Judge Alton Brooks Parker the ;;B
. Favorite of Democratic Party
For
the Nomination oT Presi-
at the National Con
vention,
A SKETCH OF HIS LIFE
...... - - , . - . , v
From the Plow Handle
On Up the Ladder He
Has Gone Until the
Highest Honor of His
Country Is In His
Grasp A History to
Be Proud Of; One
Above Reproach.
Altonj Brooks Parker was" born on a
farm in Cortland county, May 14, 1852.
His father, John Brooks Parker comes
of old English stock. iHIs great-grandfather,
John Parker, was born in 1751
at Worcester, Mass. He was a hard
working farmer. When the war for in
dependence broke put he left his plough
and served as a private under Washing
ton until the American republic was
established. Little is known of him
except that he was a man ofIuck and
independence and was greatly respected
by his neighbors. His son, John Parker
was an intelligent man highly educated
and public tpirited. In 1803 he came
to New Yrk state and bought a farm
at Cortland, the same farm which his
distinguished grandson owns and culti
vates today. He had a large famllyi
and when his health broke down the
burden fell heavily upon his son, John,
the father of Judge Parker. v ; -
On his mother's) side, Judge Parker
derives good New England blood. . His
white-haired mother who lives at Derby,
Conn., is a woman of refinement, educa
tion and strong character. V In the sum
mer time she spends theJudge'a vacation
with him at Esopus. She is a , meihber
of the Woman's Christian- .Temperance
Union. The (riant sits before bis moth
er while she solemnly lectures him on
temperance and being an abstemious
mau, alii nca uu iviuioca w w
Her constant aim is to warn him against
ambition. When the newspapers grow
toe loud in his "praise he is sure to get a
letter from his mother exhorting him
to be humble. -: i r . ..
Parker's Early Days.
"Alton Brooks Parker," says Mr.
Creelman, ''attended the village school
and worked on the farm. When 16
years old be taught school in a country
1.V1 -- 1 tirtiico anrl at fthlifthM? hisa.uth.Or-
- . - .
ity by thrashing tbe school bully. Then
he taught school at Binghampton.
Presently he was a teacber at Accord,
in Ulster county, at $3 a day. . fie in
tended to go to Cornell University, and
was saving money for that purpose,but
father's necessities drew from his slen
der income and his hopes of a Univer-
slty course failed. He'moved fo Kings
ton and entered the law office of Schoon
maker & Hardenbergh. Within a few
months he took a partner named jCen
yon and opened a law office at Kingston.
"For twelve months the young lawyer
practiced his profession in Kingston.
He had a good income and. won several
important cases. During that time he was
quite free from the control and influence
of large corporation.
"In 1877 he was elected surrogate of
Ulster county, and was afterward elect
ed for a second term That was his first
experience of public office, t
"His entrance into. politics was due
simply to his love for his old employer,
Judge Shoonmaker, who had been driv
en odt of politics. . He believed that the
judge had been wronged and set out, to
restore him to public favor. So earnest
was bte campaitf that he soon -became
a reccnized iKiticar.facin'; Ulster
county, being a fiVorlte of fife ilden
o A If . M.nrirff' Trt IRQS h WAS .' lu-
duced to become pairtpan 6f the dem--
ocratic state corajuiiiteer ana in uj
paign which he'r inaged, Mr. Hill ap
pointed him to a lat on the . Supreme
Court Bench wr-cr
Justice Westbrook
died.
arker was 33 years
Yik - ii n ani tnftusl v - nominated ior
the S) i tn tue acta ti by the 'democrats.
The iisf'tbiU-ai Would not nominate an
pponW. Itot'ijote was cast against
him. i IV Wvsn w the Supreme court
bench! tuti) hji election, as chief judge
of the or J I cl appeals, in 1897,, by
pluralitr af f boat 0,000 votes
years ; on - the
in
bench he has ignored politics. In 1890
and 1900 he voted foe Mr. Bryan, but it
was well understood that he was a sound
money man and merely accepted the
will of the majority in his party.
Parkor'a Personal Appears mcc.
Judge Parker is six feet tall and a
man of giant Jstrength .His shoulders
are broad and his chest deep. His mus
cles, developed by hard work on ..the
farm and by daily horseback riding are
the muscles of an athlete. He slopes
perfectly as a man should, from his
shoulders to his feet,and in spite of his
nearly fifty two years and his weight of
196 pounds, his step is as light as a boy's
and he can vault into the saddle with
ease. '-.
