Evening star., 1944-03-15
Letters to The Star
Senator Hatch Explains Why
He Deems Jackson Great.

To the Editor of The Star:
Recently there appeared in The Star
a letter signed "Bewildered Student,
asking why Andrew Jackson was SO
generally honored by Democrats when,
as matter of fact. many school his
tories sharply criticize him for variety
of things.
The letter cited various and sundrv
OF Jackson's alleged sins, the implica-
tlon being that the widespread admira-
ton for old Hickory" among millions
OF Americans might be misplaced,
therefore, it is perhaps fitting that
today-March IS, Andrew Jacksons
blrthday-the editor of The Star be
requested to print letter in the nature
of reply to "Bewildered Student"
First, strange as it sounds, our school
history books have not given fair treat
ment to the general and President. Nor
Is this surprising. Claude Bowers has
pointed out that the early historians
were Wings, members of partv Bit
terly opposed to Jackson and whose idol
Henry Clay-Was Jacksons chief po-
ntlcaI opponent. They certainly did not
go out OF their way to give jackson his
due.
Examine the myth about Jackson as
spokesman" Some of our school
h!StorleS actually say that Jackson in
ltlated the "spoils system" in the United
states and that his motto was: ITO the
vlctors belong the spoils."
AS a matter of fact this is not true.
NO up-to-date authority on American
history, with the facts before him, will
make any such statement. Most elab-
crate OF the studies made of this myth
is that by Prof. Erik M. Eriksson. writ
ing IN the Mississippi Valley Historical
Review under the title, president Jack
son and the Civil Service" Prof. Eriks-
son reveals that less than one-fourth of
all the employees in the Government
service were removed and many of these
Tor cause. incidentally, Claude Bowers
IN Party Battles of the Jackson Period"
and more recently Hugh Russell Fraser
IN democracy in the Making" reveal
tnat most of Jackson's principal re-
movals were for fraud-that is. the
victims" later were. tried by the courts
and sent to Jail for embezzlement.
Likewise, Jefferson'S removals were
found to be greater proportionately than
Jackson's. Out of 433 postmasters of
tne presidential class, Jefferson removed
los He removed IA district ATTORNEYS
OUT OF ~, 10 marshals out of %, al COL
lectors out Of 81, 18 surveyors out of
5o ana 67 miscellaneous out of $50
yet no one would suggest that JEFF
Ierson was a spokesman or that John
quincy Adams, who sent 78 nominations
10 tne senate at moment when he
knew ne would be President only five
more nours, was in similar category.
ana, SO far as jackson is concerned
more than three-fourths of the Govern
ment employees during Jackson's term
were members Of the opposite party.
now old this myth get started? We
now know. In April, 1880, Senator John
Holmes OF Maine, a member of the op-
poSltlon party, made a speech in the
senate IN which he charged that Jack
son had made 1881 removals. The
ngres later were proven wholly false
But the Wing press took up the cry, the
IalSe charge was picked up by the Whie
historians and later repeated, without
investigation, by subsequent historians
Inc spolls system, actually, was of
slow growth. No one man is to blame
Tor it. And the suggestion that Jack
son was spokesman or ever subscribed
to the doctrine, ITO the victors belong
the spoils," simply is not true. The
phrase itself originated with Gov Marcy
of New York.
That brings us to Jackson's so-called
Kitchen Cabinet" group of brilliant,
high-minded men who could not be
purchased by money or any special in
terest. These men-Amos Kendall.
Frank Blair, Isaac Hill, Roger Taney-
constituted the first presidential "brain
trust" IN American history.
Two Of thera-Kendall and Tanev-
later were appointed to high Govern
ment positions, and the latter finally
as Chief Justice OF the United States.
Jackson's brain trust" was needed
when he discovered that most of the
members of the cabinet were under the
influence Of Calhoun; finally these
members were forced out and Jackson
had loyal and disinterested advisers.
Why was Andrew Jackson great?
First, because he raised the United
states to world power by his conquests
IN Florida and his victory at New
Orleans
Second, because he destroyed the first
great monopoly to arise in the United
States-the Second Bank of the United
States Philadelphia). This monopoly
ae one Time was SO powerful that it
could rum almost any businessman in
the country who opposed it and ct the
moment Jackson challenged it was
reaching out to control the Government
itself.
Third, because Jackson championed
the humble, the lowly, the disinherited
and dispossessed of the earth" Repeat
edly he had asked Congress to limit the
public lands to actual settlers, not make
them the prey of spectators.
Fourth, because his famous specie
circular" of 1886, making it necessary
to pay only gold or silver for the public
lands. stopped a wild imitation and
speculation which a Whig-don1inated
Congress had allowed to grow until it
culmlnated in the depression of 1887.
Filth, because Jackson as President
IN 1882 scotched the first great chal-
lenge to the supremacy of the Union by
his vigorous action in the South Caro-
lima notification crisis.
And finally, because Jacksons great
courage, his devotion to the welfare of
the people as whole, instead of a rich
and powerful minority, constitute one of
the most inspiring chapters in the epic
that is America. CARL A. HATCH.
Speaks for Civilian Workers..
To the Editor of The Star:
Statements recently have been issued
to the effect that discharged veterans
should be granted special privileges in
securing employment with the Gov
eminent
have no complaint with respect to
this, except to ask about those of us,