The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-11-01
CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS
A NEW ALIGNMENT OF PARTIES.
By FREDERIC ] HASkIN

would enrich the North: he was for
internal improvements because they
would develop and enrich the wesS.
and he was for slavery because Il
would enrich the South. He battered
himself. and the country agreed with
him. that he had forever taken. the
slavery question out OF politics BY
the Missouri Compromise Of 1870. In
his ardent Young Republican days he
had defeated the bill TO recharter the
Bank of the United States, but the
panic OF 1916 caused him to change
his mind. and In consonance with his
general faith In the material future
of the country he became a stAunei
defender OF the bank and therefore eli
ally of the Money Power.
But, unfortunately for Clay, there
were important political questions
which could not be compromised and
which, IN the minds OF a great mn-
jority OF the people. were more Inn
portant than the economic and fiscal
questions which Clay thought to make
the paramount issues. In state after
state the ruling classes had been COM
PEELED by popular revolutions to grant
new constitutions which extended the
right Of suffrage, which abolished or
reduced property qualifications. ancl
which embodied reforms demapdetl<Dy
the new democracy. The oIigarc& lee
overthrowR in the states were fnot
clearly different In form from that
small number OF men at WashingtOf
who had assumed the power and AZ
thority to select presidents and ad
minister the AFFAIRS OF the governments
II was inevitable that this general
Democratic revolution should attack
the national government. Defeated
IL 1924 by what they were pleased tol
believe a corrupt bargain. the new
Democrats, with a war hero for their
leader. gained control OF congress In
1926. and Of the presidency two years
later.
The Wings under Adams and Clay,
unable to combat openly the Demo-
cratic demand for popular participa-
ton In government, sought to create a
diversion by strong South American
policy in pursuance Of the Monroe
doctrine. and Insisted upon q protec-
tive tariff and internal improvements.
The protective doctrine alienated the
careful not to commit themselves on
the tariff, 1t did not succeed In uniting
the north
Although at this distance II Is cleas
that the administration Of the seconD
Adams made a most excellent Decor0
for itself. the people of that day looked
upon Adams as a Federalist in dis
euise, who sought to build up an arif
tocracy aud to do by lndirection wis
his father had failed TO do by dire
methods. The Adams administratiu
was without its own volition foreS
into the position Of representing IN
aristocratic idea as opposed to tins
Democratic conception of government.
II was a remarkable coincidence that
in 1923 John Quincy Adams received
electoral votes only from the same
states which were carried by hts
father In 1900. while Jackson carried
all the Jefferson states OF 1900 and all
of the new states which had been
added to the Union. with the excep'
tion OF Maine, which was. OF course,
Included in Massachusetts in 1900.
II Is furthermore remarkable that
while the Adams Whig party was sue
cessful only In New England, New Jer'
sey, Delaware. Maryland, and q part
Of New York, the sectional division
OF the parties was not yet apparent.
Both Jackson and Calhoun were from
slave states and both were large slave
holders, yet the Democratic ticket car.
ried Pennsylvania by more than two
to one and received rs of its ITS cleo.
I toral votes, OF which nine were from
slave states, so that In the free statea
the Wings cast but one more electoral
vote than the Democrats. This fact
was cited by Thomas II. Benton e
show that in 1928, almost a decac
after the Missouri compromise. the
was no hostile sentiment at the no.
toward the slave-holding states.
The new Democracy did not int
to limit its demand for control oy
the ofices to those chosen by vote.
They demanded that the representa-
tives OF the "oligarchy" holding fed
eral Offices be appointment, should bf
removed and that their places be nliet
by representatives of the people
Before the end OF Adams adminigtrn
ton. and after II was known that
Jackson certainly would succeed 70
the presidency, the Democratic senate
refused to confirm nominations made
by Adams, and every place possiDl.
was held open for the incoming 90
ministration. When Gen. Jackson gU'
e. Washington before his Inauguration
he was literally beseiged by hungry
oflce seekers. More because Of the
temper of his party and outside pres
sure than because Of his own desires
Jackson turned out the old once hold
ers, and appointed his own partisani
| in their place. Thus was created the
spells system and thus was established
the influence OF federal patronage n
national politics, which has been used
by every president since that time.
But there was trouble ahead. Tn
tariff question was becoming acute
and threatened TO assume the form %
sectional dispute. The agitation fo'
the purchase OF Texas was bringing
the slavery question into public atfen
1 ton. One or two other OF these purely
sectional issues must have become the
principal issue II II had not been fUI
a personal conviction OF Gen. Jackpon