Evening journal., 1916-10-14
WORDS OF THE PAST
THAT FIT THE PRESENT.

THAT FIT THE PRESENT.
To the Editor of THE EVENING
JOURNAL:
Sir:-In the Annual Report of the
American Historical Society for 1913,
are found, on page II. the papers Of
James A. Bayard. 1769-1S15 On page
25 of these papers Is a disQuisition ON
the politics of those days. and a Sc
we're criticism of President Jefferson.
on account Of his hostility to Great
Britain and his friendship for France.
With the names and countries
changed. the remarks on Jefferson APP
ply almost literally to President Will
son, and l quote them here as I find
them:
mir. Jefferson I believe to be
greatly deficient in most Of those
qualities which fit a man for the frs;
station in a Government. He POSSESS
es much knowledge. chiefly. how
ever. of the scientific kind the least
useful for a statesman whose husi-
ness is to judge and act, not to write
books. No one will deny him the
praise Of considerable literary genius:
and FOR his diplomatic writings he has
been greatly, and in some degree
justly, commended. But from his pub
lie conduct. ! take him to be OF a
weak wavering, indecisive character;
celebrating when he ought to act.
and frequently acting, when he does
attempt il. without steadiness, judg
ment or perseverance; rashly engag-
ing in attempts with difficulties that
he ought to have foreseen. or to sur
mount. soon compel him to relin-
Quish: always pursuing certain Wis
ionary theories OF the closet, which
experience constantly contradicts;
like most literary men, greatly liable
to flattery. and so devoted to popular
applause, that he cannot be relied on
for the performance OF any duty
which might require him to risk it,
by a manly, decisive conduct in diff
cult situations.
with this opinion of Mr.. Jefferson.
might tn nix him fit 10 be a profess
sOr in a college, president of a philos-
onhical society. or even Secretary Of
State but certainly not the first mag
istrate OF q great nation.
Il have other objections to him
equally strong, especially at this
iuncture. I believe his hatred and
client. and his enthusiastic attachment
to France so unbounded, that it would
be impossible for him to act with JUS
tice and impartiality between the two
nations. However laudable this may
be in a private citizen OF America, II
is certainly very improper in the head
Of the Government; whose duty It is
to preserve the interests of his own
country without being biased by love
or hatred to any foreign nation. These
two nations who now wage a deadly
war against each other. and seem re-
solved at length to decide. by the de-
struction of one or the other, con-
test which has lasted more than three
hundred years. are equally DESTROYS
OF gaining influence in our country,
and rendering us subservient to their
respective views and interests. In Or
der to effect this point they endeavor
to work on our passions; and If one
of them should find in our country, or
in those who administer our Govern
ment, a violent hatred against it
rival. or a strong affection toward
itself, It will not fail to lay hold on
those feelings in order to direct our
counsels.
1t is well known that the trench
were extremely DESTROYS Of seeing
Mr.. Jefferson President: that they in
terested themselves to the utmost in
favor of his election; that they made
a great point of his success. Had
there been no other objection to him,
this, in my mind, would have beenquite
sufficient. They must have been de-
sirOus Of his succeeding from one of
two reasons; either because thew
thought him so devoted to their in
terests as to enter readily and of his
own accord into all their views; or so
weak, or vain. that would be easy for !
them to flatter or brighten him into
such measures as they might wish TO
see adopted Probably they counted !
on both; either would render him un-
fit for President Of the United States, /
had he no other defect"
The above almost reads as If II had I
been written yesterday. Substitute
Germany for England and Wilson for
Jefferson, and the parallel is striking
e. L. SCHARF. Phi. d.