Evening journal., 1903-04-14
JEFFERSON BORN ;
160 YEARS AGO
His Birthday Anniversary
Celebrated With Dinner by
Memorial Association
NOT OF A POLITICAL CHARACTER

Washington, April 14.-Hon. William
]. Bryan, Senator Hoar, OF Massachu-
setts. and Governor Montague, OF Nlr-
ginia, and CORNER Postmaster General
Charles Emory Smith, OF Philadelphia
were the principal speakers at dinner
given at the Hotel Parton under the
auspices of the Thomas Jefferson Mem
orial Association in the celebration OF
the 16Oth anniversary Of the birth OF
the author of the Declaration OF lnde-
pendence. About l4O guests were pres
ent feature of the musical program
was the rendition of march by Lead
er Santelman. of the Marine Band, en-
titled "The Thomas Jefferson March.
II. b. f. Macfarland, president oil the
district commissioners, presided, ana
Thomas Nelson Page acted as toast
master.
The dinner was not CT a political
character. Senator Hoar responded to
the toast, "The Author OF the Declara-
ton of independence" e." He spoke IN
part as follows.
Jefferson's greatness, it will be found
in the fact that men Of every variety OF
political opinion, however far asunder,
find confirmation Of their doctrine in
him. Every party in this country to-
day reckons Jefferson as its patron
saint. In my youth the political aboli-
tionists made appeals to Jefferson the
burden of their song. In the late dis
cussion which rent the country about
the Philippine Islands, one side quoted
what Mr.. jefferson said in the Decla-
ration of independence, and the other
what they thought he did, in the acqui-
sition of Louisiana. Every political
sect finds its political doctrine in Jef-
ferson. almost as every religious sect
finds its doctrines in the sayings of the
Saviour of mankind The friend OF
state rights calls attention to the fact
that jefferson spoke of the govern
ment of the United States as the 'agen-
cy at Washington. The abolitionists
quote the great declaration and his IA
nous utterance against slavery, 1
tremble for my country when / reflect
that God is just. The supporter of a
protective tariff claims him as the
highest protectionist in our history,
appealing to his desire that there might
be q wall around our country which
should keep out all foreign manufact-
lures. The free trader maintains that
the spirit OF everything he said and
everything he did teaches the doctrine
of unlimited freedom IN all human con-
duct except so far as may be needful
for the restraint Of actual crime"
Mr.. Bryan, who as the last speaker
on the program, addressed himself to
"The Statute for Religious Freedom. ."
/, He concluded as follows
ITO jefferson the doctrine of free
speech and freedom of opinion applied
to everything, because he rightly un-
derstood that no censorship of opinion
could be permitted that would not be
more dangerous to truth than to error.
Attention is called to the fact that the
/ Almighty being Lord both of the body
and the mind, yet chose not to propa-
I raAl ~ ~ A0GA NAoAAa VI NAAADls uEAN4-
son recognized that the Christian re-
ligion rested upon love and that love
Is the very antithisis of violence and
brute force. 1t is well to remember
that the Declaration of Independence
Itself rests upon the same foundation
which supports our religion, namely
love, and those who deny the doctrine
of human brotherhood are not apt tC
respect the creed of inalienable rights
and natural equality embodied in tho
Declaration of Independence and tn,
constitution of the United States.
Jefferson was the greatest states
man known to history. He believed
in the rights Of the people, and had /;
heart large enough to take in all hu
mankind. He hated tyranny, whethe
it manifested itself in religious o.
secular affairs, and applied his ooctrinl
TO all questions"