For Hamilton, the federal government had a right to stimulate business and also, when necessary, to restrain it. As Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., has observed, "Hamilton's enthusiasm over the dynamics of individual acquisition was always tempered by a belief in government regulation and control."54 In arguing, for instance, that government inspection of manufactured articles could reassure consumers and galvanize sales, he anticipated regulatory policies that were not enacted until the Progressive Era under Theodore Roosevelt: "Contributing to prevent fraud upon consumers at home and exporters to foreign countries-to improve the quality and preserve the character of the national manufactures-it cannot fail to aid the expeditious and advantageous sale of them and to serve as a guard against successful competition from other quarters.
( Ron Chernow )
[ Alexander Hamilton ]
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