Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1901-01-24
GREATEST DEMOCRAT
ANDREW JACKSON AND THE
MODERN TYPE.
The sight OF the Gold Bugs Celebrating
His Birthday Is One of the Amusing
Conditions of Modern PoIitIcs-What
Jackson Stood For.

The celebration of Jackson's birth
day by real Democrats and others is
to be encouraged if it shall lead to an
examination of the principles for
which that great and good Democrat
stood. To celebrate his birthday
without appreciation of his Democracy
is mere superhuity. Something more
than meat and wine and oratory is
needed and should be had if the les
sons of Andrew Jackson's life are to
serve a useful purpose
The Greatest Democrat.
Jackson was easily the greatest
Democrat of his day both as a states
man and as politician. He exercised
a wonderful influence over the people.
In Office or out of office, he was equal
ly potential as a leader of men. On
his shoulders fell the mantle of JEFF
ferson. A very different type of man,
he nevertheless resembled Jefferson in
many respects. In Jackson some OF
Jefferson's teachings bore fruit which
was not visible in his own day.
Jefferson, personally aristocratic and
exclusive in his tastes, a student and
PhAAOSOPACAy PlOAOahOly ASNAhSo oAN
widely read, foreshadowed an era of
popular rule and popular participation
in government which was hardly real
lied in his own time. The presidents
that preceded John Quincy Adams may
be said to have been ready at hand.
Their selection, while brought about by
the prescribed forms, was in reality
due to influences not necessarily popu-
lar Management by powerful indi-
viduals, as in the cases of Madison and
Monroe, pre-eminent service, as in the
cases of Washington, John Adams and
Jefferson, and accident and intrigue, as
in the case of John Quincy Adams. had
precluded anything like great popu-
lar demand for particular man at
particular time.
jackson and the Banks.
In the triumph of Jackson the peo-
pie triumphed. They made him can
didate in spite of bitter opposition
even among the leaders of his own
party, and his election and Inaugural
ton gave evidence for the first time
of the stupendous popular uprisings
which in recent years have become
recognized features Of presidential
contests wherein men of undoubted
qualities of leadership are engaged.
Without pretension or craft, plain,
honest, unassuming, as gentle in re-
pose as a woman and as courageous
and terrible in action as lion, full of
love for and appreciation of the plain
people-and all people to him were
plain-as unconscious as a child of
the distinctions of class and caste, in
tensely devoted to duty and to the in
terests of the whole people, Jackson
was an ideal Democrat, was so recog-
nized in his lifetime and has been so
regarded by his countrymen since he
passed away. He had the strength OF
his convictions. He was not afraid to
follow them to their logical conclusion.
He never doubted the loyalty or capac-
ity of the people, and, in turn, they
never doubted him. His was a sue
cessful administration because from
beginning to end it had the unfiagging
approval of the people.
Jackson's Bitter Enemies.
Most of the distinguished party chief
tains of the United States have been
unjustly assailed and even slandered,
but the hostility to Jackson went far
Their than this He was represented
not only as a vicious character bent on
the overthrow of decent society but as
an ignorant bulgarian, altogether be-
meath contempt. Shocking stories of
orgies in the white house were told
about him. By his adversaries it was
not believed that he could read or
write. When the stately papers bear
ing his name began to appear it was
explained that they were prepared for
him by some of his dissolute but bril-
liant associates. Assailed in his pub
lie and private character and pursued
even to his domestic circle, such was
his self-control that, in spite of GER
tain well-known infiTmities of temper,
he reserved his more passionate out
breaks not for the enemies who out
ragged him personally but for the
enemies of his country who plotted its
ruin. Jackson had the same ilk for
enemies that Bryan has. Bryan has
the same kind of friends that Jackson
had.
Mighty Impulse to Democracy.
Jackson s administration gave mighty
impulses to Democracy and to union,
to equal rights and to common justice
in government. 1t gave the people
confidence in themselves and taught
them that their government was their
very own, to be participated in by
them and an obedient servant respon-
sive to their sovereign will. It admit
ted the people to Office as they had not
been admitted before, and thus, instead
of paving the way to the spoils sys-
TEN, as has been falsely alleged, it
gave the people sense of their re-
sponsibility to themselves and to the
republic. 1t destroyed the odious bank
monopoly and put an end to a scandal
that was rapidly becoming unsupport-
able. 1t made gold and silver coins
the money of the government, and thus
established an example which, if fol-
lowed, would have saved the country
from bank currency and all the follies
that have grown out of that departure
from sound finance. 1t put down null
LITIGATION and secession with a strong
arm and strengthened the union senti-
ment of the country immeasurably
. against the day of wrath that was to
come. All this and more the republic
owes to the administration of Andrew
Jackson.
Glass Against Glass.
OF particular Importance at this
time, the career of Jackson may be
studied in vain by one who seeks JUS
60 e IL
against class. Some of the rich and
proud and exclusive undertook to
make it appear that in Jackson the ig-
norant and vicious rabble had tri-
umphed and for a time much bitter
ness existed between some eminently
respectable elements and the party in