The Coolidge examiner., 1933-04-07

his Virginia plantation he practiced rotation or
crops long before this basic principle OF scientihc
agriculture was thought of by people who
were To build a nation deenlFe rooted In the
products OF the soil. AS a patron OF the i'm
provement of live stock in this country and the
introduction of new fruits and vegetables he was
In constant communication with men interested
In these subjects both In America and Europe
Rotation of crops and other forms of scientific
agriculture however. are not the only things
for which the agriculture Of today is Indebted to
Thomas Jefferson. When the farmer plows up
an old meadow, turning the sod over upon itself,
he can thank Thomas Jefferson, the inventor.
For IL was this man who invented the plow mold
board which makes modern grassland plow1ng
possible When the motorist folds down the top
of his car TO get the full benent or the cooi
breeze. he can thank Jefferson for the invention
which makes it possible to do so. When the desk
worker tits back in his comfortable swivel chair
or swings around ea@ly instead Of getting up
and turning the chair. he should remember CRATE
fully the name of Thomas jefferson, for 1t was
this Virginian who invented the only improve
ment In seating devices since the time OF the
early Egyptians In fact all inventors should
look upon Jefferson as their patron saint. For
when man devises something new and estab-
fishes in court his right to it against those who
would Initiate IL ana pTOHL tneTeDFs ne 10 III
debted to jefferson for laying down the principle
upon which the United States patent office is
founded.
No less interesting than Jefferson the scientist
and the inventor. is Jefferson the patron of fine
arts He was keenly interested in literature and
was himself writer of note He was musician
and an accomplished volinist. 1t is recorded
that when his early home. the house of his fa-
ther at Shadwell was burned in 1770. although
he lost all of his books and papers, he rejoiced
in the fact that his violin was saved by negro
servant. AS an artist he expressed himself best
in architecture, and monuments to his architec-
tura taste are to be found today in the beau
tiful buildings of Georgian style on the campus
of the University of Virginia at Charlottesville
but more particularly on his estate nearby, the
famous Monticello.
Such was the man whose birthday we cee-
brate on oril 13. When Jefferson was approach
ing the end of his long and varied career, he
composed the epitaph which he wished to have
inscribed upon his tomb. 1t read: Here was
buried Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declara-
ton of American independence. of the Statute
of Virginia for Religious Freedom and the Fa-
ther of the University of Virginia" If Jefferson
were to be remembered for nothing more than
those three things, his fame would be secure.
But history has written these other achieve
ments under his name. He member of the
Continental congress. 1775-76 and signer of the
Declaration. In 1776 he was a member of the
legislature of Virginia and leader in impor
tant legal reforms. In 1910 he was governor of
Virginia; in 1888 a member of congress; from
| 1884 to 1889 he was United States minister to
France; he the first secretary of state, serv-
ing in Washingtons cabinet 179094; he was Vice
President 1797-1S01 and he was the third Presi
dent of the United States. 1S01-1809. During
his Presidency he made the famous Louisiana
purchase from France which carried the Amer
| ican flag in one giant leap from the Mississippi
to the summit of the Rockies and paved the way
| for the extension of tits country from sea to
sea.