The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-06
CURRENT COMMENT.
A Square Deal For JUDGE Parker

Some Of us may be inclined to smile when
Judge Parker declares that he is "a progress
sive Democrat but there are few fair minded
people who will not sympathiZe with his hon
est indignation at the effort to make him
political scapegoat. Undoubtedly he does not
represent the policies or the methods which
progressive and aggressive champions of re-
form. such Governor Wilson and Mr. Bryan.
| stand for and the Democratic party cannot be
hampered held back by the slow pace of its
| ancients Nevertheless, 1t is neither polite nor
| just to hold up to party scarn OF criticism a.
man like Judge Parker. He has fought good
| fight in his day for Democracy, he is personally
| a clean and honorable gentleman. and he has
ability of sound. If not of a brilliant, char
acter. He naturally resents the offensive eriti-
eisms--many of them as unjust as they are
offensive-to which he has been subjected. and
he replies to them like a man of spirit and
good red blood He deserves a square deal and
he should receive II from the press and from
| Democratic leaders.
We take off our hat to him as a good old
Democrat. all of the oiden time. whose views
and political associations put him necessarily
! in the background, but who is sound at heart,
and true to his party. even while snarting from
a sense OF Observation-Disclosures sun,
Sulzer
Whether by accident design the law Of
chance, the nomination of William Sulzer for
governor Of New York by the Democratic
vention was good politics. or the candidates
before the convention Suizer alone is in a posi-
ton to reconcile the warning factions and get
| the vote of them all. Sulzer Is American
/ of Irish and German extraction. He is the only
member of the New York delegation in con-
/ 6iSSs WIZ Souiu duoFu TO De consistently III
dependent of machine guidance. The idol of
East Side constituency, he has always been
sure of reelection whether Tammany smiled
| or frowned. Consequently Tammany usually
| pretended to smile.
sulzer is probably the only man who can
| beat oscar Straus Both are men of uubten1-
| ished character, but while Straus standing on
| the insane Moose platform would split the
| large Hebrew vote in the State. Suzer will
| rank and file OF Tammany, he is absolutely
free from dictation by the Murphy machine
The Tammany boss viii receive courtesy and
| Justice from New Yorks next governor-noth-
| ing more-Norfok virgnian- Pilot
Protected Hatpns.
The project Of the department of the Rhone
| in France. has forbidden the OF hatpins
with unprotected ends. Ladies others wear
ing the ordinary weapon will be forbidden
cess TO tram-cars. public vehicles. assembly
halls and all places of amusement
The hatpin as worn at present in this coun-
! try Is as dangerous as automobile in the
| hands of callow college youth Few
have not had narrow escapes. Many have had
their faces scratched or their eyes put out The
man in Cleveland who politely apologzed when
IL lady gouged out one of his optics. assuring
her that it was all right since he had another
all but lost that other short time later.
1t is obvious enough that women must have
! hatpins give up the kind of hats they wear
hiit surely there is no reason why, the points
| OF the pins should not be covered. Men have
contrivances which they aix to the end OF
their scarfpins to hold them safely. similar
device would make of the ordinary hatpin a
/
| ly weapon in the hands OF the women so desir-
ing to use it.-Charleston News and Courier.
! More Stringent Law Needed
( The Washington campaign fund investigation
/ shows the need Of laws both limiting the
amount of contributions for primary election
campaigns and enforcing publicity with
regard to contributions to funds for that pur-
pose Present publicity laws where any exist
| apparently do not serve bring light all the
facts. There are SO many committees, national
State and local. that their finances as tam
gled as those of corporation with subsidiaries
The committee conducting the investigation
brought to light $4,000 which Boss Finn
OF Pittshurg did not feel called upon to make
public. And again Wednesday II discovered
$4,000 contributions of Perkins Munsev and
Hanna, the main hackers of the Bun Moose
which did not appear ia the report OF Treas
urer Hooker,
/ Chairman Dixon mad fund of sci. 600 which
Independent Of that III the treasurers
hands. Whenever | desperately hard up
| went back to Perkins, testified Senator
Dixon. Doubtless there were others who had
| Independent funds and who went back to Per-
kins' TO have them repIenished.
The public thus gets a glimpse Of a system
lends itself 10 Juggling of sums out OF sight
that is worthy of high finance at its highest
In fact, the slime Of high finance IL over the
whole business Let VIC have some laws that
VIII actually stop making the nom nation and
election IF president a miliionaires' game
New York TrihunA