The Detroit times., 1910-10-29

!.
Republican party. 80
IL resulted in EN.
changing the char ~ - - ~
acter of the Dem ~ fA |
ocratic party, in
substituting a rad # |
ical progressive - -
/ policy for con- "a 49,
! sentative and non
| aggressive pro- - Il
gram, and 1t
\ brought into pub - II
/ lie life the second
generate OF
great American statesmen. me
young Americans, or the young IKE
publicans, as the factionists were
called, were led by Henry Clay ana
John c. Calhoun, by Richard Nj. John'
son and Felix Grundy. by Langdon
| Chevos and George NJ. Group. Not
one OF these men at this time was
more than forty years old. They
we're indeed and in truth. young
Americans and young Republicans.
They also were the first insurgents
in American political history. and II
! is interesting TO note that they &C
complished their revolutionary pur-
poses in an "off" year election.
The Federalist party never recov-
cred from the crushing blow oil lsOO'
and the Democratic majority in Con
gress increased with every blennlal
election during the eight years or JET
ferson's two administrations. But not
withstanding the overwhelming pre-
ponderance of the Democratic party
and the great popularity OF Mr.. JET
ferson. the last years of his admins
tration were far removed from polltl-
cal peace. When the time came 10
choose his successor in 1908 the Fed
eraiists attempted TO galyaRize their
party into new life. but the gains they
made were not sufficient TO give them
control either OF the electoral colleges
or the congress. In the house they
increased their vote from thirty-one
TO forty-six, in the senate from seven
TO ten. and in the electoral colleges
from the fourteen votes given against
Jefferson in 1904 TO forty-seVen votes
given against Madison. Madison re
ceived l22 electoral votes and went
into office backed by majority OF
more than two TO one in both the
senate and the house
But all was not harmonious. The
great majority Of the people preferred
TO call themselves Democrats, and
they hated the Federalists, but they
did not agree on questions OF public
policy. The great issue before the
people was how TO solve the problem
OF dealing with British and French
interference with American com
merce.
For a time, beginning about 1903
almost the entire merchant shipping
business of the world was conducted
| by Americans The titantic struggle
| between Napoleon and all the other
powers of Europe had driven from
| the seas the ships of every belliger'
emit nation except England, and even
| the British ships were forced TO be
cautious, and British wares we're car
ried in American bottoms. This ship
ping business was vastly profitable
and was worldwide. From Africa
from China, from South America
from Java, from the Philippines, from
the West Indies, from every export
ing port In the world, American ships
carried cargoes TO the United States
there TO be landed and neutraliZeo
before being reshipped for European
ports. While England was striking
at France TO maintain and establish
the British supremacy of the seas
that supremacy was in fact about tC
be taken away by England's lately re
VOTED colonies. In 1904 Grea
Britain began to harass American
shipping by laying a series of papei
blockades and by again insisting up
on the right TO seize American ships
and search them for deserving British
| seamen.
Napoleon I'm his efforts to cripple
England did not purpose to permi
British manufactured wares to reacl
the continent under the alleged neu
trail protection of the American fal
and so he issued the famous DEGREES
of Berlin and Milan. Between Eng
lish orders in council' and Frencl
Imperial DEGREES" the prosperou
American merchant marine was para
lyzed. American ships and, cargoe
were confscated in European port
and British men of war insulted ant
harassed American vessels in ever.
possible manner.
Jefferson and the Democrats of tn
old school, the men who had helpe'
found the Republic, who hated mon
arches, who feared autocratic power
who had led the Revolution of 1900
who had inyeighed against the Aliel
and Sedition laws, who had support
ed the Kentucky and Virginia resolu
tons, feared the menace OF militar!
power more than they feared thu
stagnation of commerce. Jefferson
had made his will the will of the PEG
pie OF the nation and he was opposed
10 a standing army and TO a navl
with ell the zeal OF fanatic. There
fore there was no American navy cap
able OF opposing the English navy
and the American merchant marine
was defenseless.
When Jefferson came into power
| he found Il expedient and necessary
/ TO abandon In part his extreme ideas
as 10 the strict construction of the
constitution He. himself, admitted
! that he stretched the constitution nm
/ til it cracked when he purchased
! Louisiana from the French WheI
/ the Alien and Sedition laws of tho
| Adams administration were opposed
| by the radical states rights propa
/ ganda embodied in the Kentucky anC
| Virginia resolutions, the FederalistS
1 had accused the Democrats OF con
spring TO disrupt the union. Wher
jefferson purchased Louisiana the
New England Federalists began tc
/ talk of secession.
Unable and unwilling to protect