Page:Back to the Republic.djvu/21

 Awe and admiration on the part of the people of foreign countries merged into emulation, and they began to modify their ideals and ideas of government, gradually becoming more tolerant of religious freedom, more zealous of civil liberty, more lenient toward freedom of speech and of the press, more considerate of inherent individual rights, more active toward popular education, and more favorable toward universal franchise.

We radiated over all the world the rays of light, of hope, of progress, of justice, of common sense and of scientific governmental procedure; and while making that matchless record, and wielding that splendid world influence, we made for the United States of America the undisputed leading place among the nations, not because of our great army, our great navy, our vast possessions, or our many people, but because we were enjoying the blessings of the best form of government mankind had ever known.

Gradually, however, we began to modify our national government through the appointment of boards and commissions, and the creation of various governmental agencies that made it impossible for the government to function in accordance with the plan of the Constitution.

The various States modeled their constitutions less and less after the plan of the Federal