The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-04-22
not A SHAM BAT' Tie.
YaTAL CONTEST
s5fsss WITH THE PEuTOcRATlc
FORCES OF THIS coUN-
a 8SaS3 TRY.
Importance of Choosing the Right
Man For President.
PARKER is STILL AN ENIGMA.

~ TheSE ComrnOner says: i5S -
There is no doubt that the corporate
interests have an understanding with
Judge Parker, for without such an I'M
" derstanding they would not think of
s$3 supporting him. The decision In the
SE# merger case; shows how important it
ss38E rs that the president should be in sym
patty with the people rather than in
sympathy with the corporations. The
S8 three Judges appointed by Mr.. Cleve-
land dissented from the opinion Of the
court, and as Judge Holmes stood
with them, it would only require one
more Judge to change the decision,
$ even if Judge Brewers separate opin-
M ion does not already indicate the
81 probability of an adverse decision in
another case.
If Judge Parker were nominated
by the influence of the corporations
and elected with the aid Of their con
tributions, is there any doubt that his
appointees would be corporation men?
5EEss Can the Democratic party afford to
lend itself to a movement to SO make
up the Supreme Court as to nullify
5SSsA he efforts of the people at reform?
3S$9o secure remedial legislation the
Apple must not only have the House,
Senate, the President, but the
Supreme Court also, and as the
emberS of the Supreme Court hold
5fK ce for life, that department Of the
is the hardest to chan gee.
AS President Judge Parker might APP
s point one, two, or even three Supreme
sS Justices, and his appointments might
a bar the way to relief for ten or fif-
teen years. Can the party afford to
take such a. chance2 Judge Parker
has been before the country as can
didate for a year, and in all that time
55$ he has never expressed himself upon
b a single public question or Indicated
81 his views on a single issue. Can we
afford to nominate q question mark?
@s3 II so, we need not be surprised if the
voters indulge in examinations.
3s5 Democracy's contest with plutoc-
u racy is not sham battle or make
ssS believe fight. It is a terribly earnest.
81 struggle, and the decision in the mer-
n ger case has pointed out with great
Il listinctness the possible result of a
mistake in the selection of candi-
s date There are hundreds of Demo-
3 Gratis whose synpathies are with the
5 masses of the people and whose opin-
I
. more experience in political life than
Judge Parker, and who would poll
more votes on election day. Some of
these men have been mentioned; 9TH
rers have not. Surely among those
who have been proposed or might be
81 proposed it is possible to find some
' one who will give voice to the Demo
cratic conscience, and lead charge
against the cohorts OF organized and
4 predatory wealth.
The Republican party is controlled
by the corporations; it is dominated
q by the trust magnates and tinanciers.
The President has signally failed to
enforce the criminal section of the
I antitrust Jaw, and his attorney gen
eral hastens to allay any fears that
1he merger decision might have eN-
B cited The President will have the
Democratic party nominate man
i nearer to the corporations than he is.
Could the Democratic party afford to
& get between the Republican party and
the trusts, even if it were possible to
K. do SO? If Mr.. Parker were a man
with a record. if his convictions were
known and his position public is
sues clearly defined, Mr.. Hills cham
pionship of his cause might not be
y sufficient to entirely destroy his avail
ability, but With his opinions unknown
and his aspirations in the bands Of
Mr. Hill. it is not unfair to regard
Mr. Hill as the keeper of his CON
science, and who is so poorly qualified
to keep anyones conscience.
81 The fact that Mr.. Parker is an
enigma ought to remove him from
& consideration and the situation is
made still worse by the blight Of Mr.
q Hills support. When to this is adj
ded the overshadow danger which
5 the merger decision has pointed out,
is it not time that the honest, earn
est, loyal Democrats awake from
their ietllargy, lay aside the though.
OF compromise, and begin an agrees
sivG campaign to save the Democratic
party frcm the menance OF corporate
control?
If. Mr.. Parker is nominated II must
not be as Ftharnony candidate"-it
must be with the knowledge that he
represents the same clement. the