Evening star., 1938-01-09
Text Of Presidents Speech

UVNI VI TISSI
The tert of President Roosepelt's
address at the Jackson Day dinner last
night
When speaking before a party gath
ering in these modern times l am
happy to realize that the audience
is not confined to active members of
my own party, and that there is less
of unthinking partisanship in this
country today than at any time since
the administration of President WASH
ington.
In the last campaign a charming
lady wrote me as follows: Il believe
in you and in what you are trying
to do for the Nation. I do wish
could vote for you-but you see my
parents were Republicans. and was
brought up as Republican, and so
have to vote for your opponent"
My reply to her ran as follows:
MY father and grandfather were
Democrats, and l was brought up as a
Democrat, but in 1904, when I cast
my first vote for President, I voted
for the Republican candidate. Theo-
dore Roosevelt, because I thought he
was a better Democrat than the DEM
ocratic candidate"
have told that story many times.
and if had to do it over again I
would not alter that vote.
Says Democratic Party
Reflects Unity of Nation.
Conditions and parties change with
every generation. Nevertheless,
cannot help but feel pride in the fact
that the Democratic party as it ex-
lists today is national party reflect
ing the essential unity of the whole
country. AS We move forward under
our present momentum it Is not only
necessary but it is right that the
party slough off any remains of sec
Party progress cannot stop just be-
cause some officials and private groups
fail to move with the times. Their
places will be amply filled by the
rising generation. Mature abhors a
vacuum"
In these recent years the average
American seldom thinks of Jefferson
and jackson as Democrats or of Lin
coin and Theodore Roosevelt as Re-
publicans-but labels each one of them
according to his attitude toward the
fundamental problems that confronted
him when he was active in the affairs
Of government.
These men stand out because Of the
constructive battles they waged, not
merely battles against things Tempo
rarily evil but battles for things per-
manently good-battles for the basic
morals of democracy. which rest on
respect for the right of self-gov-
ernment and faith in majority rule.
They knew, with the wisdom of ex-
perience, that the majority often
makes mistakes. But they believed
passionately that rule by a small
minority class unfailingly makes worse
mistakes-for rule by class takes coun-
sci from itself and fails to heed the
problems and, therefore, the good of
all kinds and conditions of men. In
the long run the instincts of the COM
mon man. willing to live and let live,
work out the best and safest balance
for the common good. That is what I
mean by the battle to restore and
maintain the moral integrity of
democracy.
Cites Small Minority
Opposed to Democracy.
At heart some of the small minority
on the other side seek and use power
to make themselves masters instead
OF servants of mankind. At heart
they oppose our American form of
government.
That is the cause of the great strug-
gle We are engaged ina struggle for
the maintenance of the integrity of
the morals of democracy. And we are
in the process of winning it.
President Washington, feeling his
way through the organizing years of
the infant Republic, questioned
whether government would not be most
safely conducted by the minority of
education and wealth.
But Jefferson saw that this control,
ii long exercised by minority, would
be destructive of a sound, representa-
tive, democratic system. He preached
the extensions of the franchise and
government more responsive to the
popular will.
Against him were almost all the
newspapers and magazines of the day.
And so. to disseminate their policies
in every hamlet and town his asso.