The Indianapolis times., 1935-07-10
Liberal Viewpoint
BY DIR. HARRY ELMER BARNES.

TT WAS inevitable that the Fourth OF July sea-
4 son would be eagerly seized upon by reac-
tionary orators all too eager to exploit patrloUlc
balyhoo and distorted history in behalf OF Re-
publicaniSm and plutocracy.
Perhaps the most amusing phase OF THIS cam
paign of historical baloney was the effort OF sew
eral mosSback spellbinders to dignity and sane
tfy their distortions and self-interest by claim
ing to speak in the name of Thomas Jefferson,
author of the Declaration of independence and
the founder of the Democratic Party
In the first place, it is necessary to keep in
mind the fact of the vast gulf between the Cul-
ture society and economic life OF the age OF Jet-
ferSon and that of our own day. Even II Jetter-
son could be proved an enemy Of the principles
of the New Deal, this would have little bearing
upon the worth and virtue of the latter in the
twentieth century.
Thomas jefferson rode on horseback to his
| Inauguration. Franklin D. Roosevelt flew from
New York to Chicago in an airplane to accept
| his nomination in person a few hours after 1t
! had been rendered him by the national conven-
| ton of his party. This indicates graphically but
! quite accurately why there can be little Jeffer-
| sonianism in the present era, no matter what
ones admiration for JeffersOnS intellect or
| ideals.
JEFFERSON lived in a primitive economy
J which literally resembled the material civil
ization of the late Stone Age more than the
American material culture of 1888. The United
! d
45O0O 600 farmers, small shopkeepers, traders and
handicraft artisans. There were no large cities,
| canals, railroads, steamships, telegraphS, tele-
| phones or cables, and only the petty beginnings
of factories in three or four New England towns.
Jefferson himself admitted that his system
was only applicable to rural civilization when
he wrote:
Il think our governments will remain virtu-
Gus for many years; as long as they are chiefly
| agricultural; and this will be as long as there
shall be vacant lands in any part of America.
When they get piled up on one another In large
cities as in Europe they will become as corrupt
| as Europe"
About all that We can safely preserve from
primordial Jefersonianism today is devotion to
intellectual freedom and a square deal. Bu5 the
technique of securing fair play for the majority
of Americans is now far different from what it
was in the days of the sage Of Monticello
/ THERE is no reason, however, to suspect that
l. jefferson would have been out of sympathy
with at least the pretensions of the New Deal if
he were living in 1885. Jefferson would have
been in hearty accord with the core of Mr..
Roosevelt's policy, namely, to draw upon expert
| leadership in the crisis. What could be a more
/ eloquent defense of the brain trust" than the
| following from Jefferson's letter to John Adams
in 1913:
Il agree with you that there is a natural
aristocracy among men. The grounds of this are
virtue and talents. . The natural ariStoctacy
I consider as the most precious gift of nature,
for the instruction, the trusts, and the govern
ment of society. May we not even say chat that
form of government is the best which provides
most effectively for a pure selection Ct those
natural aristocrats into the Offices of govern
ment? The artificial aristocracy, founded on
wealth and birth, without virtue and talents, is
| a mschievous ingredient in government and pro-
vision should be made to prevent its ascendency.'
1t is worth noting that it is the artificial
aristocracy' which is squealing loudest about the
New Deal, and Mr.. Roosevelt will aSsuredly sue
ceed just in so far as he makes provision to pre-
vent its ascendency."
Few quotations could be found anywhere
which would more cogenty and specifically VIM
dcate Mr.. Roosevelt's progressive and expert
mental attitude than the following statement by
Jefferson:
L know that laws and institutions must go
hand in hand with the progress of the human
mind. AS that becomes more developed, more
enlightened; as new discoveries are made, new
truths disclosed. and opinions change with the
! change of circumstances, institutions must ad-
vance also and keep pace with the times"