The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1914-04-18
BIRTHDAY or THOMAS JEFFERSON.

one hundred and seventy-one years ago last mon
day, Thomas Jefferson born at shadwe1 Abemarle
County, Virginia. He lived to SO years age and
died at Montlcello July 4, 1926, the ffteth ami
Of the signing of the Declaration Of 1ndepend
within sight of his birthplace and the university
he founded. >... !. ?. -. D."
Few present day Republicans have any use for
Jefferson or the principles he enunclated. But the
Republicans Of today far from the prin
cples held by the founders of their party who
held Jefferson the first statesmen and political
philosophers. -
This is interesting fact in view of some OF the
addresses made this year the anniversary of Lin
coins birthday. Republicans of all shades and types
from the Joe Cannon kind to the most pronounced Pro-
gressves eulogized Lincoln but they neglected to men
ton what Lincoln thought of Jefferson.
Listen to him. 1T is chld's play to save
principles of Jefferson from total overthrow by this
nation Lincoln said this when he in the midst of
his memorable debates with Douglas. Again he said:
he principles of Jefferson the definitions and ak
IONS of free society And yet they denied and evaded
with no small show of success" *
It is we'll to remind present-day Republican eulog-
lists of Lincoln Of what he said of the principles OF
Jeersonthat they "are the definitions and axoms of
free society," Sixty after this country was saved
from putocratic Federalism in 1900, Liberty called for
man. those who believed in Liberty chose their
leader Abraham Lincoln, greatest of the pupils of
Jefferson.
Against Jefferson and Lincoln arrayed the
rich the powerful the fashionable, the sycophants the
parasites society; against them those who be-
lieved they brought into the world booted ana
spurred to ride the people; and these looked
with hatred upon who talked as Jefferson and
Lincoln talked of liberty and moral and natural rights
Through all his public career man was attacked
vilifed by the newspapers Jeferson; yet no
stood firmly for freedom of the press and
against every attempt to silence it by force He be-
lieved in freedom; he made his ifework the effort to
get freedom for He declared that all true
civilization rested upon the brains and hands that toll
His purpose was altered there any fall
tering of his spirit.
In the evening of his life Jefferson manifested the
determination of purpose, the adherence to
truth and principle the of conviction and
utterance that exhibited in his young manhood Dur
ing all his career which at times tempestuous,
there deviation from principle, and CONTRA
diction in fundamentals.
In these days of social political and industrial un
rest, prophetic of great changes it is well to recall
the lives and principles of those great apostles of be
tyJefferson and Lincoln. Their names, their simple
creed their and unaffected faith In their fellow
their devotion to principle their hatred of tyranny
and OPPRESSION their contempt Of material wealth
end to be attained their intense love of Lbertythese
the heritages Of who would rather leave
to his children just government and social order
based upon Justice, than untold wealth ..-.