.His face is that of a country-bred
man, strong and full of color. The eyes
are large and of .an agreeable brown;
lion-like eyes, but the kindly expres
sion. One notices the eye,s first and
then the immense jaws and formidable
round chin. The lower part of the face
is heavy, but not brutal. It has a" power
line and outward thrust that suggests
tremendous will power. The mouth is
large and masculine, with a thick
lower lip. Tbe upper teeth arc big,
fiat and white; the lower teeth are
smaller. The course, tawny mustache
goes well with the brilliant brown eyes
and the reddish brown hair.
The judge's nose is acquiline. He
has high cheek bones, but' the charac
teristics is not marked. His high broad
forehead slopes back with a bump. It is
singularly symmetrical brow, showing
penetrating, ambition and energy. The
bloclc bead is not large, and is some-1
what straight, so that it does, not bal
ance with the great jaws and the fight
ing chin.
Nowhere in the face or head is there
a suggestion of craft. Nor is there,
anything sideways or sly In- the eyes.
They look at you straight. The prac
tical and logical dominate the imagina
tive qualities. Impulse is a slive to will.
The lack of wrinkles between eyebrows
and the smooth forehead indicate the
man who can concentrate hisvmind
withbut the great effort which contracts
the facial muscles, Judge Parker dress
es well and always in dark colors,, usu
ally grays." His ordinary attire is a cut
away of rough - gray cloth and gray
trousers. He wears a standing collar
and a simple black cravat held by a
small pearl. Few men are more deco
rouss or careful in their dress.
Parker aa a Farmer.
At the end of every week and during
the summer vacation Judge Parker is
to be found on his picturesque farm,
Rosemont, at Esopus, which overlooks
the Hudson river. He hasr three farms
in New, York state one of 150' acres at
Cortland, another of 150 acre3 at Ac:
cord and stills another of 90 acres at
Esopus. He manages these three farms
and makes them, on the' whole pay. H
is no dilettante stranger to the country,
playiug with agriculture as with a toy,
but a real farmer. . .
He was born on it and worked along
its furrows as a boy. -
However deep his mind is immersed
In the camplex problems of his great
o'fice, his heart is always in his farm;
for he was born a farmer and will be
one till he dies. This familiar and prac
tical knowledge of farming and farmers
Is of great value to the court in dealing
with agricultural cases. -
Here Judge Farker walks among his
bulls and cows in top- boots and pea
jacket, the incarnation of strength and
virility. He strides through the sor-
ehum and hay fields, visits the great
barn, tends the sick cow or fondles the
least calf and helps the men to clear up
thje leaves or stubble, r His cheeks glow.
his eyes shine, and he swings hisarms
like a boy, drinking in great draughts
of the pure air or whistling a merry
tune.'. . ; " :- ;
None of his eight farm hands knows
half as much as he about the ' trees, the
crops, the cattle; ; sheep," pigs, chick
ens turkeys, or ducks. Whether in the
uasture. barn or sty, he is the master of
all in knowledge, as well as in energy
tTa will olv hi ' iitchfork or put his
shoulder under a heavy weight with the.
best of them; and it is a good man who
can keen up with., him. He is modest
enoughysavcCwben he stands among-his
great red poll cattle, the pride of his
heart Then hd swells with conscious
comradeship, for they are like him
rl" tronuine. There is no
finer Tsiffht in that part" of the country
than Judge Parker in the middle of his
heard, calling to his great bulli' and
laughing as they come to him. ." '
Themis a large silo and a cold storage
house, built on the judge's 'plans. In
the storage, house are apples, pears,
cider and all manner of good ' things .to
eat, mostly the products df " Rosemont,
Thrift, orderliness and energetic 'tnan:
agement are everywhere in evidence :
Expects Great Things of Him.V
... . '-. - i-
Rev. A. R. Love of Hendersonville,
will fill the pulpit of the First Baptist
church tomorrow at both the morning
and evening services. Mr. Love is one
of the rising young ministers In the
Southern Baptist church, and he will
rno doubt be heard by large audiences
at both services. He is a forceful' and
eloquent speaker and a hard student,
and those .who have heard him expect
great things of him bafore his career
has ended. Gazette-News.
