The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1913-08-22


OF generous spirit deemed 1t his mere
duty to extol the French, to join clubs
after their manner, in the name of the
rights of man. to speak everywhere in
praise of the revolution But by the
time 1t became necessary to act--to
declare the position and policy of the
nations government towards France
a sober second thought had come, and
Washington's task was a little simpli.
fed.
The measures already adopted by
the government, though well enough
calculated to render it strong, had not
been equally well planned to make it
/, popular. The power to tax, SO jeal-
ously withheld but the other day from
the Confederation. the new congress
had begun promptly and confidently
to exercise upon a great scale, not
only laying duties upon imports, the
natural resource of the general gov
eminent, but also imposing taxes upon
distilled spirits, and SO entering the
fiscal field of the states,
Not only had the war debts of the
states been assumed, but a national
j bank had been set up (1791), as if still
| further to make the general govern
ment sure Of complete mastery In
the field of finance. Jefferson and Ran
dolph had fought the measure in the
cabinet. as many moderate man had
fought it in congress, and Washington
had withheld his signature from it till
he should hear what they had to urge.
! But he had sent their arguments to
! Hamilton for criticism, and had ac-
cepted his answer In favor of the
bank
Jefferson and Randolph had chal-
lenged the measure on the ground that
it was without warrant in the Consti-
| tuition, which nowhere gave congress
the right to create corporations, fiscal
or other. Hamilton replied that, be-
sides the powers explicitly enumer-
ated, the Constitution gave to congress
the power to pass any measure nee
essary and proper" for executing those
set FORTH that congress was itself left
to determine what might thus seem
necessary: and that If It deemed the
erection of bank proper, means of
executing the undoubted financial pow
ers of the government, the constitu-
tional question was answered
BY accepting such view Washing
ton sanctioned the whole doctrine of
implied powers which Jefferson
| deemed the very annulment of a writ
ten and explicit constitution. No
bounds. Jefferson believed, could be
set to the aggressive sweep of congress
sional pretension If the two houses
were to be given leave to do whatever
they thought expedient in exercising
their In any case great and command
ing powers. No man could doubt, in
the face of such measures. what the
spirit and purpose of Hamilton were.
or of the president whom Hamilton so
| strangely dominated
| Opposition Is Stronp.
! Strong measures bred strong opposi-
ton. When the first congress came
together there seemed to be no par
ties In the country. All men seemed
agreed upon fair and spirited trial
of the new Constitution. But an oppo-
sition had begun to gather form before
| its two years term was out; and in
the second congress party lines began
to grow definite-not for and against
the Constitution. but for and against
an extravagant use of constitutional
powers.
There was still majority for the
principal measures of the administra-
ton; but the minority had clearly be-
gun to gather force both in the votes
and In the debates. The reaction was
unmistakable Even Madison, Wash
ington's stanch friend and intimate
counsellor. who had at first been his
spokesman in the house. began to
draw back-f1rst doubted and then
opposed the policy of the treasury. He
had led the opposition to the bank,
and grew more and more uneasy to
note the course affairs were taking.
1t looked as If the administration
were determined OF set purpose to In
crease the expenses of the govern
ment. in order that they might add to
the loans. which were SO acceptable
to influential men of wealth, and
double the taxes which made the pow
er of the government so real in the
eyes Of the people. Steps were urged
to create navy: to develop an army
with permanent organization and
equipment; and the president insisted
upon vigorous action at the frontiers
against the western Indians. This was
part of his cherished policy. It was
his way of fulfilling the vision that
had long ago come to him, of nation
spreading itself down the western
slopes of the mountains and over all
the broad reaches of festile land that
looked towards the Mississippi. but
to many a member Of congress from
the quiet settlements In the east it
looked like nothing better than waste
of men and of treasure.
Seemed Too lmperious.
The president seemed even a little
too imperious In the business: Would
sometimes come into the senate in no
temper to brook delay in the consid-