Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-01-19
The Democratic Plan.


Under the above caption, an able
writer in metropolitan journal of re-
cent date, says:
when Mr.. Jefferson came 10 the
Presidency, in 1901, the country had
undergone process of consolidation,
liberal constitutional construction, and
consequent extravaganza, looking to.
ward monarchy, not unlike that which
it has undergone since the accession Of
Grant. The Republicans, however, Of
this day have bettered the instruction
of the old Federalists. Steam, cleo
tricity, and other modern instrument
talities being placed iu the hands of
the monopolists, controlling sums Of
capital undreamed of half n century
ago, the power of the Federalist, I'm.
perial or 'Monocratic' party, as Jefier-
son designated it, is infinitely greater
now than then.
But when Mr.. Jefferson put his
hands to the work, after long period
of misrule, the task of reform was per-
fectly simple, because the principles
upon which it was TO proceed were SIM
pie. Mr.. Parton clucidatcs the whole
theme in this brief passage The sim
plicity Of his political system was such
that he could give Il complete state
ment Of it in few lines and it was
so sound that the General Government,
from 1889 to 1873, has worked well so
far as it has coniormed to it, and
worked i'll as often rs it has departed
from it. Jefferson was so right that
every honest, patriotic man who has
since gone to Washington after hav'
ing learned his rudiments from Jeiier.
son, and has had strength enough to
vote up to the height of his convictions,
has made n very respectable public
career, no matter how ordinary his en-
dowments; while every public man
who has not accepted this simple clue
to the labyrinth of public business has
made n career which time and events
will condemn, though he may have had
the talents of Webster or Clay.
This is the JeiIersonian system in brief:
Let the General Government be re-
duced to foreign concerns only, and let
our affairs be disentangled from those
OF all other nations, except rs 10 COM
merce, which the merchants will man
age the better the more they are left
free to manage for themselves aud our
General Government may be reduced
to very simple organization and a
very inexpensive one; few plain duties
to be performed by n few servants
"This plan did indeed work TO ad-
miration-to the admiration of all
mankind. In twelve years Of Demo.
cratic administration the relatively
enormous debt was reduced from $685..
100000 to $4,000, 900, notwithstand-
ing the Louisiana purchase for s15,-
100000 and the doubling of the terri
tory of the nation. And this was done
not by increasing the number or
amount of taxes. but by wise and fru-
gal administration, beginning in the
removal of every needless tax con.
sumer in the person Of every super
numerary ofiiceholder. Jefferson lop.
ped off the excise on stills and domestic
distilled spirits, on refined sugar. on
licenses to retailers, duties on carriages
and stamps, and with these taxes were
swept away three-fourths of the beef.
eating ofiiceholders. II will be OBJ
served that Jefferson, Madison and
Gallatin struck first at those taxes
which brought the Federal power most
Immediately into contact with the peo.
pie in their homes and business. There
were no administrative scandals in
those days; no complaints Of an army
of pampered placemen using their
money and official influence to over
bear the people in elections. The bust.
ness of the general Government was
reduced to the proper objects expressly
enumerated in the Constitution, few
servants transacted 1t honestly prompt
ly and eheaply. They had no time,
if plain Democrats could have had
the inclination. to cOncoct third term
or other plots designed to make their
power permanent. We commend this
simple system of Thomas Jefferson TO
the reform associations Of every kind"
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