The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-26

God" Further, he regarded a political
orronent as a personal enemy There
fore, as she thought it his duty to in
trench himself and his party in power
as we'll as his pleasure to punish his
enemies, he adopted the theory. after
ward cynically expressed by William /, (
Marcy, that Ito the victors belong the
spoils." So he proceeded to turn the
rascals OUT and to fill their places with (
shivering and bleating lambs of his own
flcck. Thus was inaugurated the -'spoils
system in American politics-a system
Which mas cone more to corrupt public
life, to bring contempt upon our official
service for inefficiency and greed ana
to menace even the existence of the re-
public than all the wars we have ever
fought. From JaekSon's day to Cleye-
lands this system was religiouSly OBJ
served by all the presidents until it be-
came byword and a reproach. Had
jackson foreSeen what a host of evils he
was letting loose upon his country he |
doubtless would have hesitated before |
opening the nations treasury to the greed
of the spolsmen.
Another transaction that stands out
prominently in these turbulent adminiS-
trations is Jackson's relentless war upon
the United States bank. The institution
hau been chartered in 1916 to aid the gov
er1lment in bringing financial prosperity
out of the chaos following the second
war with England. The charter was to
continue twenty years. 1t provided for
capital of $35, 100000, four-fifths in
government stocks. The government was
to appoint five of the twenty-fiyet direc- |
tors and the bank was to be the de-
posltory of the public funds without in !
terest. The charter expired near the
close of Jackson's second administration.
Took 0ffense at Bank.
In 1929 Jackson took offense at the bank
because. as some say; the bank had de-
cllned to do him political favor Then
NE began a series of attacks upon the
institution with all the savage animoslty
OF which he was such past master
When foreseeing difficulty. the bank in
1882 succeeded in getting a bill through
congress renewing the charter, Jackson
vetoed the bill. After his re-eiec ZION iie
renewed the contest. The bank, he de-
clared, was unsound. lie mana cement 1
OF Its affairs was concealed from tho
government directors; the policy was
wrong In that with the connivance of
at the expense of the nation, and thu
bank had already come to use it's funds
Tor political purposes and thus was be-
coming a menace to the state This last
charge, at least, the event showed to be
true, fnaSmuch as the bank made almost !
a winning fight for the renewal of It's |
charter even against the iron will of l
Andrew Jackson and the active opposition
of the entire administration. The preSf-
dent ordered his secretary of the treasury
to stop making deposits of public funds !
was promptly removed. A similar order !
was given to the next secretary, who |
also declined and was removed. The next !
secretary was more complaiSant and the !
necessary instructions We're given No |
more deposits were made, the government
funds in the bank were drawn upon
as occasion offered and the charter was
. not renewed. Jackson, after a struggle |
of four years, had won. Many to this
day defend his actions.
Pleasanter to Remember.
Jackson's course in the notification |
movement is pleasanter to remember |
than his course in either of the matters |
referred to above. When South Carolina |
passed her famous law declaring the |
tariffs of 1923 and 1892 to be null, void .
and no law so far as that state was |
concerned. and began to prepare for war,
and proclaiming that the said tariffs |
should be collected in her ports, all the /
lion in "Old Hickory" was aroused. He |
issued proclamation to the people of
danger and folly" of notification and de-
claring his ''unflinching purpose of cas-
rying out the laws" He sent naval
force to Charleston harbor and provided
guards for the protection of the revenue
officers. by the eternal" he said, using
his favorite oath. IF the people of SoutE
Carolina resist the enforcement of fed
eral law, they'll find old Andrew il ckson
down there with a muSket on his shoul-
der" And when it was reported that Vice
President Calhoun was, aiding the move
ment lie threatened to hang the Vice
president higher than Hannah"
In spite of his failings Andrew Jacksen
was great man and a great president.
He loved his country with unwaTertng
devotion, and during his administration
he did many things to promote IT'S pros
perity at home and gain respect for 1t
abroad In his later years that fiery
spirit was softened-he forgave Ills enc
mics and joined the church. "kIe had
held more power than any other Amer
lean had ever possessed" and had been
more popular In this paper he had been |
presented as the embodiment Of personal |
politics. He is worthy of being renem,, |
bered for other and better things and
deserves high rank among our greateSc
presidents In June. 1915, full OF years |;
and of honors, his stormy life drew to a |
serene and peaceful close. His bo6S IS
buried in peace but his name lVetn
evermorR."
Copyright, 1901