The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-07-20

W1lSu ltS OcicdlCO q PoPe-s-
can candidate for the office OF Surro
gate of Ulster County. and when nl
term expired he was reelected, 1879.
HE TAKES UP POLITICS.
By this tire the young lawyer wa
recognized as q factor in the polite
Of sUlster County, ard in 1898 tn
nomination for Secretary of State wa.
offered him by the Democratic leaders
In 1884 be was delegate to tht
Democratic National Conven tio1
which nominated Cleveland for Presi
dent, and when elected Mr.. Cleveland
offered Parker the appointment O.
First Assistant Postmaster General
In 1885 he was made Chairman Of tht
Democratic State Executive Commit
tee, which had charge OF David B
HIPS campaign for the Governorship
and Mr.. Hill wanted him to run fol
Lieutenant Governor.
But Parker stuck firmly TO his ide:
Of the bench as the proper step tc
preferment. So when there came a
vacancy ia the Supreme Court Judges
by the death of Jndge Westbrook
Governor Hill nominated Parker tx
the cttice and he was nominated fol
the full term Of fourteen years in the
election OF 1886.
A curious thing happened at The
election, and one which illustrated the
quiet but powerful popularity Of the
man Judge Parker was only thirty
three years old, yet be was unanimous
ly nominated for the Supreme Court
bench by the Democrats, and the Re
publicans felt So certain Of his election
that they refused to nominate an
antagonist or to oppose him. So it
happened that not vote was cast
against him. yet he was not elected
by any plurality.
He served in tie Supreme Court
until his election as Chief Judge OF
the Court Of Appleals, in 1897, by a
plurality of about $4,000. That cleo
ton practically assured judicial
position for twenty-five years, or
until the end of his life, for, recent
precedents prevailing, in the final year
Of his fourteen-year- term of office in
1911, be would almost surely be re-
elected for fnal term, which would
carry him over the retiring age OF
seventy years, in 1921.
WHAT HIS DECISIONS SAY.
This brief record covers the politi-
cal history CT Judge Parker. 1t shows
him to be a man Of fixed ideas, Of un-
doubted popularity and as political
manager Of much executive ability.
So far as his political opinions are con-
csrned he has always made his judicial
position the excuse for not discussing
them. But in the decisions Of Judge
Parker there is much that is political
and it is by the persual Of these that
one may frd how the nominee stands
on many Of the great questions Of the
day. On the vital issues Of the rela-
tons Of labor and capital he holds
that If an organization strikes to
help its members the strike is lawful.
If its purpose be to injure non-mem-
bers it is unlawful. "
He recognizes the right Of cne man
to refuse to work for another on any
ground that he may regard as sutficl-
ent, and declares the employer has no
right to demand reason for it.
He has ruled against contracts
which threaten a monopoly whereby
trade in a useful article may be re-
strained and its price unreaSonably
enhanced, even if the price be so
moderately advanced that the sum
exacted is not burdensome.
All fanchises, he declares, come
from the State; the right to make
contracts is restricted by legislation,
public opinion and public policy; and
above all does he insist that the three
great departments Of government
che executive, legislative and the
ludical-should be confined each TO its
own constitutional fuactions.
ON FRANCHISES AND LABOR.
With judicial ease and growing
means for comfort, Judge Parker'S
first love reas- -erted itself, and cue
OF the greatest moments OF his
life was when be bought the old
Gill farm, mile or so out Of the little
town OF E,oppS-on the Hudson. He
has named it Rosemount, and there,
when bis judicial duties do not re-
quire bis presenc, in Albany, be
spends his days of pleasant labor and
his nights OF quiet comfort. The es-
tate is OF ninety acres, AMI in the
working Of it Judge Parker actively
assists. The house, a pleasant and
and commodious old farm house,
overlooking the river, is Hospitality
open to flieCds and acquaintances
from far an near.
Judge and Mrs. Parker had two
children, a son who died when seven
years OLD, and daughter, Bertha, who
is the wife Of the Rev. Challes Mercer
Hall, rector Of the Church OF the Holy
Cross at Kingston, to which church
the folks at Rosemount drive in Win
ter and sail in their launch during the
Summer months. Mr.. and Mrs. Hall
have two children and the e two
grandchildren are as much at Rose
mount as at the rectory. Rcmplng
with these little ones, galloping over
the countryside on one Of his big
horses, sitting at the head OF his long
dining room table, around which is
daily gathered a welcome and Jolly
company, helped by his devoted wife
and ccunseled by bis wise mother; low
ing Nature and the hard work that is
needed to sub3ue her: a sun-bIoWned,
wind-tanned man OF huge build, trm
chin, high cheek bone and bright
brown eye-anid these surroundings
and in these Queit, almost patriachial
pursuits judge Alton B. Parker waits
the will OF the people.
The Sloculn wreck.
The total dead in the destruction Of
.l,o o,.,..,-e,n, e+oo oor C,aopro1 Siren m