nt obtained to a large extent in many of them, they
partook more of aristocracies, or of governments based on class
legislation, than of pure democracies. When independence from foreign
countries was won by the united efforts of all the colonies, the real
struggle for universal liberty began. A government was founded, so far
as it was possible, on the principles of the Declaration of
Independence, which asserted "that all men {419} are created equal;
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable
rights"; and that "for securing these rights, governments are
instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of
the governed." The creation of a federal constitution and the
formation of a perfect union guaranteed these rights to every citizen.

Yet in the various states forming a part of the Union, and, indeed, in
the national government itself, it took a long time to approximate, in
practice, the liberty and justice which were set forth in the
Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Still, in the past
century, the people have become more and more closely connected with
the state, and a "government of the people, for the people, and by the
people" is a certainty. The laws which have been made under the
Constitution increase in specific declarations of the rights of the
people. Justice is more nearly meted out to all classes at present
than in any decade for a century. The political powers of citizens
have constantly enlarged. The elective franchise has been extended to
all citizens of both sexes. The requirements as to naturalization of
foreigners are exceedingly lenient, and thus free government is offered
to all people.

Of necessity the central government has been strengthened on account of
the enlargement of territory and the great extension of national
governmental powers. It has been necessary that the central forces
which bind the separate parts of the nation together in a common union
should be strengthened. The result has been a decline in the
importance and power of the state governments. On the other hand, the
large increase of population in the great cities has tended to enhance
the power and importance of local government. The government of a
single large city now becomes more difficult and of greater vital
importance to the people than that of a state.

The enlarged territory and increased population, and the enormous
amount of legislative machinery, h