Only one woman has occupied a seat in Congress and I am glad to record that she remained womanly, and the other members manly. In that respect the experiment was harmless. She was permitted to violate the rules and to interrupt a rollcall to explain her vote. Neither the Speaker nor the members called her to order. Perhaps they would have done so had she not been crying at the time. During a speech criticising the enforcement of law against a certain element in her state, she was asked several questions which, together with her answers, were taken down by the official stenographer. When she revised the extension of the notes for the Congressional Record, she again violated the rules and struck out the questions and answers and explained her conduct by saying: “I didn’t want them in there.” The congressmen affected, still chivalrous, did not even ask to have the Record corrected.
It will probably be some years before another woman occupies a seat in either house, for statesmanship is not gauged by intelligence or purity of motive, so much as by aptitude crossed on experience. Aptitude for the law, aptitude for mechanics and aptitude for statecraft, are quite rare, even among men. Many women have been admitted to the bar, and while a few have had some practice as attorneys, thus far the sex has developed no one of marked legal ability. If it should produce a lawyer or a master mechanic or a statesman, it will not necessarily entitle the unfortunate to a place in a museum, but it will be about as rare as anything in a museum.
CHAPTER XI
PURPOSES AND POLICIES OF GOVERNMENT
In this chapter the wisdom of the Fathers is sought to be shown by the fact that they inaugurated policies and purposes admirably calculated to develop the individuality of each citizen, and to afford the greatest opportunity for the maximum of human happiness.
With these philosophies of human life in our mind, let us pass to the study of the purpose and policy of our government as shown in its history.
Imagine, if you will, that we have just won our independence, that the Constitutional Convention has been held, the matchless document there formulated has been adopted and that the United States of America has become a Nation. Then suppose all the people within our domain gather to determine the purpose and policy of their government. Will we choose the least possible government, and the greatest measure of liberty, or shall the United States become a great business concern with all its citizens on the payroll? Shall government guard the liberties of the people while they prosecute their business, or shall the government conduct the business and the citizen guard the government?
Alexander Hamilton will attend this meeting and will make the speech of his life. Talleyrand declared Hamilton’s to be the greatest intellect he ever met. In addition to well-nigh matchless mentality he probably possessed greater vision than any man of his time; and vision is the natural parent of statesmanship, if indeed it be not statesmanship itself.
Standing at the cradle of this nation, Alexander Hamilton assures Talleyrand that either Philadelphia or New York will be ultimately the financial center of the world. Back in the interior he predicts another metropolis. Eventually, he declares, the United States will extend to the Pacific Ocean and yonder on the western coast there will be another metropolis. If we build to such dimensions these must be our policies.
He continues his speech and tells us that the United States is not only destined to be the most powerful but likewise the richest nation in the world. Our unearned increment will exceed the dream of man. These lands, now worthless, are intrinsically of great value. All the minerals and all the metals will be found within our borders and these will measure untold riches. Today we have resources unequalled in any land, and resourcefulness unmatched by any people, and he reminds us that resourcefulness, when applied to resources, will produce greatness.