The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-14
JEFFERSON'S CREED NEEDED
NOW IN RALEIGH AND
OTHER CITIES.


Yesterday, the birthday of Thomas
Jefferson. the wisest political leader
the world has known, was celebrated
by Democratic clubs in some of the
great cities in America. 1t is matter
of regret that the observance vas not
general, for the study of the teachings
of jefferson and the contemplation nf
his political creed were never so ne
cessary as now when graft so largely
dominates government and men in
public office use their public position
to make themselves rich or to put
money in their pockets. This spirit
is seen in those railroad attorneys in
the United States Senate who Will
permit no real measure of railroad
rate legislation to become law, in
the beneffciaries OF the tariff who
keep the present law that robs the
many for the few, in the pension
grafters who put the names of men
on the pension roll who never made
sacrifice for their country. 1t is seen
i'm public men who vote franchises
for the benefit of their personal
friends or relatives and in many 9TH
er ways Under different guises the
same evils existed in Jefferson's day,
but he never permitted himself to
be influenced by selfish considerations
and in his old age writing his rem
inscences. said:
When I first entered on the stage
of public life - | came to the
resolution never to engage while in
public Office in anv kind of enterprise
for the Improvement of my fortune.
/ have never departed from
it in a single instance, and / have IN
multiplied instances found myself
happy in being able to decide and to
act as a public servant clear Of all
interest in the multiform questions
that have arisen wherein / have seen
others embarrassed and biased ny
having gotten themselves in more
interested situation. Thus have
thought myself richer in contentment
than / should have been with any in
crease in fortune"
In an excellent speech at the Jeffer
son banquet in New York last night,
Mayor Mcclellan urged that I'VE must
insist that conventions and candidates
shall more closely conform to Jeffer-
sons standard" as enunciated in the
above extract from Mr.. Jefferson's
writings, and after quoting Mr.. JEFF
ferson's model statement of his own
rule of conduct, Mayor Mcclellan ell
forced it with these sensible and per-
tinent observations:
"When we read this expression Of
a public servants sense OF duty to
the people, and recall that his owa
life bore it out; when We realize how
highly he priced the honor of being Il
public servant, can we wonder why
our forefathers rallied to the cause OF
Democracy so fittingly typified in It's
founder. or why our beloved country
nourished under it's patriotic rule?
Let Democratic conventions nomi-
nate such men, not from motives of
expediency in the hope of success, but
from love of principle, even with the
certainty of defeat. 1t will not be
long before the people of the United
States will thrill with admiration Tor
such candidates and such party, and
a new generation will catch the still
living spirit that stirred the Demo-
Gratis of the olden days.
If jefferson We're living in Raleigh
today does anybody suppose that he
would vote for a man for alderman
or mayor who owned stock directly
or indirectly, in the water company.
the franchise of which expires dur
ing his term of office? The man who
would seek election to a position to
vote a franchise to himself or friends,
or to engage while in public office
i'm any kind of enterprise for the inn
provement" of his fortune ought not
to be elected IT. has none of the
spirit of Jefferson and his Democracy
does not come from the only pure
spring.