JUDGE ALTON B. PARKER, WHO MAY BE THE NEXT DEMO
CRATIC NOMINEE FOR THE PRESIDENCY.
FROM THE
ii
Mr. Gudger is Not Alarmed
Good Words for Parker.
ConjrrMsman Gudeer's friends ati
Hendersonville telegraphed him' to
night of Judge ; E wart's
,nomination.
Mr, Gudger declined
to discuss the
subject foipublication, Inasmuch as he
i3 not yet the formally nominated can
didate of his own party, but it was
plainly to be seen that he does not
view the outlook with" alarm." Mr.
Gudger's friends say there are scores of
Republicans, especially in Asheville
and thereabouts, who will not enthuse
overjthis choice of the party leaders,
GmIWHiFm Parker. : "
One sometimes hears: the remark
here, where politics is at all times up
permost in the public mind, that Judge
Parker has no place whatsoever in the
affections of the people, and ' that hU
candidacy was brought into being
through the efforts of , the professional
politicians for the purpose of check
mating the Hearst propaganda. Some
facts which have come to the attention
of the writer serve to refute this state-
ment.'-fA year or more ago, before the
aspirations "of Mr. Hearst had been
brought to the attention of the country,
Representative Kluttz, in'an . interview
in The Washington Post, declared that
Judge Parker was Hhe most available
man the party could name. A- demo
crat whd'eonstantly keeps his finger on
the party pulse recently told the . writer
that he had told members of the Georgia
delegation three years ago that Judge
Parker's "ability and general fitness
should commend him to the party when
seeking a presidential candidate. A
Republican aV all times in the" counsel
of President Roosevelt said a few jdays
ago that the President had for the past
vear believed that Judge Parker would
be his opponent. This Republican also
denied the statement, likewise made on
Republican authority; that -the Presi
dent regarded Judge Parker as an
OAPTOL'8
DOME
Plucky Japanese Sustain ; Heavy
. Loss While. Making
especially strong candidate. : It is stated
.that Texas Democrats and other South;
erners had taken kindly to his candidacy
because of certain decisions of the New
YorkjuVUt'unfavorabe- to the com
Wnatlpbf capital. All the decisions
will of course be aired during the cam
paign, and. Republicans , profess to be
lieve that when the" "plutocrats" ex
a mine a little more closely, in to Judge
UParker's - record thev will not be in
clined to give him aid and comfort
thaatney would extend i to the Presi
dent. Friends of Judge' Parker baye
been derelict in one respect. .They have
had printed but -a very few buttons, a
heceesaryadjunct in any-well regulated
campaignTMr. Kluttz has received a
request for a button, bearing the like
ness of the New York jurist from a
McDowell , county man, and to complyl
therewith had to ) beg or borrow pne
from a New York member. Apparently
the small edition of buttons has been
kept in New York. Washington Cor.
Charlotte Observer.
TEXT OF THE PLATFORM
As It Was Adopted at the
Convention in New York.
The Democrats of New
York in re
newing their pledge of fidelity to the
essential principles of Jeffersonian de
mocracy as" repeatedly enunciated in
our national and state platforms, majce
thesexfurther declarations upon the na
tional issues of the hour, reserving an
expession upon state issues until the
fail convention, when state candidates
are to be nominated. . v -
1. This is a government of : laws,
not of men; one law for presidents,
cabinets 'and people;, no usurpation;
no executive encroachment upon the
legislative or judicial department. .
2. vWe must keep inviolate" the
pledges of our treaties; we must Tenew
and reinvicrorate within ourselves
that respect for law and that love of
liberty and of peace which the spirit
of a military domination lends inevit
ably to weaken and destroy.
3. Unsteady national policies ana a
restless spirit of adventure engender
alarms that check; our commercial
crowth: let us have peace to the end
that business confidence may be re
stored and that our people may again
In tranauilitv eniov the ffains of their
w a : v . w -
toil. :;a;:.K:v.
