The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1910-01-29
PARKER; WHO Is HE

fA HhshfA - NhNN 2"
convention for uniform state laws one
day last week At Washington. For the
information of those Of the beloved
who may have gotten rusty IN their
history, II may be remarked that MIR.
Parker is a resident Of New York
state and in 1904 was a candidate for
president On the democratic ticket
against Theodore Roosevelt. That is,
he thought he was a candidate.
II sounds like a relic Of the dark
ages to read of this man Parker IA
this particular ease. As usual he Is
wrong. lie was never right. Ills
break at the st, Louis convention,
when by a graudstand play intended
to corral the sympathy and contribu
tions of Wall street. he marked him.
self as one of the wrongest men in his.
tory. unchafitable thinkers 81 every
party have classed that break n iass.
ackcry, but that il putting it perhaps
a trifle too broadly. Anyhow II was
utterly uncalled for. William Jennings
Bryan had Just finished one of the
most superbly m~agnamiuious ]cnuuci'
tions of American political history, aud
the minds of the delegates Of the Amer
lean nation were filed with admiration
Of it. It was no time for fireworks or
playing to the galleries. Enter Par
ker with a sweeping insult TO Bryan
Of the party which had believed in d
nancial and Judicial reform, and who,
RICH, or wrong, had a right to their opin'
ions and the respect Of all honorable
people. II fell on the convention NJ
a pail, and while IL completed its work
in sullen persistence II went into cam
paign with a sodden hoplessnesS that
made the crushing defea, that follow
ed il merely n matter of course. Par
ker was the killjoy, all right, and sub
sequent events proved him to he the
killyo,c. Even the bitterest democratic
partisians turned IN disgust from "a
man who had no more sense than that.
He did not deserve TO be elected, and
while rs democrats they could not
turn from him entirely, in their hearts
they knew a.. Several million indie
pendents were not under the same
handicap, and what they did to the
sage of Aesopus was a caution in the
sight of the Lord. They did not mean
that the IRONY of that title should be
fastened on the White House, and the
way they stood together for Hellenic
integrity Is a matter Of history.
All Of which is on the side from what
| started 10 talk about, which was in
this matter OF uniform laws Rnd Par.
ker's wrongness In regard TO II, His
chief cnunciamentO was that the thing
is impossible, which is rather refresh.
ing considering the recent utterances
Of Chief Justice Holmes, and "a few
other small fry of the supreme court,
and the national bar, who say that II
is not only possible but entirely feast
BILE. Parker says that the best that
can be done is 20 get the laws If the
different states in shape so that they
are somewhat alike, and let IL 90 NJ
that. Ia other words, the legal minds
Of this country are not equal 10 the
task of forming n national code, such
as practically every other civilized ma.
tion in the wrold uses, PiTle, purely.
We can do whatever any othel dod.
gasted nation on earth has done, and m
few that have not been recorded. A
rather illustrious lawyer by the name
Of Wiekercham In a speech delivered
at Ann Arbor last spring pointed out
the necessity Of a uniform system Of
laws In the different states aud very
wisely said that "such a code would
be OF priceless value in fixing prop
erty and civil rights, and would much
simplify legal and judicial practice ev
erywhere. II were a very considerable
work, to be sure, but one entirely
possible Of accomplishment and wor
thy Of the several years work that il
would impose upon the commission.
Until IL is done the American legal
system will continue to be a series Of
the most marvellous inconsistencies in
an intelligent and civilized country. "
| could quote a few more, having taken
a considerable interest In this particu.
lar question, but after all II is not
worth while. Alton, among his other
phases Of mental insufRciency, does
not take this paper, and II he did II
might not be well to draw his atten.
tion to his shortcomings. I knew a man
down in Eddy county whom every sue.
eessful candidate rolled into active op
position right at the start Of the cam
paign. II John 5 opposition could be
had, success was sure. Judging from
past experience, II would be well 10
encourage Alton In his position as a
perpetual anti. II even 4 small part