Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-15
BOSS SHORN OF
DREADED POWER
WALTER PARKER CRESTFAL-
LEN AND DISCREDITED
NO LONGER WIELDs ScEPTER OF
THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC
Returns to Sacramento a CHANGED and
Unhappy Man-onIy a Few
Desperately Faithful
Obey Him
Especial to The Herald.l

SACRAMENTO, Feb 14-Walter
Parker, the fallen boss of Los Angeles,
is here in all his old-time vain-gIory-
on the surface. Humiliated, discred-
tied, crushed to earth in the city Of
his residence, where his greatest power
has been welded in the past; scourged,
driven from beneath the protecting
arms of a political machine as it top
pied and fell as the result of the terri
bic jolt it received at the hands of the
people, he has sought to rehabilitate
himself in the good graces of a fast
disappearing faction in the Republican
party, by coming once more to Sacra-
mento to give orders to the few re-
naming yet desperate faithful"
Parker is not the same jaunty, buoy
ant, high-spirited, optimistic order
bearer for Herrin that he was a few
| weeks ago. What happened in Los An
geles but made his blood move slug
gishly, devoid of hope-inspiring cor
puscles.
Until the beginning Of this week the
Southern Pacific lobby kept itself
pretty we'll under cover at it's head
quarters in the Capital hotel. Wheth-
er the absence of Parker in Los An
geies, where he massed his forces in the
vain hope of accomplishing the defeat
of proposed amendments to the city
charter, persuaded his co-labOrers in
the Herrin vineyard to keep under
cover, is a question. At any rate they
were rarely seen about the capitol dur
ing Parker's absence; but almost at
the very moment that marked the re-
turn of the fallen boss to Sacramento,
the railroad lobby, as represented in
! his person, suddenly became very con-
spicuous about the corridors.
1t is pathetic to witness the unsuc-
cessful efforts of some of the mem
bers of the legislature who, on former
occasions, thought it a mark Of dis
tinction, perhaps, to be seen with him.
but the old order has changed and
many of the same men who. a year or
two ago promenaded gayly down the
principal streets of Sacramento elbow
to elbow with Parker, hunt cover when
they see him approaching.
Like His Room Better
To use homely adage, most of these
men consider Parker's room preferable
to his company. Even though Parker
himself is unable to discern the fact
| that the regime of his master is fast
approaching dissolution, not so with
many of those who once took pleasure
| in consulting with him on matters of
| important legislation.
| 1t is understood among the initiated
| that Parker is now bending all his eff
| forts toward encompasSing the defeat
! of the Wright direct primary bill in its
! original form. That he has been sue
cessful to a limited extent is evidenced
! by the work done in committee; but
when the fight is taken to the floor OF
| the senate the situation will be seen
| from different aspect. 1t is possible
that Parker may be able to handle the
majority of committee, working al
| most in secret. but he can't work nor
fool the senate, whose members will
| have to do their fighting in the open
Already the direct primary bill has
! been given stunning, crushing blows by
its enemies, who have acted along lines
I laid down by Parker, but it's friends
are rallying to its support, and regard
less Of the action of the committee the
chances are more than even that, after
the fight in the senate, before the peo-
| pie, it will be found that, like truth.
though crushed to earth, it will rise
again.
The wise ones. the discreet ones
those in the legislature who can see
beyond today, are stunning Parker.
They do not like to be seen with him
in public places. They appear nervous
when Parker approaches them on the
street or in the capitol corridors-all of
which is hopeful sign of the times.