; 4. . Corporations chartered y the
state must be subject' to just regula
tion by the state in the interest of the
people; taxation for 'public purposes
nnlvvno ffOve iament partnership with
protected mot , polies. : . o , ; ;
Opposing!' to- " trusts and combi
nations that oppress " the people and
stlfla healthy industrial competition
.- . A check upon- extravagance in
nubile expenditures: - that "the burden
of the people's taxes may be lightened
"17. Reasonable revisions of the tariff;
newness dues upon important raw
materials weigh heavily upon the .man
ufacturer, are a menace to the Amer
ican wage earner and by increasing the
cost- of production bhut out our , prc
Reported That Japanese Lost
I 7000 Men :eilt
River on. 23rd. -
ducts from the foreign markets. .
8. The maintenance of . state rights
-and home rule, no centralization. -
9 Honesty in the -public service;
yigilance in the prevention of fraud,
firmness in the punishment of guilt
when detected. : '
10. The impartial maintenance of
the rights of labor of capital; no un
equal discrimination; no abuse of the
powers of law for favoritism or op
pression. - -
.Th3 Democracy of New York favor
the nomination' of that destinguished
Democratic and eminent jurist of our
state, Alton Brooks Parker; and the
delegates selected by this .convention
are hereby instructed to present and
support such nomination at the ap
proaching national convention.1 ;.v'
- That the said delegates are hereby
further instructed to act and vote as
a unit in all matters pertaining to said
convention in accordance . with the will
of the majority of the said delegates,
and the said delegates are further au
thorized to fill any vacancies which
mav arise from any cause ki said -delegation,
in case of the absence of both
the delegate and alternate.
the -Mcdowell democrats.
.Support Gudger and Davidson.
Marion, N. C. , April 25. The Mc
Dowell county convention called for
the purpose Of selecting delegates to
state and congressional conventions,
was held to day. The convention was
welf attended, every , township being
represented by leaders of; Democracy,
who were .11 enthusiastic and united
in the opinion that McDowell would
swing back- into the Democratic col
umn in the November election.
Congressman Guder received 39 1-8
votes out of a total of 47 cast in the
convention. His endorsement in- this
county is regarded" by his friends as
an index of the sentiment .Jor his re-
nomination throughout the district. -
Judge Justice was unanimously en
dorsed for associate justice of the J5u-
preme court.
uen. uav.-dson carriea tne county for
governor by a good majority however,
Glenn, Steadmah and Turner had. fol
lowing. . - v-
This being tbe hret Democratic -con-
vention.beld in the Tenth Congression
al District, all are pleased with the
harmony which existed, and expect a
great Democratic victory this .fall;
ROBERTS FO rT VICE-PRESIDENT
5
General W. P. Roberts, of Gates-
ville, N. C. Spoken Of.:
Suffolk, Va., April 22 A movement
today was started looking to the norai
nation for vice president on the Demo
cratic ticket of General W. P. Roberts,
of Gatesville, N. C, who was the young'
est general in. the Confederate army.
It is contended that this nomination
would be in. harmony with thea fre
quently expressed sentiment" against
the Sou thi policy of self effacement.
General" Roberts was formerly audi
tor of North Carolina and under Cleve
land's second administration, ; was. con
8ul to Victoria, B. C. -.
J U D G E C HAS. SIMONTO N D EAD.
Distinguished Jurist Passes Away
in Philadelphia Hospital.
PHILADELPHIA, April. 25,-r-Judge
Chas. Sfmonton, of South Carolina, died
here fin a hospital today. He came ' to
receive treatment forbrain troubled but
grew steadily worse till; death came.
With JudgVGoff, of West Virginia,, he
composed the - federal bench - of the
fourthjdistrict,r.which includes-Maryland;
West Virginia, North and South
Carolina
Hobson May Be DeJegate to Demo
. : cratic : Convention. ' : ' v
; Birmingham Ala;, April W.-Thougb
defeated for the Congressional nomination
from" tbe sixtn district by Congressman
John H. Bankhead in the recent primaries;
Cap. Hobson will not lose his identity
with Alabama politics. V- '-;:r,-r; - .-v.
TfThe people ofhis district propose to
send him as delegate to the national con
ventioo at St. Louis and two years hence
it if said that he will be a candidate again
fnr the congressional honors. Meantime
he wiU return to the lecture platform;
A Landirig
IS HOT CONFIRMED
i . . ""B .. ..
