s, but the general drift of opinion and effort is in the
direction here pointed out. Nine tenths of our thought and energy are
given to material interests, and these interests represent nine tenths
of our achievements. This may be true of men in general, it may be true
also that material progress is a condition of moral and intellectual
growth; but none the less is it true that right human life is a life of
thought and love, of hope and faith, of imagination and desire.
Consequently in a well-ordered society, the chief aim--nine tenths of
all effort, let us say--will have for its object the creation of
enlightened and loving men and women, whom faith and hope shall make
strong, whom imagination shall refresh, and the desire of perfection
shall keep active. The aims which the ideals of democracy suggest are
not wholly or chiefly material. We strive, indeed, to create a social
condition in which comfort and plenty shall be within the reach of all;
but the better among us understand that this is but an inferior part of
our work, and they take no delight whatever in our great fortunes and
great cities. If democracy is the best government, it follows that it is
the kind of government which is most favorable to virtue, intelligence,
and religion. It is faint praise to say that in America there is more
enterprise, more wealth, than elsewhere. What we should strive to make
ourselves able to say, is, that there is here a more truly human life,
more public and private honesty, purity, sympathy, and helpfulness; more
love of knowledge, more perfect openness to light, greater desire to
learn, and greater willingness to accept truth than is to be found
elsewhere. It should be our endeavor to create a world of which it may
be said, there life is more pleasant, beauty more highly prized,
goodness held in greater reverence, the sense of honor finer, the
recognition of talent and worth completer than elsewhere.

Wealth and population should be considered merely as means, which, if we
ourselves do not sink beneath our fortune, we shall use to help us to
develop on a vast scale, a nobler, freer, and fairer life than hitherto
has ever existed. We Americans have a great capacity for seeing things
as they are. A thousand shams and glittering vanities have gone down
before our straight-looking eyes; and because such things fail to
impress us, we seem to be irreverent. We must look more steadfastly,
deeper still, until we clearly perceive and u