Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-29
The A1encansnn of Thomas Jefferson Is the Best DEMOCRACY
Let the Democratic Party FoAow It for It's Dun Benefit
and for the Benefit Of the Nation
Reprinted fro" The Washington Post of April IS. 1919

Reprinted from The Washington Post Of April IS. 1919
To the Editor of The Washington Post-sir:
Mr. Wilson lately revived the ancient Federast custom Of
speech assembled Representatives in Congress person
ally nstrucng them upon their duties and obligations to the
Administration.
1t that ths significance of this Presidential
Torrance has been largely overlooked.
worthy of the last President to indulge
in this formal procedure John Adams the last Federaist
President and that the first President dispense with this cere
monou custom Thomas Jefferson the first Democratic
President?
In the early days this Republic there distinct
lines of thought the politics Of the country and two distinct
bodies Of citizens supporting these lines Of thought
On the hand the Democratic Republicans who be-
eved both in the letter and in the spirit Of the Declaration OF
Independence who convinced that order OF things
both advisable and advantageous that the old established
systems Of government by superior class were failures and
that by all the people was not only the most just
and righteous but the practical and successful form Of
eminent that could be devised
On the other hand the Federass who regarded rad
cal innovations less dangerous and be-
heved that for the American Government to be entirely safe
and sound must be modelled largely the established forms
OF government in the older European countries.
This division Of opinion and policy among patriots at
that early date entirely natural and temperamenal Men
OF conservative thought like Hamilton were Federats and be-
eved in the established order of things Men Of original and
adventurous thought like Jefferson believed in and bet
ter order Of things and dreamed of greater and nober nation
than had been known built the firm foundations of JUS
tice and equality Of liberty and opportunity.
These dreams have true but in those early days there
not sufficient experience in popular government to guide
all to confidence in the order Of things and the
continued for while to form formidable party.
At this day Federasts still exist but not in sufficient
bers to form separate party and they found scattered
through the other parties and sometimes in commanding posi-
tons IN one Of the other parties.
The distinguishing mark Of the Federaists from the be-
ginning has been their special admiration for and confidence In
the English system Of government Hamilton the real
Of the Federa party carried inclination to incorporate
the English procedure into American form OF government
that Jefferson of desire make
the United States monarchy
We hardly believe that the most extreme Federal
list would have been willing 70 go to that length but most Ger
tany the Federasts as whole were apparently unable to
manty and the praCcabity Of Jeerson dstnctvey Amer
ideas and turned invariably to the autocac and
aristocratic methods Of. the mother country.
The Fedeat method Of speech by the President to Con-
gess adaptation Of the British usage of speech to
Parliament from the Throne
The arstccratc Adams approved it and practced it,
But Thomas Jefferson who founded the Democratic party
and introduced into American political life the simplicity which
has since characterized IT, adopted the modest democratic method
of writing to Congress- expressing his views and Of
ferng suggestions for legislation
It is singular thing that for hundred and thirteen
years great Democrats from Andrew jackson Grover Ceve
land and great Republicans from Abraham Lincoln to Theo
dore Roosevelt should have followed the simple modest and
democratic method Of Thomas Jefferson and that the
Presidential speech to the ceremonos and somewhat spectacu
lar procedure Of the close of the eighteenth century
President Wilson in the introduction Of his speech to
Congress explained his somewhat sensational performance by
stating that he wished to show that President human
being"
Since the time of John Adams has been no one in
public e except Mr. Wilson who believed that President
could possibly considered anything than human being
If however Mr. Wilson suspicion is correct and there
has lately arisen independent and intelligent American
citizens belief that there something uperhuman and
natural about President Mr. Wilson has effectively dpeled
that superstition by proving that President all
the purely human weaknesses including vanity and craving
for newspaper nctoriety.
The significance and Importance, however, of President