The sun., 1918-08-27

"tOtVI "tIe Itdu anu STUDIED
in town and village and farmhouse.
They furnished the material for dis.
cusslon in the State conventions called
to act on the new Constitution. They
were not mere theoretical discussions
They dealt with the workings OF I'M.
man nature under government and
with the effect of the proposed pro.
visions upon the daily life and affairs
Of the plain people. They overcame all
opposition OF argument, and instructed
and convinced the candid minds of tho
multitude to whom they were ad.
dressed. The book which now con.
tains them Is universally recognized
as one OF the greatest II not the great.
est Of all works upon government.
The most stubborn obstacle to the
adoption OF the new system was tho
political power of George Clinton in
the State Of New York. When the
convention Of that State met two.
thirds Of the people of the State and
four sevenths Of the members of tho
convention were opposed to the Con.
stltution. On the 18th OF June 100
years ago this day Hamilton entered
the convention for a parliamentary
battle which in merit and in fame
has no equal In American history OF.
cept in the great debate when Webster
replied to Hayne. He faced solid
adverse majority bound together BY
political allegiance to Clinton. with
their minds determined ami appsr.
emily not open to argument. For
more than a month with undivided
leadership on the floor Of the conven.
ton, with splendid courage and per.
sistency, and with unrivalled power
of persuasive and compelling arpu.
ment, he necessarily assaulted this
solid and sullen phalanx. He broke the
phalanx by convincing the judgment
of the most logical and able of his
antagonists and by sheer force of per.
sonal power he destroyed the political
organization which opposed him and
won the majority Of the convention
to the adoption Of the Constitution.
When the new government was
formed 1t still remained to make II
a real and not a paper government,
Adequate and effective organization
must be created for the exercise Of its
powers. Sound principles must be fol.
lowed in laws under which enterprise
would revive. foreign relations must
be established upon a basis to COM
mand respect and insure the dignity OF
independence and the benefits Of com
mercial intercourse: obedience to ma.
tional authority must he compelled.
Without these things the experiment
would still fail. Here again Hamilton
was the man of the hour As the first
Secretary of the Treasury he made the
organization Of the Treasury Depart
ment which has endured to this day,
and which after more than a century
Is In this present month Of June with
perfect order and accountability re-
ceiving four billions of taxes after
marketing within the year at par over
ten billions of bonds at low rates Of
interest He raised the public credit
from the dust. and industry and enter
prise revived. He established con-
ception OF national honor which has
become national tradition, prrof
against all assaults. AS the dominant
spirit in Washington's Cabinet and The
acknowledged Ieader OF the Federa'
ADMINISTRATOR. always IN unison with
Wasninslon hlmseif' MS clear VISION
leo tne way against the opposition OF
the department OF state to the policy
OF neutrallty ana aostention from
european quarreis' and the iatinca-
tion OF the Jay treaty, that landmark
OF liberal diplomacy, against tenn
pest Oh puoiic protest. "lthont mn.
.ary once ne oirected ana cohtf'i''l
.,e IrSt exercise OF armed power ny
.he NoNerntneht or inc nited Sil''S,
oetore Whlch the WhiSkcN h"o'Iu"n
vi 1893 loueu away ana inc power VI
So'erhhent under the CONSTITUTION VI
Compei obedience was established II"
d.d all these things under storms ~
aouse ana Vllncatlon which row seem
ihcredipie. lie mad no weapons OF DE-
renee out integrity. the broad wisdom
or mis- action and power of exposition
ana argument. He had no faculty for
polticai combination or securing po-
htical faVor. He had the ardent am
pltion or youth, but 1t urged him al
ways TO achieve great ends rather
imam selfish advantage.
Hamlltons work was not for his day
alone lie translated thought INTO
action and gave to his political con-
ceptions the demonstration Of pcrm7-
nent institutions founded upon them
ana the descendants Of the people fnr
whom he wrought have given 20 lis
Ideals the Immortality of noble ira
dition.
Self-government is an art which
Goes not come to man by nature. Il
must be learned. Terrible experience
proved that when the French over
threw the BourbOns, when the MtN.-