The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-17
~ effersonia1l Principles.


candidate for the presidency, in an IN
terview on Monday, disclosed his views
on the political situation from a post
election standpoint, in his usual pictur-
esque way. nr:1=%,EE 9EEg rEs 35&
He regards the democratic party as
dead or in a moribund condition, hav-}
ing, since 1892, "almost entirely boxed
the. compass in political profession of
faith" and having been discredited
by the country because of its pitiful
instability. For this reason Mr.. Wat
son steps within the glare Of the foot
lights and announces that he proposes
to use all his talents hereafter in the
work of reorganizing the democratic
party on "the lines of Jefersoniar
democracy, and to establish "sys-
tematic propaganda of Jeffersonian
principles, in order that in 1908 there
shall be a party of genuine opposition
to the republican party and it's present
policies.' :t:s.:: .'E 49,. 500
It is noticeable that both Watson and
Bryan, in all their political exploita-
ton, declare that their sole purpose is
to bring the country securely back to
the sway Of Jetfersonian principles.
| Eugene Debs, the leader Of the social
| democrats, is prudent enough to avoid
this hypocritical pleading for "Jefer-
sonian principles. - He seems to be
better informed as to the nature of
those principles than his populistic con-
temporaries. '-'t1 + =
Among the historic Jeffersonian
principles - are the dependence Of the
union upon the free will Of each SOW
ereign and Independent state, the inter
probation of this '|principle' being
that single state, if it sees fit, has
the constitutional right to hinder by
force the execution of law of the
United States Notification was a
Jeffersonian princi ple,' which bore
evil fruit in his own time and plagued
the country, until it was killed by the
sword in l864-65.
Another Jeffersonian principle -
was to prevent the establishment of
a government which had power to en-
force its own laws, so that early in the
|
ans opposed the calling out of militia
to enforce the collection Of the whis
ky tax.
Jeffersonian principles, as illus
trated by Jefferson himself, deliberate
ly acted beyond the constitution in an
nexing and holding Louisiana, foreign
terriory, and excused the violation OF
the ground that it was for "the goot
of the country Our modern demo
Gratis, ignoring this Jeffersonian prin
ciple,' have, since 1898, been damnins
their government as Infamous because i
was found necessary for the good Of tn
nation to do some more annexing Of for
eign territory. III.
Again, 'Jefersonian principles, ,
as illustrated by Jefferson himself ex
plcitly stood for the strict mainten
ance Of the public credit and agains
the illimitable issue Of WORTHLESS
, paper currency.
Again, among the "Jeffersonian prin
ciples'' was Jefferson s insistence upo
t the passage Of the embargo act, whic
uNSS oVO1J uOOldl Oo w no d lu0dSuI
q which went to the utmost limit Of cor
r structive power under the constitution
/ standing upon the extreme verge an6
l., in its very form and terms, an unlin1ite
;, prohibition or suspension of foreig
q commerce.. %". *
t Examples Of "Jeffersonian prime
q ples'' could be multiplied, but Jeffe1
K son, while for time he was Athlete
e with a sharp attack of Rousseauisn
/ regained his senses, and could not b
q tempted to indorse such socialist
$ views as Watson, Bryan and Debs pu
$ forth. Indeed, Debs is the only Oh
y Of the trio who perceives the incongru
ty between his socialistic tenets an
7 Jefferson s views of governmental lin
, tations. ..-