The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-26
HORACE SMITHS VIEWS
HE HAS BEEN READING WHAT HIS
TORY SAYS OF ANDREW JACKSON.
His Opinion of the Fou1ke Speech
The County Republican Organ
ixatfon-PoliticaI Notes.

speaking OF imperialists, SAID Horace
E. Smith last night, Andrew Jackson, one
of Democracy's most cherished idols was a
despot OF the first water. / was sitting in
my libary up home the other night. think
ing about this issue of Imperialism about
which Mr.. Bryan talked for two solid hours
down in Military Park on the sth of this
month, and all of a sudden by one of those
u-naccountable freaks OF the mind, 1T oc-
Cured TO me that Won Holst's Constitu-
tional History-a work which l had not
looked at for several years-might throw
some light on the subject. Accordingly, 1
took it down from the shelves and turn
ing to the part relating TO Andrew jack
son, I was surprised TO find at the very
head Of the first chapter the significant
words Andrew Jackson's Reign The au-
thor evidently meant this as a sort Of ia
cetious designation of Jackson's admins
~tration, which was quite despotic. Won
Hoist. being a German, would naturally
be presumed to be unprecedented. He was,
of course, neither a Democrat nor a Repub-
lican, nor even a citizen of the country.
He took a broad view of the constitutional
history of this country. examining all the
facts critically and impartially, as they
presented themselves to his mind. We may.
therefore, regard as highly significant his
application of the word reign to Presi-
dent Jackson's tenure of office.
zone of the most interesting facts /
noted in connection with President jack
son." continued Mr.. Smith, was that he
turned out of federal offices more than
three times as many men as had been ex-
PEELED by all the Presidents before him.
Up to the time he took office there had
been only about 600 dismissals made by
Presidents. Soon after Jackson entered the
presidential chair, however, he took from
his sleeve a long knife which he had evil
IDENTIFY whetted especially for the purpose
and proceeded to chop off the heads OF
over 1900 postmasters. He did this, of
course, in order to surround himself by
friends, or, in other words, to establish
a sort of court The 600 dismissals TO
which l nave referred were for the most
part for cause but President Jackson did
not take the trouble TO specify the reason
for his wholesale removals"
COMMENTS ON FOULKE SPEECH.
Mr.. Smith turned from a discussion of
Andrew Jackson to the speech Of William
Dudley Foulke in English's Opera House
Il Tludy hight II was q CAOldlly LIZ
Dress he said, IAN argument such as a
man learned in the law might be expected
to make. 1t was also one of those argu-
ments which are calculated to convince
both judge and jury. You know, some at
torneys make arguments which convince
the jury, who do not know the law, but
fail to have the same effect upon the judge.
who does. Mr.. Foulke's argument, how
aVar will Il think convince pVprYDOdV. IL
noticed one part of his speech in which he
might have INDUCED in elaboration TO on
siderable advantage. In reference to no.
table changes of opinion by public men,
of which he cited several fine instances,
he might nave scored a telling point by
bringing up Lincoln's famous change of
attitude on the slavery question: You
know, Mr.. Lincoln was at one time in
favor of buying the slaves from the
Southerners. recognizing their equitable
right to property value in that character
of holdings. Later, however, he determined
TO issue the emancipation proclamation,
freeing all slaves without making provision
for paying their owners a penny.
Ion the question of expansion, Mr..
Foulke's talk suited me exactly" said
Mr.. Smith with emphasis. Modern civili-
zation is taken to every mans door. The
result is that there is a gradual civiliZing
movement in every direction and savage
only semi-savage or half-civilized. The
question arises, then, as Mr.. Foulke said,
whether we shall sit back with folded
hands while the civilization of the war
| lord of Germany is carried to those peo-
pie, or whether We shall carry our own
form of civilization, which we believe to be
the highest known TO mankind, into every
quarter of the globe. We look at our own
ideals of government as the highest. Then,
why should we not try to disseminate them
among the benighted races of earth? The
truth is, there is very little
room on Gods footstool any
longer for the uncivilized nation. Shall
the United States fall into a rut and live
at home forever? l think not. l believe
that we ought to absorb that kind of edu-
cation which comes from travel and from
spreading our ideas about government. ]
don't believe We want to adopt the Chinese
method of shutting ourselves up behind
thick walls and living absolutely to our
selves. / believe that we ought to carry
the benefits of our civilization through
the open door to every country in the
world. Ought we not take our share OF
territory which falls into our hands as the
result of treaty conditions, rather thar
turn them over to become the prey of con-
fiicting nations?
1T is a notorious fact that for years
wherever the British flag has gone the
best civilization has followed. The United
States has been very conservative an6
had comparatively little shipping as con.
trasted with England. and our influences
and civilization have not been carried
abroad as have those of Great Britain.
believe We ought to carry our commerce,
and our flag the world over. That mean.
coaling stations; it means that when w,
find an abandoned island we are to tax,
possession of it and carry to it our civili
cation and our form of government ane
cur 1t has always been tru,
that wherever the American goes he car
lies the schoolhouse and the church witt
him and they are the great civilizing in
nuences of modern times. Shall We. as Ri,
church would put it, hide our talent. bur,
II in the ground, or shall we set it to wori
and make 1T earn another talent? Shal
we hide our light under a bushel or shall
we display 1t TO the world and let ii shin,
cur SO mat others VIII emulate our 'goot