The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-17
WHAT WOULD JEFFERSON DO?
ALTGELD'S VIEWS OF. PROBLEMS
BEFORE THE PARTY.

Was the Grtuclphi SRShAASF ut Wv
Ranuuet Given by the Binletallic
League of Albany, v. N.-Principies
of the Great Democrat and His
Hold on the PeoDle-BFyan Com
pared to JencrsOn-seeret Of Br9 =
ans influence and Power.
Albany. n. Y. april 16-Former Gov.
John P Altgeld of Illinois was the prin-
cipal speaker tonight at the banquet Civ
en- at TIE Stanwix Hotel by the Bimetallic
l. ague Of Albany IN honor Of The ami
versary of the nth OF jefferson. He re-
sponded to the toast What Would JEFF
fe-son Do?'
The attendance was large. \ hearty
greeting was EXTENDED to Gov. AtgelG,
who said
4 have heard men call themselves JET
ferson7an Democrats who were opposed 10
every principle that the great Nirginian
advocated.
s'Who. then. was jefferson? What did
he do, and what did be stand for?
"a complete answer would MI many vol
umes We shall be fortunate if we can
catch even the outlines OF his great ca
reer.
He was born a landed arstocrat in a
country where that class was all power
dent and sought the truth no matter
where 1t led.
HE practiced law but devoted most
OF his time TO an examination of pubic
questions and of social conditions. He
had a passion for justice and his sympa-
thies ran not with his class, but with the
toiling masses of mankind. He was elect
ed to the Legislature of the colony of
Virginia, and instead of following ease
and opulence, he devoted his energies to
secure the abolition of the law OF primo
geniture and entail, which formed the
foundation of a landed aristocracy, but
was hostile to free institutions.
He succeeded in the great work and
brought ont his head the abuse and bitter
hostility of the most powerful influences
of the country. Every ephhet was ap
piled to him, but he never faltered.
Jefferson established free public schools
TO be supported by taxation. So compre-
hensive and thorough was his system that
it became the model generally followed in
America. This great achievement was not
only opposed by the church. but it arrayed
nearly all wealth against him.
The idea Of compelling one man to help
pay for the education of his neighbors
children was denounced unjust, uncon-
stitutional and demagogcal. 1t was athe-
ism, socialism, robbery.
at required conscience, courage and
character to face such opposition, but
JEFFERSON mao All III &C. ileiL lle NDllc iAOAli-
ing except to establish the three great re-
forms I have named he would have been
entitled 10 the everlasting gratitude Of
mankind.
Key to JefYerson's Power.
Here is the key to Jefferson's mind;
here is the corner stone of his political
fabric, and the touchstone of his political
philosophy.
Leave everything to the people sub
10.
the people can be trusted, they may err
but they will right themselves.
HE saw then what a centurys expert
ence has taught us, namely, that repre-
sentative government IS not government
by the people.
True, the people elect their representa-
tives, but they cannot control them and
cannot even protect themselves against
betrayal or robbery by their own repre-
sentatives.
"The bride giver could not corrupt all
OF the people, or even half of the people,
but he could bride half a hundred, and
even the full hundred, and when he does
the people are helpless.
Had the principle of direct legislation,
as proposed by Jefferson, been Incorporate
cd into the constitutions of America, fed
eral, state and municipal so that the
people could have checked their repre-
senatives, there would have been no In
ducement to bribe a legislature or de-
bauch city council
Consequently, we would not have had a
forty years carnival of debauchery and
dishonor a carnival whose history can
only be written in shame on the pages
of infamy.
Had the principles of direct legisla-
ton been in force throughout the land, we
would not to-day be confronted with ques-
lions that alarm our people, and free in
stitutions would not have been brought
60 the precipice of destruction by a Nc
Kinley administration.
This campaign is going to be a cam
pagu of mighty questions and not OF
candidates
Those men who imagine that If they
could by hook or crook-by trick or trade
nominate some hero IN the National Dem
ocratic Convention, that then, with the
aid of money they could carry the coun-
try-had better be disallusioned, for they
could not carry six states in this Union
This is not a year in which politicians
can deliver. Even the democracy of the
East is Strengthening it's spine. TO simply
say that we are Democrats may sound
laoonic, but unless we stand for some.
thing definite that earnest men and earn
est woman can lay hold on in life, unles.
we offer hope to the toiling, suffering
sorrowing children of men, we will be des-
pissed by mankind.
Bryan's Hold ON the People.
what is it that gives Mr. Bryan sucl
a hold on the democracy of America a.
no man has had since the days of Jack