By Later Reports A
Fierce Battle Is' Re
ported Between Op
posing Forces For the
Control of Railroad
in Rear of Pt. Arthur
-Japanese Move on
Port Arthur. v:
St. Petersburg, ; April 23.--5:18 p. m.
A rumor is current in this city that the
Japanese sustained a heavy loss while at
tempting a landing near the mouth of the
Yclu river. According to the report, which
is said to be bascdupon a private telegram
ironi fort Artliur, the Japanese lost 7,000
men. Tne story ts not confirmed at this
hour and it is discredited in quarters where
the. Associated Press correspondent made '
inquiries, but an absolute .official statement
haaiidt yet been obtained. .
Nthiag Dcfiait.
Paris - April . 23.i:20 p.ro.InfoTm
ation reaching the hijrhest anarters here
tends to '"confirm Ihe report that a rather
serious engagement has occurred on tha
Yalu river, involving. a reverse to a Japa-
n esC colums, .. but the Intomiation lacks '
po8itivencss and the details therefore are'
rf ven nrifler rurvp - lthnnK nroAitaA In '
O -1 va vv.vw 1U
influential quarters. It is said.thia is not
the iiunor operatipn , mentioned iaJTlceroy
AlexiefPs report of April 22.
: . Sunday In The War. r
A'loue the Yalu Japanese -lines ' extend
f"r ihirty miles. The. Russians rare: forti
fying, the Mftnchur.au. sidaof, the river.
Tie Hill is again thekey tothe sftotttion. '
In the. belief :V of Jihe ' Russian's general '
staff the. Japanese - .wilt not attempt to in
vade the Mftnohurian interior. Rniflmlwr.
irjg Nepoleon. ( ; ' . ; '
St; Petersburg, Apnl 25r-6;30, p. m
The Associated Press is enabled to announce'
authoritatively that the talk" of " mediation "
in the Russo-Japanese war Avas founded
upon "the personal "desires of King 'Edward
and King Christian, or Demark, to - avoid
further bloodshed and end the conflict, but
that the steps initiated have utterly failed.
The emperor, with" the full concurrence of
uic jujicrmi laiuujr . mm- uia auvisuru,' jias
finally decided, not only , to Reject: all pro
posals looking to intervention ,Jtut to proae-
cute the war. with all the resources of the
empire until victory crdwns Russian arms.
. ' . . Jap Merchantman Sunk.
Tokio, April 25.-6 p. m'.The Russian '
Vladivostok squadron, after a long penod
UL lUIU-llf IbJ) OUUUVU1J ttyut VU; VII. uwuiwu -
on the east coast of Korea, this morning
and sank' the Gayo Maru," a Japanese mer
chant steamer of C00 tons. ,
Work of Torpedo Boats. .
London, April 25.-5:15 p. m. The'
Japanese legation today gave out the-'fbl-lowing
dispatch, received today from Tokio:
"The Japanese counsel at Won . Ban
(Gersan ) "reports under todayjs date that
two "Russian torpedo boats entered that
port and sank a small Japanese V steamer,
tVio fln'vn Mum TTpr crmsa trinnam waa
600 and she was built In 1884. The Rus
iftns immediatelv left. n - " , i4 ."
Japs Have Not CroMcdYafii. -
... St. Petersburg, April 25. Major General
Pflung, in a telegram : from iPor't ArthuV,
formally denies the reports that the Japan
ese have 'crossed the jYalu river. :;
FrMiy w 1 Hem.,,. (
; It Is .reported that the Japanese .have
bombarded Niuchwariw and that a large
force i has been .'-landed which Will act in
concert with the troops landed, at: the u
mouth of the Yalu. - , ' .'" .
The Japanese forces in Korea are how
ready to move, and will, H is Dellevea,
make a dash, for the Yalu from three dis-,
tinct points in a few days.
; An . official- telegram received at St.
Petersburg states tnat tne .. japanese-are
centered int force about Wiju. A small.
Russian detachment was engaged, but suc
ceeded in crossing ' the v Yalu,. having 4wo.
killed and fifteen woundedr "
Lives of British and Americans are - said ;
to bein great danger throughout Manchuria,
where the bitterest feelings aie held against
all foreigners. e - ? - i-?-.r4 ! .-.
. The Russian government has , provided,'
m . 1 AlC AAA AAA ha(Jm
Continued on page 4.
"Dil
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