The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-08-17

| exercise the sovereign power of controll
Ing the currency Of the republic.
He had hardly taken off his hat anC
settled himself in his office before he be
gan to write laws to please the rich. II
enlist the rich to additionally enrich thu
rich
BY this tariff system he proposed t
conceal from the citizen the true amount
of his taxes. and to levy tribute upon th'
great mass OF the people in the interest Of
a special class Naturally he expected
this class, II not already the richest, to
become by operation Of law; and as
the law was the source Of their fortune
he expected the creature to revere the
! creator.
Pennsylvania had already set the ex-
ample of taxing the entire community 1oi
the benefit Of a class. Her tariff act Of
| 1885, copied from English precedent, had
already shown what demand there was
for class legislation and Mr.. Hamilton.
living in commercial center like New
York, was far too shrewd to undertake its
strength. His position on funding and on
the assumption Of the state debts by the
national government drew to him every
speculator In the land who dabbled in
script or hungered for bonds.
His national bank measure not only fas-
cinated the capitalists Of the cities. but
gladdeneo the hearts of anti-democrats
everywhere, for it was the first great step
forward in the boundless region of inn
piled powers.
Juggling with the two phases Gen
eIal Welfare" and implied powers" he
made blank paper of the constitution.
If those words meant all he claimed. II
had been folly to waste time writing
the rest of the instrument.
Had Jefferson received his appointment
at the same time as Hamilton, if the con-
test between the two had begun With
fair start. it Is possible that even then
the impetuoslty and daring of Hamilton
might have prevailed. There were many
resources ct his command, many a per
suasive inducement by which he could
reach the wagering congressman And
as Hamilton openly avowed his belier
that corruption was a necessary engine
in government, he would no doubt have
corrupted all who were approachabe.
At any rate. Jefferson came too late.
Hamilton's plans were all under Roadway.
Some OF them had been adopted. The
president and the congress had already
formed the habit of doing as Hamilton
advised His cohorts had been mar
shaded. organized, and fed on victory.
ficult Hamilton had called a lobby into
existence; and this uncrowned monarch
was debating legislation
Not realizing the trend of Hamilton's
measures, Mr.. Jefferson did not at once
make any opposition. On the contrary,
he allowed himself to be drawn into
Hamiltons plans. There was a dead
lock In congress on the subject assump-
ton and of the location Of the national
capital.
Southern man ws"'a and "a did '~4 dot ATTY
assumption Northern men claimed 80
'eaeFal city but also wanted aSsumntion
mere was chance to log-rol. .Taffor-
son was made to believe that the pov-
e'"f'ient was In danger of going to niecas !
oNei ms dispute; and being aDDeaIed
20 by Hamilton he agreed to use hts
to effect a compromise
'"''e was dinner. q coming topetber
81 southern members and northern nor,-
oerS' sociable slipping of generous viz
= MASKING IN the beams of Jenersoni,r
ioSpi'altN, thawing out of frozen pro.
""il'y' an0 the birth Of healthy desire
o come to terms.
Ire SCUM gave assumption to the
'o' ~ 'he north gave the federal captaI
H. soutn- so the crisis passed; ana =
- son lelt rewarded for his trcn
10 IN the belief that he had haInea -
ave the union. ~ 7
hiterward when he looked back At :
us episode his serene temper was sora
tr'eq' for 1t dawned upon him tbat ba
az been egregiously duped bv Harni1
IN. ~ 1ialhil-
: ne south gained Washington CITY. am, Y
nat the national capital has ever baaar Fl
orth TO us 1t would be hard to saw
oh the subject OF the bank. there was nj
battle royal in the cabinet. Edmnnd s.