St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-18
JEFFERSON. THE DEMOCRAT.


The Minneapolis Tribune makes the
editorial of the GLOBE Oh the birthday
of JEFFERSON an occasion to revamp
the few expressions to be found in the
writings of JEFFERSON in which he
| makes use Of the word protection" in
connection with the use of govern
mental power, aud on which slender
basis the prOtectionists today rest their
claim that the great Democrat was of
their faith.
1t is a fact that JEFFERSON was the
most extreme protectionist the country
has produced, excepting, possibly, "Pig
Iron" KELLY, who would have con-
verted the ocean into sea of flame,
that commerce might be impossible.
The embargo policy of JEFFERSON as
effectually prevented foreign competi-
ton with our home manufactures as
would kELLY's fires. And yet the pro-
lection of that act was an unthought of
incident in JEFFERsoN's purpose. He
was defending this country against the
British orders in council, and NAPo-
Icons Berlin decree. But if it is
thought that by recommendation to pro-
tect manufactures JEFFERSON meant
protection by taxation, the tariff acts
enacted in his administration are suf-
ficient refutatiOn. They embodied his
conception of what measure of protec-
ton the infantile industries needed, anG
there is no Democrat today who would
propose as revenue measure a tax
averaging the 10 per cent Of those acts.
But this sort of argument is the veriest
bidding. 1t is the fruit of that habit of
mind which takes a fragment for the
whole and calls the whole part" 1t
is the microscopic view. magnifying
specks; not the telescope view, en-
bracing and making clearer the whole.
1t sets all occasional word against the
spirit of all of his writings. 1t ignores
that radical difference of concept of
government which fiuXed the homogene-
Gus politics of WAsHINGToN's admins
trations, and produced the Federal and
Republican parties, with their antagOn-
iStic views or government. 1t puts JET
FERsoN as standing side by side with
| HAMILTON instead of in their actual
| face-to-face antagonism.
These two men were types of the two
| opposing forces which have struggled
| against each other for the mastery ever
| since governments were instituted
among men. The one represented the
! belief in the divine right TO rule: the
belief that men are incapable of self
government; that they must have some
one wise and strong to guide and direct
| and care for them. This is federalism,
toryism, Repuolieanism, all names for
the same tendency among men. Your
people; he is great BRUTE" was HAM
ILToN's motive of governmental action.
Dramatically opposed to him was JET
FERsoN with his profound faith in the
people: IN their ability to care for them
selves; in his belief that they were at
their best when the freeSt; that govern
ment is only instituted to insure to the
! citizen protection for life and property,
and security in the enjoyment of the
largest measure of freedom consistent
with a like right in all others.
1t is in this broad and correct sense
that JEFFERSON was, what history az
cords him to have been, the great Demo
crat of this nation. And it is this that
will make men who hold similar views
of the limitations of government regard
him as our first great Democrat, as long
as this nation stands.