The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-28
JEFFERSON WRONGED.
Re DOES NOT UPHOLD MR.. WAT
SONS CLAIMS.


Jefferson Wrongsd by Mr.. Watson.
From the AugLstd Chronicle.
II is impossible for the masses Of the peo-
pIe to reason out, each for himself, the
principles of science or to establish by per-
sonal examination the truth or falslty Of
many alleged facts in the various depart
ments of knowledge If all the people had
the special training necessary for such
work, they would not have the leisure or
opportunity. Hence it is that in almost
every field OF thought some great mans
name carries with 1t such weight of
authority that we accept his opinions with
out questioning.
No age has ever subjected previously &C.
knowledged truths to such rigid, independ-
ent and original investigation as ours. But
the authority Of leading minds on special
subjects still holds sway, and will continue
to do SO as long as the virtue of humility is
accepted as a component part Of human
wisdom.
No name in American history is invested
IN the public mind with higher authority in
ell matters pertaining TO the principal OF
free governmeu 1t than that of Thomas Jeffer-
son This author titive infiue ce Of 9 name
is capable of great good or great evil ao-
cording as it is used riRhtfully or wrong
fully.
Mr.. Watson, in trying to bolster up
several OF the essential planks of the Peo-
ple's party platform, is doing q great in
Justice to the memory OF Mr.. Jefferson.
Win not Mr., Watson himself thank me for
noiuting out the errors into which he has
fallen, perhaps. inadv ertentlyG His e1n
position is too conspicuously, his own in
fuence too strong for him to be willing to
use dead statesman's great name to pro-
hioh
that statesman never taught. I make three
specifications OF error:
/ Mr. Watson holds out the Peoples
marty platform as the essence of Jeffersonian
principles. few years ago he was simply
a "democrat" Then he proclaimed him.
sell "Jeffersonian democrat" In recent
speech, as reported IN a paper Of his own
party, he styles himself simply a ''Jeffer-
sonlGn." Mark these successive stages of
evolution!
Every student Of political history knows
that jefferson was the great apostle of state
rights and indtvidualism, and the most
conspicuous enemy in his time Of national
Capitalization and needless interference by
government with personal freedom. ! will
not lengthen out this article by going into
detail proof of that statement. Mr.. Watson
will not deny IL.
Now, the Peoples party platform declares
that land is the heritage OF all the people"
whatever that may mean, with no limita-
ton even to the states. It also declares
that the sub-treasury system should be
adopted and postal savings banks estab-
llshed by the national government, thus
giving it not only absolute control OF the
finances of the Doople of the states but Great
lug hundreds of thousands of national office
holders 1t also declares that all the rail-
roads, telegraphs, telephones, etc, should
leowned mark you not by the states by
the national government, thus again reS
gpfri y,rrh ,,, Aa - 81
Office holders and oblIterating still further
3 tae boundary lines Of the states.
In truth, the Peoples party platform Is
tle most open declaration yet made in this
country in favor Of centralized government.
In this respect, at least, il is diameUri-
n Cally opposed to what jefferson held most
n vital to the liberty of the states and the peo-
f, pie.
Whether we really need stronger CEN
traliZed government or not, is not now I'M
der discussion. | simply maintain that
Mr.. Jefferson did not think so. In that
4 opinion the Peoples party, whistler right
or wrong, is not in harmony with him.
3. AS to the true meaning Of the decIara-
ton in the Peoples party platform that the
'land, including all the natural sources of
wealth, Is the heritage of all the people,
there seems TO be a curious difference Of
opinion among the leaders of that party.
Gen. Field, candidate for Vice President.
said in discussing this plank in recent
speech in Atlanta: 81 want to see the day
come when the land will belong TO the peo-
pie" If this plank does not mean that pri-
vste ownership Of land is to be abolished
and merged into the people as body. then
1t means nothing.
Mr. Watson, in his speech at Crawford
vile aud sewhere, referred to Mr. Jeffer-
son as authority for the sounduess of the
land plank of the platform. Here is what
lr. Jefferson wrote, and on which Mr.
watson relies: The soil is the gift Of God
70 the living as much as IL had been to the
deceased generation" How strange that
Mr.. Watson could have mIsundersuo d this
language! 1t occurs in the course Of an ar
Eunent by Mr.. Jefferson to prove ''that IL
4 10 wise rule never TO borrow dollar with
n cut laying tax in the same instant for
paying the interest annually and the prnc-
Il pal within a given term, and to consider
Il CIe TAX pledged TO the creditors 90 the pub
q lie faith"
In the same connection Mr.. jefferson pro-
4 ceeled to argue that no generation has a
IlSnV 10 burden succeeding generation
WIN debt, and makes use of Buffon's sta
tlstlcs to show that no public obligation for
nlo'ey ought TO run longer than nine cen
81 Sears' because, he argued, that was about
tne average life of Il generation of people
over Il years Of age. He was always in
favor OF paying as he went. aud be ha ed a
puolIc debt. The notion of aboiishing
private ownership of land was never even
remotely entertained BY him.
4he gap between Mr.. Jeffersou's state
ineLt that the soil is the gift OF God to tne
n'lhg generation as much as it had been TO
Tue deceased generation who, of course,
nold 1t by private ownership)-the chasm
iawhlng between that statement and
;alu plank OF the Peoples party platform
Impassible by any bridge Of logic yet
* man.
% o. In the stenographic report in the
tropics Pdrty Paper of Mr. Watson's
SPeech at Sparta, he it represented as read
lug from Mr.. Jefferso1's writings, and then
oa!ng: Hence you will see by this, &c
GGoruing to jefferson, that the governmsnt
SusV gets paper and pen and stamp, aud
pu'S the sovereign stamp upon it and tells
SH 60 forth as a legal tender to pay the
t Seo@ OF the people without going to ma
t ttUaei banks and paying high rate of in
All %Iest upon them"
inst Mr. Jefferson favored issuing treas
ny notes to meet emergencies of war, is
"oH known, but it remained for Mr. Wat
S Sju 70 startle the financial world with the
s Sn'oGIoVery that Mr.. Jefferson favored making
ISL uSu treasury notes lacai tandar For v,rfvota