Page:Back to the Republic.djvu/55

 standards of weights and measures, or of the institution of marriage?"

This standard form of government would work better than any other form in any country, under any conditions, in the midst of any people, just as the other standards heretofore enumerated, that have been universally adopted, work better in their various fields than anything else that has been devised. This standard form of government would work better than any other form in darkest Africa, densest China, chivalrous France, intellectual England, efficient Germany, chaotic Russia, serious Scandinavia, impulsive Mexico or anywhere else, and it will work better than any other form of government in any nation. State, county, or city, whether the population run into the millions or is limited to a few hundred. The very essence of a republic is to make possible the selection of the best fitted people to work out the problems of government in a representative capacity.

The student of government further observed: "I have always been of the impression that the quality of public service depended more upon the intelligence of the people than upon the form of government." And I replied:

"From 1776 to 1788 we were living on the same land, with the same sun to shine by day and