El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-10-26

By
Frederic
]. Haskn

Rhode Island had not yet come into
the Union, SO that there were % sena-
tors and So representatives in the first
congress which sat in New York in the
spring Of 1889.
Senators All FederaIists
All of the senators, having been elect
ed by legislatures which had ratified
the constitution. were FederaIists Fiji
ty-three of the 65 representatives also
were Federalists, but in the house
there was a tiny minority of u anti
Federalists who had been elected
chiefly because they had been opposed
to the adoption of the constitution. 1t
soon became apparent, however, that
the new experiment was worthy of a
fair trial and opposition to theN con-
StitutiOn soon completely disappeared
The new constitution having been
accepted, but human nature not having
been revoluticnized, the political clans
again divided On the question of how
the constitution ought to be inter
preted. The party names Federalist
and anti Federalist, were continued.
but with a new meaning. The Federal
lists were those who believed in a.
strong central government and a loose
or broad construction of the constitu-
ton, while the anti-Federalists were
tenacious Of thel rights of the states
and demanded strict construction Of
the fundamental law. President Wash
ington feared the division of the peo-
pie into hostile political camps ard
did his best to keep down political agi-
tation- He invited into his cabinet
Alexander Hamilton. foremost among
the broad constructionists, and Thorn
as Jefferson, the leader of the strict
constructionists. But this administra-
tive act could not prevent a division of
opinion in the congress which was
charged with the business of making
statutory provisions for the establish
ing of the machinery Of the new gov
eminent.
First "Off Year. Campaign.
When the time came to choose the
members of the second congress there
was a great deal more public interest
than had been manifested in the first
election, and this-the first off
year campaign-resu1ted in the election
OF So Federalists and IA anti-Federal-
lists. The Federalist victory was
complete, but the senate showed a
change of sentiment that presaged the
coming division, there being II FEEDER
alists and Is anti-Federalists in the
upper house. In the first congress the
senate had ben soltdly Federalist, in
the second congress that party had a
The Federalists> acknowledged the
personal leadership of Hamilton, while
the opposition was captained by Mr..
Jefferson, who soon abandoned the IT,
tile of anti-Federalist and gave his
following the name OF Democratic Re
publican party. The members of the
party usually shortened this name to
Republican" but the Federahsts in
derision always called their opponents
Democrats" In the fullness of time
the name given in derision was adopt
ed in pride, just as the appellation
Christian" and the party dropped the
co-title Republican" and ever since
has been known IS the Democratic
party. The word Republican was first
dropped generally in 1924, but remain
ed in use in many states until 1850.
Federalisfs Meet Defeat.
In 1892 Washington was reelected
president, being supported both by the
FederaliSts and the Democrats. But
the two parties fought hard for con-
gressional control, and, for the first
time, the Federalists were defeated. the
Democrats returning 81 members of the
house, as against 81 Federalists giving
Democratic majority Of three. But
the Federalists gained in the senate
where there were Is Federalists and II
Democrats. In the off year election
efforts to gain control Of the lower
house of congress, but were not sue
cessful. the Democrats increasing their
majority from three TO 13.
In 1896, Gen. Washington having re-
fused a third term, the two parties for
the first time went into battle with