The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-08-03
A New Jeffersonian War.


son. printed in The Constitution last
week, the author makes some lucid
and valuable statements OF the ele-
mentary principles OF democracy as
jefferson conceived them.
At this present era of American af-
fairs it is profitable to consider some
of these fundamental truths, lndlSpen-
sable to that form of righteousness in
government which make it democratic
and the absence of which make 1t any
thing else that you may choose to
call it.
The revival of anti-democratic meth
DDS of government in this country af-
ter the Jeffersonian ideas had triumph
ed over federalism and Hamiltonian-
ism began with the appearance of the
republican party. And, singular as 1t
may seem to say so, the rapid growth
of that party from 1858 TO 1860, when
it obtained a majority in the electoral
college and named Abraham Lincoln
as president was due to its presenta-
ton of programme more democratic
than that of the democrats them
selves.
Jeffersons democracy had its germ
in his instructive and thoroughly rea-
soned opposition to vested interests
that claimed special privileges and
higher rights than those possessed by
the masses of the citiZenry. But the
democracy which stood for the de-
fence Of vested interests in slavery
was less Jeffersonian and democratic
than the republicanism that denounc-
ed such vested interests and stood for
the freedom and equality before the
constitution and laws Of all men who
ought to be counted in the citizenship
of the country. However, on other
theories we may try to account for the
first successes of the anti-slavery
party. this democracy of citizenship
Was the chiefest factor in producing
them.
But times change and men change
with them. The exigencies of the civil
war, beginning with the need for
money to support that war, forced the
republican party to create vested in
terests and support them to an extent
that no ante-bellum statesmen ever
dreamed could be possible in these
United States. Such are the national
bank system and the tariff built and
bulwarked interests of the nation
These have been powerful enough to
dominate it's control since the restora-
ton Of the union and are today the
legs Of. the republican party's power
and per lOrmances. On the other hand,
the democracy, having neither of
these vast vested interests in its
favor, deprived of any Offset OF
equal strength in money and pc
litical machinery, has been forced
back to the fighting line of Thorn
as Jefferson and has gained what
ever favor and success it has had
since the war by appealing TO the com
mon people as the champion Of their
interests against the encroachments
and expressions of vested interests
There is no hope of redeeming the gov
eminent from the control of such spe-
cial interests except through the
agency Of democracy fighting for
JeffersOnian principles.
One OF the greatest interests Of this
or any other country it its currency.
Like the blood Of the individual there
is danger in limiting it, danger in en-
larging it and danger in cOngesting II.
1t is the life-current of national lie,
health and prosperity. lmpOverish the
currency by weakening its volume or
strength and you disease the body
politics fatally. Overenrich it and
financial govt and apopleXies occur
that afflict almost as fatally as pow
eTty Congest the currency in any
one or more members and you chill
and perhaps paralyze all the other
members. To make the currency am
pie stable and equitably distributed is
the highest art of modern statesman
ship To do that requires the de-
struction Of money monopoly and the
encouragement o. sound local banking
in every section of the nation.
The democratic party surely should
be able to find craftsmanship in its
ranks adequate to this task. We be-
lieye the feat can be accomplished
without violence TO the public credit
and without peril to any business in
terest.
The vested interests sheltered by
the tariff affect wronsfully the second
greatest interest of a natiOn-the
rights of producers and consumers.
These rights demand protection rather
than the law vested rights Of manu-
facturers and monopolists to special
privileges expressed in trusts.
And beth these interests of the COM
mon people today demand a party that
will renew with zeal and patriotism
the warfare and victories of the old
Jeffersonian lines Of battle for gen
uine American democracy.