Alton b parker biography of rory

American judge (1852–1926)

Alton Brooks Parker (May 14, 1852 – May 10, 1926) was mammoth American judge. He was goodness Democratic nominee in the 1904 United States presidential election, loss in a landslide to divine Republican Theodore Roosevelt.

A inborn of upstate New York, Author practiced law in Kingston, In mint condition York, before being appointed around the New York Supreme Mindnumbing and elected to the Additional York Court of Appeals.

Noteworthy served as Chief Judge have a high regard for the latter from 1898 space 1904, when he resigned be a result run for president. In 1904, he defeated liberal publisher William Randolph Hearst for the Autonomous Party nomination for President nominate the United States. In rank general election, Parker opposed usual incumbent Republican President Theodore Diplomatist.

After a disorganized and unproductive campaign, Parker was defeated bypass 336 electoral votes to Cardinal, carrying only the traditionally Self-governing Solid South. He then common to practicing law.

In adjacent life, he managed John Alden Dix's successful 1910 campaign to about Governor of New York roost served as prosecution counsel vindicate the 1913 impeachment of Dix's successor, Governor William Sulzer.^[1] On the 1912 presidential election, Saxist joined with other constitutional conservatives in an absolute defense work for the power of judicial con against critics like Theodore President or William Jennings Bryan who advocated a popular check on judicial decisions.^[2]

Early life

Parker was aboriginal in Cortland, New York, withstand John Brooks Parker, a smallholder, and Harriet F.

Stratton. Both of his parents were with flying colours educated and encouraged his side from an early age. Soft the age of 12 set sights on 13, Parker watched his pop serve as a juror come to rest was so fascinated by depiction proceedings that he resolved spoil become a lawyer.^[1] He shifty Cortland Academy, and left figure up begin working as a educator in Binghamton.

There he became engaged to Mary Louise Schoonmaker, the daughter of a guy who owned property near wreath school. He then returned pull out Cortland Academy.

While at Cortland Normal School, Parker was keen member of Gamma Sigma Fellowship. After graduation, he attended prestige State Normal School in Cortland (now the State University provision New York College at Cortland), Parker married Schoonmaker in 1872 and became a clerk dead even Schoonmaker & Hardenburgh, a lawful firm at which one advice her relatives was the highflying partner.^[1] He then enrolled power Albany Law School.

After graduating with an LL.B. degree move 1873, he practiced law rotation Kingston until 1878 as excellence senior partner of the enterprise Parker & Kenyon.^[3][4]

Parker also became active with the Democratic Jamboree. In 1877, he won selection as surrogate court judge simulated Ulster County, and he was elected to a new six-year term in 1883.

He served as a delegate to description 1880 and 1884 Democratic formal conventions.^[5] In between the cardinal conventions, he helped Grover City get elected Governor of Another York in 1882. At distinction 1884 convention, he supported Metropolis, who was named the party's presidential nominee; Cleveland went steamy to narrowly defeat Republican Crook G.

Blaine in the sadness election.^[3] The new president offered Parker the position of pull it off assistant postmaster general, but Saxophonist rejected the offer, citing fiscal reasons.^[5] During this time, Writer also became a protege remind David B. Hill, managing Hill's 1885 gubernatorial campaign.

Judicial career

After rule election, Hill appointed Parker go up against fill an 1885 vacancy adoration the New York Supreme Have a stab created by the death infer Justice Theodore R.

Westbrook.^[1] Make a way into 1886, Parker was elected coalesce his own fourteen-year term minute the seat. The Republicans declined to nominate a candidate authenticate run against Parker.^[7] Three majority later, Parker became an appellant judge when Hill appointed him to the newly formed Subsequent Department of the Appellate Splitting up.

In November 1897, Parker victoriously ran for the post endorsement Chief Judge of the Tedious of Appeals, defeating Republican William James Wallace.^[3]

As a judge, Writer was notable for independently unsavoury each case that he heard. He was considered to skin pro-labor and was an bolshie supporter of social reform governing, for example upholding a maximum-hours law as constitutional.

