Evening star., 1924-10-05


Il of 1900. which resulted in the
election OF Thomas Jefferson
to the presidency and Aaron Burr to
the vice presidency. The wave of radi-
calism which has spread over the
Northwest and finds sympathy in
other parts of the country resembles
in many ways the "Republicanism" of
1900. on the crest of which Jefferson
was carried into power. through the
votes of the House of Representa-
tives. after a deadlock which lasted
six days.
The radicals Of 1900 complained of
msrule by the Federalistic admins
trations of Washington and Adams,
bewailing an intolerabIe tax burden,
accusing the Government of gross ex-
travagance, and assailing the Army
and Navy as costly accessories Of
power. useless in republic. They
clamored for a government which should
represent the people rather than a
minority of tories and aristocrats.
The Republicans. back Of Jefferson,
raised the hue and cry because Con-
gress had authorized the expenditure
of $4,000 on the Presidents House
in the District of Columbia. and
$50, 900 on the building Of the Capitol.
when the Federal Treasury was put to
serious straits to obtain the money
to pay the interest on the public
debt The Republicans of that day ad-
vocated the prompt payment Of the
public debt, even at the cost of di-
rect taxation. They fought the alien
and sedition laws and their Demo-
cratic sympathies still responded to
the exploded ideals Of French COM
muniSm, now shot to death by the
guns Of Napoleon.
Complaints Similar.
The Progressives of 1924 are raising
the same hue and cry over the tax
burden growing out of the World
War. They are voicing similar la
ment over the downtrodden masses
and the tyrannies and extravagance
of the Federal Government. The Re-
publicans of 1900 desired to destroy
the Army and the Navy and to re-
duce the power of the National Gov
ernment, and the radicals Of 1924
would weaken the authority and pres
tige of the Supreme Court and start
the ownership and operation Of pub
lie utilities by the Government.
OF the candidates of 1924 John w.
Davis more nearly resembles Thomas
Jefferson than any of the others, and
10 make the resemblances more per-
feet he should be running as a
Progressive rather than a Democrat.
Thomas Jefferson was not a Repub-
lican, by education, character or po-
litical sentiment and experience. He
was ambitious and a master poll
tician, and he used the only means at
hand to place himself in control Of
the Government He was about the
same kind of a liberal Republican
that Mr.. Davis is progressive DEM
ocrat.
Mr.. Coolidge stands, Of course, for
John Adams, who with the Federal
lists behind him, represented the
common sense" government Of that
day and age.
Old Aaron Burr and Brother
Charles do not resemble each other
| so much, but to keep up the scheme
of resemblances they must go to-
gether. Mr.. Dawes really has no par
allel in the political history of our
| country, but it will do to group him
with Pinckney of 1900.
ReseRblances Sonewhat Strained.
1t will now be seen that this pro-
gram of resemblances is in some re-
spects a little strained. but the main
lines Of the plan are correct, and the
two compaigns are quite as similar as
| political events separated BY more