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Show I Tho. Jefferson -A Shibboleth. I So far as existing political conditions confront j us one might say well-nigh whatever he pleased in an effort to suggest a shibboleth by which the Identity ot those claiming to be disciples of Thomas Thom-as Jefferson could be established; ana in applying the test not only 40,000 are likely to be slain, as there were of unfortunate Ephraimites, who, as to the word "shibboleth" and in the language of the Bible, "could not frame to pronounce it right," but a mightier host claiming equally with the slayers to be the true followers of that statesman states-man and philosopher. By those that stand afar off and watch the fraternal slaughter of contending contend-ing Democratic factions, it might be suggested that the adopted methods of extermination are wholly at variance with the result sought to be accomplished. They might declare also that more i suited to the task of extinction were a Samson and the instrument wielded by him in his famod assault upon the Philistines; for truly, no weapon weap-on ever devised is fitter to be used among the antagonistic professors of the name of Jefferson than the jaw bone of an ass. Let it not be interred in-terred that I hold this singular weapon in any way to have fallen into disuse. The gathering in this city on Monday night no less than similar gatherings elsewhere manifestly disproves such an assumption. And why? Because alleged Democrats call upon a patron saint for support, yet they deny him in spirit. Not what Thomas Jefferson was should command our reverence so much as that which he battled for in tho hour of dire necessity and great trial. The things he contended for when he lived it were childish to assume would be those he would advocate today. He fought for the needs of his own hour. Jefferson was not tied to the tail end nor hopelessly stuck in the middle of preceding pre-ceding centurjes. While we confess that the world does move, yet by our actions "we contradict the very l things we teach." Each day involves new duties. Each age marks new epochs of thought and in- I spiration. What hedges" mankind about is the idolatrous worship of ideals from which the living liv-ing spirit has lied. There is as much inspiration inspira-tion in a mummy as in some of the so-called principles prin-ciples to which we adhere with a lip devotion that death only seems capable of ending. Thomas Jeff ei son gave it as his opinion that there should be a revolution every twenty years. Was this because the man was bloodthirsty? No one believes it. This utterance, expressed in other language only the thought immortalized by Patrick Henry when he declared "Eternal vigilance vigil-ance is the price of liberty." There is an interminable inter-minable strife between the welfare of the many and the desires of tho few. Like a law of nature self-interest never rests. Unceasingly and in-siduously in-siduously it seeks for itself. Slowly, yet unfalteringly, unfal-teringly, it pursues its steadfast couise; little by little it achieves its growing ends; noiselessly it undermines tho foundation of the edifice erected by the fathers for the preservation of all their children. Students of Jefferson will recall that one of his great fears tor the perpetuation of the Republic was because of the disposition ot the Supreme Court of the nation, seen in his own day, to usurp the functions of the legislative branch of government gov-ernment How many Democratic lawyers are there now, despite the realization of the statesman's states-man's worst apprehensions, that share his dread ot the aggressions and assumptions of the judicial judi-cial body in question though all are free enough to give lip praise to his memory and philosophy. Since the civil war money has become the dominant force in nearly all our relations. Besides Be-sides the courts, Jefferson was alarmed because ot the banks, and dreaded the tendencies growing grow-ing out of slavery. The slavery question has been settled with a loss of life and a desolation that can never be compensated for. The record of the Supreme Court ot the nation is as free a confession con-fession of Jefferson's prescience as could be desired; de-sired; while the power of money has become so flagrant and unabashed that one's sanity is practically prac-tically "uestioned if his knee is not ever ready to bow to this old yet eternally rejuvenated Baal. Statesmen have come to view tho possession of wealth as signifying prosperity (Heavens help us!), to many churchmen it is looked upon as salvation; while lathers speak of it before their children as though it meant honor! How can upright men tolerate all this and at the same time lift their voices in praise of a man, the prayer of whose heart was that ours might be a land in which there should be no extremely rich and no abjectly poor? Let it be borne well in upon the mind that truth is