The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-04-13
THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 1905.
left ersor,:S and the University.

efferson and the University.
This is the day Of our prosperity. We
have had bountiful haWests, our l indus-
tries are going ut full blast, our rail-
roads are carrying I'LL the traffic they
q can handle. our financial system is souho'
Vet there is abundance Of money for al
legitimate business, our foreign trace IS
breaking records and our domestic tradc
is about as active as it could be- work
men generally are employed at a far FAR
tate Of wages. Our entire commercial,
Industrial and financial system is appar-,
emily in n. perfectly healthy condition.
The smile of providence seems to be
upon Us. TheresAis peace at home anu
peace with all the world. Truly we are
favored and blessed nation
j., But in spite of it all 1t. is well Tor
us to pause on this the anniversary Of the
birth Of Thomas jefferson and reflect II
the political situation Is as good as the
business situations: TO ask ourselves II,
we are adhcring to the faith delivered
10 rs by the saints; II We are true to
those eternal principles Of Democracy, OF
which Thomas Jefferson was in his day,
paraexccllcnce, the exponent and eScmp-l
lar. Ne have before expressed the op'n-
ion, and we, have seen no reason to change
i.,.that THOMAS Jefferson has exercised
q greater Influence, in essc and in posse,
upon human thought than any other nom
evangelical man the world has ever seen.
He had more to do with the inspiration
OF our Institutions than any other man,
$ and those institutions are destined, We
believe TO prevail over the whole face Of
tie earth, so that when the day arrives
that they do prevail, 1t may be said that
Thomas jefferson Is tho father Of the
worlds polity.
MI. jefferson came upon the stage Of
human activities about the time that
voltairc and Rosseau and other phllos'-
piers OF that school were flourishing and
for the time they were better known than
he and exercised greater influence over
human thought and human affairs of that
day. But in this year of our Lord 1905
voltairc and Rosseau are WITH the world
#
jefferson is a living, active force. He
II is not merelH q for'ke in American poll
tics, he is force in our educational
system, and at the celebration to-day Of
the great University which he founded his
name Is upon the lips Of professors and
students and alumni and all who par
4 ticpate In the exercises of this notable
~ r., IT,,
Education Commission of Virginia has is
sued campaign book to be used in
the crusade which Is about to begin and
throughout Its pages the sayings OF
Thomas Jefferson as the friend and cham
pion OF the public school system are more
1t was Thomas Jefferson who breathed
into that system the breath of life, and
the system is still animated by his spirit
Thomas jefferson had been President
of the United States. and had filled many
other positions of the highest honor ant
trust. yet when he came to MAKE his
will at the end Of his career he de-
clared that all he wanted upon his monu
ment was the simple statement that III
was the author of the Declaration Of In
dependence. the Virginia Statutes OF Re
lgious Freedom and the founder of tn
University of Virginia, which. being In
terpreted. means that he had written tn
III document which fixed freedom in poltica
thought. that he had written the documen
which fixed freedom In religious thought
and that he had founded a school In whicl
the tenels Of the document were to b
& taught and thus spread and perpetrate
among mankind.
J,rhomas Jefferson was more than
President and diplomat he was slron
personality. He was a man of conviction:
4 q man who had doctrine for the goo
! OF mankind, and he was able TO inst
his doctrines and theories INTO the mind
Df the people, He was of all American
the promoter of personal liberty. He be
lIeyed in freedom, in freedom OF though
In freedom of speech, in freedom of az
Ii tiop. without trespass. lie believed !
s. religious liberty, In civil, political an
personal liberty, and as a necessary cora
larry of such creed he believed In eau
opportunity for each and every citize
and the protection Of the same by IL
law and by the strong arm of the go
eminent. That was the doctrine whit
he taught and defended, and that is II
doctrine which We must teach and d
fend II we would perpetuate popular III
erty. We want no unnecessary necdl
some and Vicious interference Of cover
e 1 ~, it d Il il Il