New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-07
A MILESTONE.

Prompted doubtless by Inc lhshah'
able if disappointed devotion of Colonei
George Harvey. the llarpers have Just
issued n new edition of Woodrow VIII
sons George Washington. first pub
lished in 1896 while Mr.. Wilson vas
still disposed To knock Mr.. Bryan into
"a cooked hat and before he had diScoV'
cred in him the zone fixed point in the
history Of The Democratic party. lbiS
tribute OF the President-elect 10 the
first Presidents policies is significant
as milestone by which 10 mark the
progress of Mr.. Wilson in philosophical
;adicalism.
The chapter on WaSbipgton's admin
iStration Is II glowing tribute to the
great measures by which the business
interests of the country were bronsht
10 the support of the federal govern
ucnt. It's supremacy established, it's an-
thorily enforced directly upon disal-
fccted ci,izens Of the states and Am"ri-
can nationality maintained in spite or
Jefferson. who had come back from
France n philosophical radical rather
than statesman" These great poll
cies which really made the United
states an enduring nation under the
Constitution are justly credited 4"
Hamilton by Governor Wilson. who
points out that IIamilton's predomi-
nance Law in the fact that his meas
'ureS jumped with Washington pnr-
pose. NO man" he says. stood
closer 10 his purpose 10 strengthen
and give prestige To the government
than Hamilton. and no man WAS able
TO discover the means with. a surer
".cniuS.' Washington had adopted
the fiscal measures for promoting pros
periiv and bringing the substantial
business interests 10 support the Con
stitution as his own. Hamilton :
strength consisted in having his con
"fdcncc and support" Washington
and lIamiton's struggle 10 make IN"
provincial stareS a veritabc nation de
spite the sentimental radicaliSm W JEFF
fcrson. cnamoured of the French R"vo-
hltion. wins warm encOmiums from Mr..
Wilson. who eXclaiIns:
Truly this nan was The FIRST Ameri-
can. H.. men about him pIo'In'ia IS
merely. dcprud"nt still for Their lie
and thought upon The breath Of tho Old
World. unless. like Hamilton. tho had
been born and stood aloOi, or. Ike
Gouverneur Morris. had divined Europe
i'm nor own capitals with clear. un-
ruamoured eyes.
II is q long jump from the historical
vision which secs in Washington, anu
after him in Hamilton and GOuvcrncur
Morris. the first true AmericanisIn, and
the craftsmanship which prononnccs
Hamilton. who was the agent and for
mulator Of WaShington'S great pur-
poses. mot great American and an
nounccs that il does not wish the adj
vice of business men on measures ar
fec,ing business interests; hut Gov
ernor Wilson has taken H.
As we look al that long leap we can
not help thinking that Mr.. Bryan,
whose "steadfast vision now COM
mands the admiration Of the President
eject, has performed for him the same
Office which the Dantons and the Robes
pierres performed for Jefferson. as thus
described BY Mr. Wilson: lie had
been watching 4 revolution come on
"apace, hurried from stage to stage, not
"by statesmen who were masters III
"the art and practice Of freedom, like
those who had presided in the conn
"scls of America but by demagoElcs
and philosophers rather; and the
Subtle air of that age Of change had
"crept into the mans thought. He had
come back q philosophical radical
rather than "A statesman. Some
thing, at any rate, has crept into this
mans thought and Transformed II.