ever compelled to fight tor recognition. H Arrayed against its acceptance are man's indiffer- H once and all the vulgar traditions of a past to M which by temperament, age and superficial self- ifl interest he has become anchored as to an immova- fl ble rock. We are ready to concede that fresh I aspirations are continually arising, and that these H aspirations exact new obligations; yet while this ,H much is freely granted Ave persist nevertheless iH in a determination to analyze the new elements with old solvents. And we fail, as we nave ar- H ways tailed. Elements that are really new do- H mand other reagents than those previously em- H ployed in order that a rational solution may be H had. This day, in our land at least, sees in in- H dustrial disturbances and unrost the pressing is- H sues of the hour. These issues involve what wo H call the trusts, the employment of natural mono- H polies to private advantage, the ownership of the iH mind vastly more perceptive and analytical than jH God has given to me who can discern any funda mental difference in the methods proposed either by the Republican or the Democratic party to means of production, and the methods of the dis- M tributlon of that which the labor of man has pro- jH duced. With a desire not to deceive yourselves, ! let each person state frankly what distinction M there is on these vital questions between tho j great political parties of the day. He has a j meet these issues and solve them. Any distino j tion that may superficially appear are as the dif- PH ferences between twee-dle-dee and twee-dle-dum. H And that there should be no fundamental varia H tion respecting tho remedies proposed is only (H natural for the reason that the mind of man in- AH variably inclines to the old solvents that have H been tried, time and again, ever since caste ap- IH peared among the children of men uecauso some H were possesed of greater wealth than their fel- IH lows. IH He reads the history of man's world to little purpose. Who has not learned that the centraliza- H tion of a nation's wealth in the hands of a few IH has invariably preceded the downfall of that na- jjfl tion. Hence Jefferson's hope that this might be H a land in which there should bo no extremely IH rich and no abjectly poor, expressed, simply and IH in another form, his heart's desire for the perpe- tuity of the Republic. Despite tho fact that his- jj tory offers no exception to the fast law above l stated, the struggle of all civilized nations is for a j greater and still greater wealth no matter how f Continued on page 11, H Thos, Jefferson Continued. y s distributed; and thio statesman whose mind clearly perceives the dissolution that ap- 1 proaches as rapidly as wealth increases in diminishing di-minishing hands, yet toils for a greater snare or that which, his knowledge asserts, only hastens the hour of national death. Suggest any solvent for these dangers, outside those tried for ages, and you will be laughed at as a dreamer, and as one offering a solution that is utterly impracticable; impracti-cable; and this will be said of you soberly and severely by those who know that their own rem- ( edies are vain and worthless. I am not of those who believe that increasing ' wealth in a nation necessarily presages Its hasten- j ing or even eventual decay and death. My rea- $ sons for this cannot be given here. Perhaps they ' are not as yet wholly clear to nor sufficient for i myself. But I do know, as I know the .Lord liv-eth, liv-eth, that in due season men will arise, quickened it may be a new inspiration, who will fund all the j aspirations of the struggling producers of the world for more righteous industrial environments, into one great truth, so faultlessly expressed ' that only the hard of heart and utterly selfish will deny its justice and potency. What time this may be I cannot say; but my hope is for its ear-' ly coming. The solution of the existing unhappy conditions, condi-tions, against which the race still vainly struggles strug-gles in the old and hopeless way, will be accomplished ac-complished by methods ridiculed today methods that excite the contempt of your worldly wise and intelligent and this solution will bring into existence exist-ence a new world that will be equally the birthright birth-right of all God's children; where no set of men can monopolize for their own selfish ends the fruits that a generous earth yields for all; where the hope of the immortal Jefferson will, indeed, be realized and there will be no extremely rich ' and no abjectly poor, where Christ's 4 great and golden rule shall prevail and man will do unro others as he would that others should do unto i him. While for those who, consciously or unconsciously, un-consciously, wrong themselves by the perpetra- , tion of injustices upon their fellows (and I speak in all sincerity), let us say: "Forgive them, ' Father, for they know not what they do." i R. W. S. |