Arizona daily citizen., 1901-08-12
THE SPIRIT OF HAMILTON.

The two great St. Louis heWS
papers, the Republic, Democratic
and the Globe Democrat, Republi
can, have been engaged for week
or two past in a discussion Of
Hamiltonianism
In reply to the assertion of the
Republic that there has been with
in the last few years a dangerous
revival of Hamiltonianism, the
Globe Dcmocrrt attempts to sneeI
away tho danger that turks in the
present tendency and Joyially
demands definition a diagnosis
of the disease. With becoming
courtesy the Republican sheet vol
untecrs definition which il
compounded Of ignorance and
deception. With n breezy aban-
don that is truly delight
lightfuI it skins hurridly through
American history and cites every
important epoch making and pro-
gressiye act as OF IIamiltonan
origin, and donounces every trea-
son. every act of social discrd rider as
the product of the Jeifersonian
philosophy For some cause it
fails to ascribe the federalistic
treason of 1912 to Jeffersonian
sources, but space perhaps would
not permit.
Now, if the Globe Democrat
really desires to familiarizo itself
with the true meaning of Hamil-
tonianism it should consult Ham
iltons biography by Henry Cabot
Lodge. There can surely be no
objection to the biographer Lodge
and the Globe Democat are in the
same wagon and destined for the
same dump. Hamiltonianism has
no more feryent exponent than
the junior senator from Massa-
chusetts.
The biography of Hamilton by
Lodge tends to prove that Hamil
ton despised democracy, distrus-
ted the capability of the people, be-
lieved in the domination of class
influence, and placed his faith in
aristocracy. Boiled down, Hamil-
tonianism, according to Lodge,
means opposition to a democracy.
And what is a democracy? Ac.
cording to the Century Dictionary
democracy means "a system of
government in which the sovereign
power of state is vested in the
people as a whole" Lalor's Cyclic
paedia and all other works on po-
litical economy give practically
the same definition. Hence OPP
position to a democracy would
mean opposition to the rule of the
whole people, to the principle OF
political equality.
In the discussion of Hamilton
ianism Lodge says:
We have already seen the ten
dency of Hamilton in mind and
temperament to distrust n pure
democracy and to have faith only
in a strong Government and in
the influence and power of tho up
per classes
The republic of Hamilton was
to be nm aristocratic as distinguish
ed from n democratic republic.
He did not believe in democra-
cy as system of Government. He
believed in class influence and rep-
resentation, and in what, for want
of better phrase, may be called
an aristocratic republic.
Now Hamilton was man either
of superb courage or unparalleled
audacity. He made no secret OF
his philosophy. He made overy
effort to build up his aristocratic
republic in which wealth and class
influence and standing armies
should entirely dominate the peo-
pie, but in vain. The democratic
idea was too firmly rooted in the
American mind and Hamilton.
ianism, while strong in large cities
was rejected, During the frst
twenty-five years of our nationa
life the principle was seemingl,
eradicated.
There is now, however, a reviva
OF Hamiltonionism- CROWN,
tendency toward class influence,
growing preponderance of the pow
or of wealth: a fashionable derisiol
OF political equality, growing con
tempt for the commonalty, and al