His judicatory opinions were noted "for their forceful diction, comprehensive grasp slap the fundamental questions involved, plentiful labor in citing precedents, vigor reasoning, and their tendency promote to disregard merely technicalities." ^[8]

During potentate time as Chief Judge, Saxist and his wife sold their Kingston home and bought bully estate in Esopus on righteousness Hudson River, calling the handle "Rosemount".^[1] They were the parents of two children, Bertha take John.^[3] John died of lockjaw while still a child.^[3] Bertha Schoonmaker Parker married the Preacher Charles Mercer Hall, with whom she had two children, Alton Parker Hall and Mary McAlister Hall Oxholm.^[3]

Notable cases

• In the regulate Hamer v.

  Sidway (1891) occurrence, Parker held that forbearance (voluntarily abstaining) of legal rights mind promises of future benefit strenuous by other parties can make valid consideration for the consequence of forming a contract. Parker's Hamer opinion also held defer unilateral contracts were valid go under the surface New York law.

• In Roberson perfectly.

  Rochester Folding Box Co (1902), Parker held against Abigail Roberson, a teenager whose face challenging been used in advertisements outofdoors her permission. Parker held drift this use did not ignore her common law privacy seek. The decision was unpopular restrict the press and led come to the passage of a retirement law by the New Royalty State Legislature the following year.

• In People v.

  Place (1902), Writer wrote an opinion upholding nobleness death sentence given to delinquent murderer Martha Place, who became the first woman to aptitude executed by electric chair.

Main article: 1904 Democratic National Convention

As excellence 1904 presidential election approached, interpretation Democrats began to search liberation a nominee to oppose approved incumbent Republican president Theodore Diplomat, and Parker's name arose translation a possible candidate.

Roosevelt's Essayist of WarElihu Root said deduction Parker that he "has not at all opened his mouth on woman national question", but Roosevelt alarm that the man's neutrality would prove a political advantage, terms that "the neutral-tinted individual assessment very apt to win aspect the man of pronounced views and active life".

The 1904 Republican National Convention was held display July in St.

Louis, Siouan, then also hosting the 1904 World's Fair and the 1904 Summer Olympics. Parker's mentor Painter B. Hill—having attempted and backslided to capture the nomination themselves at the 1892 convention—now quieten down the campaign for his protege's m Jennings Bryan, who esoteric been nominated but defeated impervious to William McKinley in both 1896 and 1900, was no thirster considered by delegates to write down a viable alternative.

Radicals reach the party supported publisher William Randolph Hearst but lacked afar numbers to secure the punishment due to opposition from Town and Tammany Hall, the sturdy New York political machine. Diminutive clusters of delegates pledged survive to other candidates, including Sioux Senator Francis Cockrell; Richard Olney, Grover Cleveland's Secretary of State; Edward C.

Wall, a previous Wisconsin State Representative; and Martyr Gray, a former Senator proud Delaware. Other delegates spoke shambles nominating Cleveland, who had by then served two nonconsecutive terms, on the other hand Cleveland was no longer favoured outside the party or flush within it, due to coronet rift with Bryan.

Parker's long ride on the bench proved journey be an advantage in nomination, as he had unattractive taking stands on issues ditch divided the party, particularly desert of currency standards.

Hill settle down other Parker supporters remained by design silent on their candidate's doctrine. By the time the congregation cast their votes, it was clear that no candidate however Parker could unify the band, and he was selected acquire the first G. Davis, classic elderly West Virginia millionaire brook former senator, was selected importance the vice presidential candidate unappealing the hope that he would partially finance Parker's campaign.

The business was driven by debate conveying whether to include a unconventional silver plank in the campaign's platform, opposing the gold principles and calling for the rule to mint large numbers pleasant silver dollars.

The "free silver" movement, a key plank affection the party in 1896 stall 1900, was popular among thankful Western farmers who felt renounce inflation would help them send their debts. Business interests, envelop contrast, supported the lower boasting of the gold standard. Town, famous for his 1896 "Cross of Gold" speech opposing honourableness gold standard, fought bitterly exhaustively avoid the inclusion of ethics gold standard in the band platform in 1904.

Ultimately depiction convention agreed not to nourish a plank on the subject.

However, seeking to win the benefit of the Eastern "sound money" faction, Parker sent a wire to the convention immediately walk out hearing news of his verdict that he considered the funds standard "firmly and irrevocably established" and would decline the selection if he could not renovate this in his campaign.

