section of the country were the objects
of prime consideration.

We do not, therefore, agree with those who hold that our institutions
have deteriorated, or with those who think that democracy has proved a
failure. On the contrary, we believe that a simpler democratic system,
with fewer checks and balances, would be an improvement on our present
Constitution. The framers of that Constitution had two apprehensions
constantly before their minds--one, that of a military usurper
overthrowing popular freedom; the other, that of an insurrectionary
populace overthrowing law and government. Experience has shown that
neither of these dangers could be realized in a country and with a
population like ours: the elements of them do not exist, nor are the
occasions in the least likely to arise. The two great evils to which we
are exposed are a breakdown of national unity and a decay of political
life. The former evil--resulting from the magnitude of the country, the
conflict of interests in its different sections, the State organizations
and semi-sovereignty, and the consequent lack of that strong
centralization of administrative powers and functions which, however
much of a bugbear to many people's imaginations, is indispensable to a
complete nationality--has threatened us in the past and may be expected
to threaten us in the future. The latter evil threatens us now.

If we turn to England, we see political life in its fullest vigor. The
recent election called forth nearly the entire force of the voting
population, and the contest was carried on with well-directed vigor and
amid almost unparalleled excitement. Questions affecting both domestic
and foreign policy, and felt to be vital by the whole community, were
ardently, persistently and minutely discussed in public meetings and at
the hustings; and the general nature of the issue indicated with
sufficient clearness the maintenance of the old division throughout the
bulk of the nation between a party anxious to preserve and a party eager
to reform. Men of the highest character and distinction in every walk of
life were among the most ardent participants in the struggle; but no
crowds of office-holders and office-seekers opposed each other _en
masse_ or were prominent in the struggle, the former having as a class
nothing to fear, and the latter as a class nothing to hope, from the
result. So far was the leader of the opposition from being suspected of
a mere selfish desire to gras