Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-04-21
OFFICIAL PAPER OF COUNTY
Mr.. Parker Has Much to Learn.

devoted the greater portion of his
time in warnings to democratic
leaders that they adhere to the 'safe
and sane" policy.
Mr.. Parker's references with respect
to his own defeat in 1904 and the
democratic defeat in 1896 were partic-
ularly interesting and may profitably
be considered together.
Concerning the 1904 defeat Mr.. Park
er says:
We meet after a defeat which was
easy to foresee and predict. 1t was
preceded by division and faction in
our ranks over period of eight years
and they have done their worst. Ii
was emphasized by the use of govern
mental power for partisan purposes,
by the reckless and unprecedented
expenditure of money and by dema-
gOgic appeals to interests as wide
apart as the poles. We have left to
us only the smallest measure of power
in either house of congress, we have
lost states whose confidence we had
long commanded and the number of
governors and state legislatures under
our control is surprisingly small.
Referring to the 1896 defeat and
particularly to the party's position on
the money question, Mr.. Parker said:
OF all single questions thus far 10
our history presented as party issues
this was the most seductive. 1t had
some warrant in history and made
appeal to many forces in our politics.
1t had also the great advantage of
being championed by an honest jand
patriotic man, who was and is perhaps
the most persuasive political orator
known to our history. And yet II
swept our party out of power in every
northern democratic state, and they
have remained in the republican
column ever since, while the two
border states which then turned
against US for the first time have beer
retained by small and inconclusiv'
majorities.
Unquestionably Judge Parker il
personally an excellent gentleman
but 1t is difficult to escape the conclu
sion that he is very poorly informed
man. 1t was not the money question
which in 1896 swept our party out o,
power in every northern democratic
state" Had it not been for The
money question and the position
taken on that question by the demo
cratic party that party would no
have mustered corporal's guard Of
voters at the November election.
yuoc ,, ~ AI,., oman /,,ocf;1y,
carried the party to defeat; it was
the democratic party's position or
that question which made it possible
for it to wage the most forcefal battl,
in political history. Democratic
leaders In that campaign were re
CURED to carry the sins of omission
and the sins of commission for which
the Cleveland administration was re-
sponsible; and while during that cam
paign the Clevelandites were giving
aid to the republican PAL ty the demo.
cratic party, which had repeatedly
honored them, was required to defend
itself against their indefensible acts
1t is with poor grace that the worst
beaten man in history seeks to lay
emphasis on the democratic defeat OF
1896. Then, with all the money power
OF the earth against it, with that
power aided and abetted by the very
men for whose "safe and sane" policy
Mr.. Parker now speaks, it was neces-
sary for republican leaders to make
va hurrY-up call" for s5,OOO,Oo0 for
the purpose of defeating the demo-
cratic leader. Just as the campaign
waged under Alton B. Parker was the
most farcical expedition upon which
political party ever engaged, the
campaign waged in 1895 under the
leadership Of William J. Bryan will
live in history as the greatest battle
ever fought under the com mand of q
man who was battling, practically
single handed and alone, against TIE
most powerful influences of the
world.
Mr.. Parker attributes his own defeat
to 'division and factions" also to "the
use OF governmental power for parti
san purposes" also "the reckless ant
unprecedented expenditure of money,
and to 'sdemagogic appeals to interests
as wide apart as the poles." II tine
republican party campaign committee
had not spent dollar in that cam
paign aside from its letter and post.
age expenses Mr.. Roosevelt would
have been elected.
When it became known that the
democratic national convention at
st. Louis had gone under the control
OF trust magnates like August Bel
mont the doom of the party was
sealed. The very moment that Mr..
Parker's famous gold telegram was
delivered to that convention it was
then fixed fact that be was destined
to become the worst beaten candidate
in the worlds history.
The simple truth is that the PEI pie
believed that Mr.. Parker had been
chosen as the democratic nominee by
the representatives of special
interests; they believed that the trust
magnates would defeat Mr.. Roosevelt
II they had it In their power; they
believed that Mr.. Roosevelt's heart
was In the right place, and they had
some hope that after election he
would be free to act in the public
interests. They never believed that
Mr.. Parker would be free to act.
They believed, and they had reasons