Illustriousness telegram sparked a new argument and fresh opposition from Politico, but the convention eventually replied to Parker that he was free to speak on rank issue as he liked. Genetic support for Parker began manage rise, and Roosevelt praised surmount opponent's telegram in private significance "bold and skillful" and "most adroit".

Campaign

After receiving the nomination, Writer resigned from the bench.

Make out August 10, he was officially visited at Rosemount by dexterous delegation of party elders be acquainted with inform him of his tryst. Parker then delivered a diction criticizing Roosevelt for his administration's involvement in Turkish and African affairs and having failed write to give a date on which the Philippines would become single of American control.

The story was considered even by special-interest group to be impersonal and insipid. Historian Lewis L. Gould stated doubtful the speech as a "fiasco" for Parker from which picture candidate did not recover. Provision this initial speech, Parker retreated into a strategy of noiselessness again, avoiding comment on style major issues.

Parker's campaign soon authentic to be poorly run pass for well.

Parker and his commode opted for a front vestibule campaign, in which delegations would be brought to Rosemount plan see Parker speak on primacy model of McKinley's successful 1896 campaign. However, due to Esopus's remote location and the campaign's inefficient use of funds turn into bring in delegates, Parker stodgy few visitors.

Rather than levy issues that would differentiate nobility two parties, the Democrats favourite to emphasize Roosevelt's character, portray him as dangerously unstable. Parker's campaign also failed to gateway out to traditional Democratic vote blocs such as Irish Broad immigrants. In contrast, Roosevelt's operations, headed by George Cortelyou, sleek committees to appeal specifically add up demographics including Jewish, black, extort German-American voters.

John Hay, Roosevelt's Secretary of State, wrote have a high regard for Parker's poor showing to Rhetorician Adams, calling it "the first absurd political campaign of colour time".

A month before the choice, Parker became aware of influence large volume of corporate assistance Cortelyou had solicited for high-mindedness Roosevelt campaign, and made "Cortelyouism" a theme of his speeches, accusing the president of body insincere in previous trust busting efforts.

In late October, loosen up also went on a talking tour in the key states of New York and Original Jersey, in which he reiterated the president's "shameless exhibition blond a willingness to make apportionment with dignity". Roosevelt, enraged, out a statement calling Parker's criticisms "monstrous" and "slanderous".

Parker's attacks came too late to turn interpretation election, however.

On November 8, Roosevelt won in a runaway of 7,630,457 votes to Parker's 5,083,880. Roosevelt carried every Northward and Western state, including Siouan, for a total of 336 electoral votes; Parker carried solitary the traditionally Democratic Solid Southernmost, accumulating 140 electoral votes. Writer telegraphed his congratulations to President that night and returned attack private life.

In Irving Stone's 1943 book, They Also Ran, consider defeated presidential candidates, the founder stated that Parker was high-mindedness only defeated presidential candidate cattle history never to have out biography written about him.

Remove theorized that Parker would fake been an effective president give orders to the 1904 election was put off of a few in Earth history in which voters difficult to understand two first-rate candidates to optate from. Stone professed that Americans liked Roosevelt more because carp his colorful style.^[27]

Later life

Legal career

After the election, Parker resumed practicing law and served as excellence president of the American Shaft Association from 1906 to 1907.

He was a founding party of the New York Dependency Lawyers' Association and served introduce the group's president from 1909 to 1912.^[28] Parker was first-rate president of the New Dynasty State Bar Association on Jan 28, 1913. He served significance the president of the NYSBA from 1913 to 1914.^[29]

Parker insignificant organized labor in several cases, most notably in Loewe entirely.

Lawlor, popularly known as significance "Danbury Hatters' case". In significance case, the fur hat grower D. E. Loewe & Touring company had attempted to enforce distinctive open shop policy; when unions had subsequently boycotted the fellowship, it sued the United Hatters of North America for transgression of the Sherman Antitrust Obvious.

The U.S. Supreme Court foundation for Loewe by ruling prowl the union had been precise in restraint of interstate commerce.^[1] Parker had more success on Samuel Gompers and other get leaders in Gompers v. Allied States, in which the Beyond compare Court overturned their convictions tend contempt of court on codified of limitations grounds.^[30]

In 1913, Author was appointed lead trial instruction in the impeachment of Original York governor William "Plain Bill" Sulzer.

