El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-04-12
.HoMAs JEFFERSON was born

"HOMAs JEFFERSON was born at
ShaGwell, Virginia, on April Is,
IT43 Tomorrow will be cele-
brated as the 169th anniversary OF that
event. In the state OF Alabama the
day is a legal holiday, but esewhere
it is printed in red only on the calen
dars of those VINO call themselves Dem
ocrats. In many cities these will gath
er about banquet boards to extol the
virtues of the founder and patron saint
of their party, the while indulging in
rosy dreams of victory in the coming
elections.
Disregard Jeffersons' Wish.
The practice of celebrating the birth
days of eminent men was inauguratej
early in the history of the republic. be
ing copied from the English custom OF
making the kings birthday the prin-
cipaI patriotic festival of the political
year
Mr. Jefferson himself particularly dis
approved Of this practice. as il was Of
fensive TO his extremely Democratic no.
lions. smacking OF the hated monarchy
While he was president. a political
friend asked him: Mr.. President. wha,
is the date Of your birth? We wish to
celebrate it fittingIy-" The author of
the Declaration of independence re-
piled: For that reason 1 decline to
enlighten you, nothing could be more
distasteful 10 me than what you pro-
pose. and. when you address me. shall
be obliged if you will omit the mis-
ter
Nobody in America is afraid of mon
archy just now, and no one is enough
of a Democrat TO object to the aristO-
cratic title OF mister" therefore JEFF
Persons wishes are disregarded and his
birthday is celebrated regularly. as II
has been ever since the great man died,
at the age of SO, on July 4. 1926
Other Birthdays Celebrated
Only six Americans are remembered
habitually and annually by the cele-
bration of a special day in their honoe.
Washington's birthday is a legal holt
day in all of the states and territories
and is celebrated in every part of the
world wherever there are two or three
Americans gathered together
Lincoln's birthday is a legal holiday
in % states. 1t comes more nearly than
any other 10 approaching the national
character Of the Washington birthday
celebration, and It is observed even in
those states where it is not yet le-
gally set aside as a holiday. For many
years this day was claimed exclusively
by the Republican party. but in late
years it has lost it's purely political
character and has become more ma
tional in scope
One of the seeding confederate
states. Florida. has made it a Legal
holiday, and II is celebrated in the
schools in nearly all of the southern
states
Andrew Jackson has day sacred to
{+ l. h.
versary of the battle of New Orleans
and not his birthday The Sth of Janu-
airy is known as Jackson day. is a legal
holiday in Louisiana. is the occasion OF
great social festivities in Tennessee.
and is a rallying day for the Democratic
party in the remainder OF the union
The birthday of jefferson Davis is a
legal holiday in eight states. as IS that
Of Robert e. Lee in seven states OF
course the celebration Of these days Is
confined wholly to the south. Jefferson
Davis day is celebrated as confederate
memorial day and has the same signifi
canoe at the south that Decoration day
has at the north
Belongs to All Americans.
Jeferson's birthday, then, is one Of
the two red-letter days of the Demo-
cratic party. Jackson day banQuets and
JEFFERSON Qdy DdnQuelS are regular lea
lures Of the Democratic year On these
occasions the party leaders call atten-
tion to the principles of the fathers and
urge harmony in the next election. II
has been said, with some degree OF
truth, that the Democratic party always
Is united on jefferson day and Jackson
day and on no other days.
Although the celebration of his birth
day has been appropriated by a politi-
cal party. Thomas Jefferson belongs TO
all Americans Among all the leaders
Of the revolution, Jefferson was the
most revolutionary. for he advocated
not alone the overthrow Of British do
minion but also the reform of British
institutions. His tastes were catholic
and his industry was stupendous.
He left behind him mass of manu-
script which reveals in the most minute
detail every act of his public life. He
made careful note of every action, he
kept copies Of every letter he wrote.
and took notes on the conversations OF
all his associates. The physical labor
involved in his letter writing, Of itself.
He found that letters copied on wet It's
sue paper were liable TO fade. So he
Invented what he called a ''polygraph."
now known as the paragraph, which
craftsmen use 70 copy drawing to scale.
This huge copper frame was fitted with
two quill pens. one of which he held
In his stiff right hand. writing pain
fully The other made the same marks