The American democracy can trust its interest to the national interest, because American national cohesion is dependent, not only upon certain forms of historical association, but upon fidelity to a democratic principle.  A nation is a very complex political, social, and economic product—­so complex that political thinkers in emphasizing one aspect of it are apt to forget other and equally essential aspects.  Its habits and traditions of historical association constitute an indispensable bond; but they do not constitute the only bond.  A specific national character is more than a group of traditions and institutions.  It tends to be a formative idea, which defines the situation of a country in reference to its neighbors, and which is constantly seeking a better articulation and understanding among the various parts of its domestic life.  The English national idea is chiefly a matter of freedom, but the principle of freedom is associated with a certain in measure of responsibility.  The German national idea is more difficult of precise description, but it turns upon the principle of efficient and expert official leadership toward what is as yet a hazy goal of national greatness.  The French national idea is democratic, but its democracy is rendered difficult by French national insecurity, and its value is limited by its equalitarian bias.  The French, like the American, democracy needs above all to be thoroughly nationalized; and a condition of such a result is the loyal adoption of democracy as the national idea.  Both French and American national cohesion depend upon the fidelity of the national organization to the democratic idea, and the gradual but intentional transformation of the substance of the national life in obedience to a democratic interest.

Let us seek for this complicated formula a specific application.  How can it be translated into terms of contemporary American conditions?  Well, in the first place, Americans are tied together by certain political, social, and economic habits, institutions, and traditions.  From the political point of view these forms of association are at once constitutional, Federal, and democratic.  They are accustomed to some measure of political centralization, to a larger measure of local governmental responsibility, to a still larger measure of individual economic freedom.  This group of political institutions and habits has been gradually pieced together under the influence of varying political ideas and conditions.  It contains many contradictory ingredients, and not a few that are positively dangerous to the public health.  Such as it is, however, the American people are attached to this national tradition; and no part of it could be suddenly or violently transformed or mutilated without wounding large and important classes among the American people, both in their interests and feelings.  They have been accustomed to associate under certain conditions and on certain terms; and to alter in any