La Junta tribune., 1904-09-10
THE ONE-TeRM PLEDGE
IMPORTANT DECLARATION ev
CANDIDATE OF DEMOCRACY.
Asteops by Aisoa n. Parker 70 Give
Poisss TO washington and Lincoin-
IL L. the People Who Decide che Iero
Qaostion.

In his speech of acceptance. Alton b.
Parker. the Democratic candidate for the
presidency, declined in advance q second
nomination for that ounce, and explained
himself by saying: Il am fully persuaded
no incumbent OF that Office should ever
Be placed in 4 situation of possible temp
tation TO consider what the effect OF ae-
don taken by him In an administrative
matter OF great Importance might have
upon his political fortunes Questions OF
momentous Consequence to all OF the peo-
pie have been Ia the past. and will be In
the future, presented 10 the President for
determination, and in approaching their
consideration. as well in weighing the
facts and the arguments bearing upon
them. he should be unembarrnssed by any
possible thought of the influence his de-
cision may have upon anything whatever
that may affect him personally"
Coming ns IL does from n man who Is
% unfamiliar with governmental meth
DDS. and who Is so little acquainted with
the machinery of administrator. who has
never held n civil ONCE except on the
bench. who has never been in the Legis-
lature or in Congress. and who has kept
himself far removed from the people. this
declaration OF Judge Parker Is strange
QUE He had . perfect right to say, II
he wished TO. that he would not be a
candidate for reelection, il chosen this
year, but II was unfair, unwise, and i'm
pertinent OF him thus TO read a lesson 10
the great men OF the United States who
have lived and died before him. and who
have left behind them great names which
have been In no wise dimmed by the fact
that they were repeatedly candidates for
the sufRra ges Of their fellow-citizens, and
that they were repeatedly honored by re-
election.
Washington. Lincoln. Grant, Cleveland
and Mckinley were all candidates for
re election, and no one of them. IT may
safely be said, ever allowed his eandi-
dncy to influence his action in any i'm
portant matter brought to him for his de-
cision. II IN but little short of an insult
for this mere tyro in government TO In
sinuats that the great men who have
worthily held the office OF President to
which hs aspIres. have permitted them
selves to be Influenced in their action by
their desire for reelection.
What would have happened to this
country In the trying times of 1854 II
Abraham Lincoln. who honestly and
properly desired a reelection. had felt
that he could not ask his fellow-citiSens
10 choose him President again, for fear
they might think his desire of election
Influenced him in controlling the armies
In the field which he had put there to
preserve the republic and not to affect
bis own political fortunesf
Does Judge Parker believe that in the
early days OF the foundation OF the re-
public. George Washington, who had Civ
en- his life and his property TO his coun-
try, could have been swerved from his
belief In the right or wrong of any ac-
ton by the desire to be elected Presi-
dent again?
Can anyone believe that William Nc
Kinley, resting under the laurels so fresh
ly placed upon him by the Spanish war.
and secure in the unbounded affection OF
tho people of every State. would have
permitted himself to sign n bad law or
to refrain from signing a good one. mere
ly because OF some effect 1t might have
upon his chances for reelection?
The American people know only too
well that any man who is fit to be Prcsi-
dent can be trusted to perform the duties
of that high office without disgracing
himself by permitting his personal amb-
ton to influence his public acts. The
record OF the American presidency is free
from such disgrace. and 1t is only chari-
table to suppose that this declaration OF
Judge Parker. rejecting as II does upon
the reputation OF the greatest men OF the
republic. was merely the careless theory
Of a man who has never sufficiently
studied the American system of govern
meut, and who In his retirement is SUI
premely ignorant of the political history
of his own