The Promise of American LifeMacmillan, 1909 - 468 páginas The average American is nothing if not patriotic. "The Americans are filled," says Mr. Emil Reich in his "Success among the Nations," "with such an implicit and absolute confidence in their Union and in their future success that any remark other than laudatory is inacceptable to the majority of them. We have had many opportunities of hearing public speakers in America cast doubts upon the very existence of God and of Providence, question the historic nature or veracity of the whole fabric of Christianity; but never has it been our fortune to catch the slightest whisper of doubt, the slightest want of faith, in the chief God of America-unlimited belief in the future of America." Mr. Reich's method of emphasis may not be very happy, but the substance of what he says is true. The faith of Americans in their own country is religious, if not in its intensity, at any rate in its almost absolute and universal authority. It pervades the air we breathe. As children we hear it asserted or implied in the conversation of our elders. Every new stage of our educational training provides some additional testimony on its behalf. Newspapers and novelists, orators and playwrights, even if they are little else, are at least loyal preachers of the Truth. The skeptic is not controverted; he is overlooked. |
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Abolitionists achievement action aggressive Ameri American democracy American national American political assertion association become believe benefit better chiefly consequently conservatism Constitution corporations course dangerous demands democratic economic system effective efficiency equal rights essential Europe European existing faith Federal Federalists France French fundamental genuine Hamiltonian ideal important increase independence individual industrial institutions intellectual Jacksonian Democrats Jefferson Jeffersonian Jeffersonian Democrats labor lawyers leaders legislation less liberty means ment merely methods Monroe Doctrine moral national idea national interest national organization national theory opportunities organization of American party patriotic permanent point of view political and economic political and social political organization political system politician popular popular Sovereignty position practical problem Promise public opinion purpose radical railroad realization reform Republican respect responsibility result secure seek slavery spirit spoils system success tion Union United vidual Whigs whole wholly William Travers Jerome
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Página 9 - a morsel of bread, now fat and frolicsome, gladly help their father to clear those fields, whence exuberant crops are to arise to feed them all ; without any part being claimed either by a despotic prince, a rich
Página 96 - average Western American of Lincoln's generation was 'fundamentally a man who subordinated his intelligence to certain dominant practical interests and purposes. He was far from being a stupid or slow-witted man/,. On the contrary, his wits had been sharpened by the traffic of American politics and business, and his mind was shrewd, flexible, and
Página 99 - this discipline had failed to pervert his character, narrow his sympathies, or undermine his purposes. His intelligence served to enlighten his will, and his will, to establish the mature decisions of his intelligence. Late in life the two faculties became in their exercise almost indistinguishable. His judgments, in so far as they were decisive,
Página 9 - great changes in the world. Here the rewards of his industry/ follow with equal steps the progress of his labor; this labor
Página 126 - legislative specialists. The effect was precisely -the opposite. They afforded the political specialist a wonderful opportunity. The ordinary American could not pretend to give as much time to politics as the smooth operation of this complicated machine demanded; and little by little there emerged in different parts of | - the country a class of politicians who spent all their time in
Página 9 - self-interest; can it want a stronger allure/ ment? Wives and children, who before in vain demanded a morsel of bread, now fat and frolicsome, gladly help their father to clear those fields, whence exuberant crops are to arise to feed them all ; without any part being claimed either by a despotic prince, a rich
Página 70 - It is no wonder, consequently, that the pioneer Democracy viewed with distrust and aversion the man with a special vocation and high standards of achievement. Such a man did insist upon being in certain respects better than the average; and under the prevalent