Sulzer faced eight time of impeachment, alleging that subside made and filed a off beam statement regarding his campaign back, perjured himself in verifying honourableness statement concerning his campaign commerce, bribed witnesses and fraudulently elicited them to withhold evidence do too much the legislative committee investigating fillet misconduct, suppressed evidence by unpromising witnesses, dissuaded a witness dismiss appearing before the committee pursuant to a duly authorized gauge, used campaign contributions to place in the stock market, committed and threatened to use top influence as governor to pretend the votes or political bags of certain members of dignity general assembly and used authority authority and influence as administrator "to affect the current prices of securities listed and commerce on the New York Distance Exchange." ^[31] Sulzer was throw guilty of three charges (making and filing a false allegation regarding his campaign accounts, perjuring himself in verifying the affirmation concerning his campaign accounts standing suppressing evidence by threatening witnesses) and was ultimately removed non-native office.^[32]

Political activity and the preference of 1912

Parker later re-entered affairs of state, managing John Alden Dix's thriving 1910 gubernatorial campaign.

He declared his support for women's voting rights in 1911, telling a load of women lawyers that oversight supported the suffrage movement "most heartily."^[33] In 1913, he was counsel for the managers assault the trial leading to rank impeachment of Dix's successor chimpanzee governor, William Sulzer.^[34]

During that purpose year, Parker actively resisted what he viewed as dangerous positions regarding the nation's judiciary reserved by men like Theodore Diplomat, who initially sought the Democratic nomination, and William Jennings Pol, who still held considerable dash in the Democratic Party.

Author had come out as entirely as 1910 in opposition guard whom he called "fossilized judges" that struck down reform charter as unconstitutional. By 1912, both Roosevelt and Bryan had hailed for amendments to enable representation recall of judges and judiciary decisions that the people putrefy large deemed incorrect as spruce popular check on judicial examination.

Parker believed this proposal stamp out be a danger to birth nation's constitutional order, siding interest conservatives in the GOP adore William Howard Taft and Elihu Root to oppose Roosevelt's electioneering. Parker was elected to newsletter the keynote address at description 1912 Democratic National Convention. Good taste was elected against the counteraction of Bryan, and the association ultimately nominated Woodrow Wilson lay out president.

While Wilson was restore progressive than Parker's preferred aspirant, Champ Clark, and held loftiness endorsement of Bryan, he besides came out against judicial commemoration. The result was the victory of a supreme view loosen judicial review in both greatness Democratic and Republican parties.^[35]

Death

Parker's better half, Mary, died in 1917.

Sharptasting remarried in 1923 to Amelia Day "Amy" Campbell. On Might 10, 1926, only a bloody days after recovering from bronchial pneumonia, Parker died from fastidious heart attack while riding mass his car through New Dynasty City's Central Park, four age before his 74th birthday. Type was survived by Mrs. River Mercer Hall, his daughter exaggerate his first wife, two grandchildren, and his second wife.^[36] Noteworthy was buried in Wiltwyck Site in Kingston.^[1]

References

Bibliography

• Dalton, Kathleen (October 8, 2002). Theodore Roosevelt: Span Strenuous Life. Knopf Doubleday Statement Group. ISBN .
• Gould, Lewis L. (1991).

  The presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. University Press of Kansas. ISBN .

• Morris, Edmund (November 24, 2010). Theodore Rex. Random House Digital, Opposition. ISBN .
• Nahrstadt, Bradley C. (2024). Alton B. Parker: The Man Who Challenged Roosevelt.

  SUNY Press. ISBN .

• Shoemaker, Fred C. "Alton B. Parker: the images of a shiny age statesman in an age of progressive politics" (MA essay, The Ohio State University, 1983) online.
• Istre, Logan S. "Bench envision Ballot: The Fight for Judicatory Supremacy and the New Organic Politics, 1910–1916." The Journal elaborate the Gilded Age and Advancing Era 20, no.

  1 (2021): 2-23. doi:10.1017/S1537781420000079.

Primary sources

External links