Arizona daily citizen., 1901-07-18
THE TRlUMph OF HAAILToNlSM.

Hamlltoniansm has been triumphant in our i'm
peri 'llstlc development. To hold subject provinces
forever without Incorporating them into the United
States and bringing them under constitu-
ton means system of government akin in principle
to that British model which Hamilton admired over
century ago. The Downes means that Ham
lonlanism sustained and given it's wings for
unimpeded flight
Such is the gloomy picture painted by the
Springfield Republican in a powerful editorial upon
the Hamiltonian tendency which now seems predom-
inant There is much no doubt in present condi-
tions and in comparative study of the present with
the past to Justify forebodngs as to the future
of democracy in America Prof Woodrow Wilson,
conservative scholar who is not at all given to SEN
sationa statements, has expressed the opinion that
democracy is on the decline
Alexander Hamilton was the most brilliant
enemy that the American democracy has ever known
He had the most profound contempt for popular in.
stltutons He believed that the most successful
government is that in which political power is con-
cenrated in the wealth and arstocracy of the land
and the whole trend OF the political principles which
he enunciaed has been in that direction. The prin-
clple OF special privilege, the idea of commercial ag
grandizement, the national bank oligarchy and the
establishment of large standing army all go to
make up the Hamiltonian theory. Fortunately this
theory, being utterly repulsive to the democratic
sentiment of the time, was almost instantaneously
rejected by the statesmen who were responsible for
the character institutions assumed Hence in the
formation of our fundamental law the people were
carefully guarded against these undemocratic
ideas
Now an honest and strict construction Of this
instrument would have efectuay curtailed the DOW
er of aristocracy. 1t commanded the confidence of
the people and could not be repealed. Therefore il
was germane to the Hamiltonian purpose to read in
to the instrument through some imaginary process
those very powers which it was meant to guard
against. This policy early adopted by the Ham
lltonlan party and has been pursued with unfalter-
ing consistency since. Persistency eventually
has effect The constant dripping Of water wears
away stone and likewise the continual appeal for
loose construction has resulted especially of late
years. in concession after concession until the cul
mination came in the large concessions" of the
Downes case, which marks at least the temporary
triumph of the Hamiltonian idea
Now what does this mean? There can certainly
be no triumph for Hamilton without defeat for the
democratic principle. This was universally admit
ted during the first half century of our national fe
when no measure bearing the brand of Hamilton
could pass unrebuked the constant vigilance of the
people. Today all this is changed. Hamilton grows
large as democracy diminishes. The plutocrats and
bootlickers and scholastic aristocrats have placed
him on the pedestal the god of their idolatory
The prospects that in 1904 the centennial of his
death, the Republican party will openly confess its
parentage. The late Supreme Court decision is the
most dangerous blow that has been given democracy
in hundred years.
This Hamiltonian tendency defines the issues
for the future. The responsibilities of the Demo-
cratic party are immense. They mean no less than
tight for the preservation of the democratic idea.
for constitutional government political equality and
the inherent rights of man.
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