The Alaska daily empire., 1920-04-13
JEFFERSON THE PROGENITOR OF
 BOTH PARTIES

Today is the firth birthday anniversary of Thomas Jefferson II is day that should be joined to those two in February an American holiday and particularly so in all that section of the country which lies of the Mississippi River, section of the world that a part of the United States be- cause of the foresight and courage of the man who dared to negotiate the Louisiana purchase
 An all too mide-spread fallacious notion that Jef- fersons principal services the partisan found CT of one of the present-day political parties has prevented the memory Of the great author of the Declaration of Independence from receiving full measure of honor the hands of his countrymen Re- publicans been less generous toward Jefferson than Democrats have been toward Lincoln. Too many of them have remembered more keenly the feeling developed against Dixie during the recon struction days than have studied the precepts and example of the great founder of the Republican party who was among the foremost among follow of Jefferson, and too many remember that Jef- ferson was Vrgnian and too few that he was an American whose stature greater than the boun- dries of any State
 The present day Republican party, in fact, is ot almost pure Jeffersonian strain as the Democratic He is the progentor of all the major political par ties.of the last loo years He succeeded in the Presidency by Madison and Monroe who learned . their Americanism and democracy at his knee and who served in his official family. During the ad- ministraton of Monroe, the Jeffersonian, the old Federalis Party, which had opposed Jefferson, was put away. The real leader of the next political party to rise in the country the Whg, and it's leader Henry Clay, Jeffersonian and anti Federalis of the strictest sect. As Administration leader in the House of Representatives and later Administration Speaker of the House. during the ad nnisrations of Madison and Monroe. his were among the deadliest of the knockout blows which ended the Federalist party during the period just preced ing the Era of Good Feeling"
 It the rivalry between Clay and Jackson, largely personal. that carried Clay into the Whig party Both from the then Southwest Clay from Kentucky and Jackson from Tennessee, and there there for only National leader in the party. The ascendency of Jackson eclipsed Clay's ambition and he became the great leader of the Whig Party.
 It is true that Cays Whig leadership dis pued by Webster the Federalist of Jeffersons time. but he great Commoner the idol of the Whig Party and lie the recognized leader of the youth full Lincoln, who destined later breath soul and vriiity into the Republican party, Lincoln. like Clay. Jeffersonan student, and also like Clay, he paid frequent tribute to tEe memory and teachings of the Sage of Monticello Therefore if the present day Republican Party recognizes Loncoln its father and Clay it's grandfather 1t must admit that it is only generation further back. in direct line to Jefferson the greatest of the world teachers of democracy whose farseeing wisdom busi ability and diplomacy brought Americanism to the trans Mississippi Empire.