Be assured That DOtn are appreciated
so keenly appreciated that 1 am hum
blcd in their presence.
I accept gentlemen of the committee,
the nomination. and II the action of the
convention shall be endorsed by an cleo
ton by the people. I will, God helping
me, give to the discharge of the duties
Of that exalted office the best service of
which | am capable and at the end of
the term retire to private life. | shall
not be candidate for, nor shall 1 ac-
cept a denomination. Several reasons
might be advanced for this position. but
the controlling one with me is that / am
fully persuaded that no incumbent of that
Office should ever be placed in a situa-
ton or possible temptation to consider
what the effect of action taken by him in
an administrative matter of great import
ance might have upon his political for
tunes. Questions of momentOus conse-
quenceatO all of the people have been in
the past and will be in the future present
ed to the President for determination, and
in approaching their consideration, as
well as in weighing the facts and the
arguments bearing upon them. he should
he uncmbarrassed by any pos -ible thought
of the influence his decision may have
upon anything whatever that may affect
him personally. / make this statement.
not In criticism of any of our Presidents
from Washington down who have either
held the office for two terms or sought
to succeed themselves; for strong argu-
ments can be advanced in support of the
reelection of President. 1t is simply my
Judgment that MT this
try are now so vast and the questions
presented are frequently of such over
towering magnitude to the people that 1t
is Indispensable to the maintenance of IL
BETTING attitude before the people. not
only that the Chief Magistrate should
be Independent but that that independ-
ence should be known of all men.
1t is long years since Judge Parker
has been heard in a political speech,
and most of his hearers heard him with
a keen interest. not unmiXed with Curl
oslty. The address was delivered in
the cleareSt tones, in u voice seldom
raised above the conversational pitch,
but he made 10 variation whatever from
the speech as he had originally perfect
ed it.
hC SptctlI was u with NlOSCol
attention and applause was frequent.
His audience awOke to high pitch Of
enthusiasm when he spoke of the poll
cies of so-callcd militarism and i'm
perialism.
ours is world power said he,
land such it must be maintained,
but deny that il is at all recently the
United States has attained that emf
nence."
This brought forth burst of cheers
that caused the speaker to wait a few
minutes before he continued to speak.
His pledge not to accept a second term,
if he was elected, aroused instant in
tereSt, which increased to marked en-
thusiasm when the speaker went on to
explain his position. Then the crowd
seemed to yield to the force of his rea-
SOning and at the end of a particularly
telling period toward the close of the
speech it gave the candidate the great
est demonstration of the afternoon. 1t
looked as though every man, woman
and child in the throng surrounding the
platform had small American flag
and as they cheered the waving flags
almost concealed the occupants of the
plause to subside and then made his
few concluding remarks, finishing his
address at six minutes before three.
AS Judge Parker spoke his closing
words the band struck up 1.-THE Star
Spangled Banner" and from the deck
of the yacht Sapphire a number of
bombs were fired in salute. The burst
ing in the air released parachutes from
which suspended the national colors.
Later there were whistle salutes from
the steamer Sycamore, the Sapphire
and August Belmont's yacht. the Scout
which brought Former Senator David
Il. Hill from Hyde Park.
After the ceremony all crowded up to
shake the candidates hand and to con-
graduate him upon his speech.
The reception was continued on the
veranda until after o'clock when the
company broke up and the visitors re-
turned to their boats and trains.