HOPEFUL POSSIBILITIES 327 



which men feel for their political leaders, the 

 impulse of emulation, the desire for change, the 

 hope of personal advantage, and, with much 

 feebler influence, some aspiration for the public 

 good. The balance of these forces may be en- 

 tirely overset by such a passionate interest in 

 national credit as was aroused, for instance, 

 during the South African War. To the mind of 

 a philosophical theorist the only one of these 

 impulses which can worthily determine the course 

 of government is that of provident anxiety for 

 the public welfare. If he finds that this is of no 

 great account amongst the mass of the voters, he 

 may console himself with the reflection that it 

 has generally weighed heavily with the leaders 

 of both parties. They have often been exceedingly 

 wrong in their views indeed, if there be such a 

 thing as a right decision, one of the two parties 

 must be wrong in cases where their opinions are 

 diametrically opposite. But they have as a rule 

 meant well for the State, and have not permitted 

 their private ambitions to eclipse altogether the 

 good of the public ; and this has enabled the 

 party system to bring forth fruit out of intrinsic 

 barrenness. 



So long, however, as democracy is only a 

 means for enlisting in politics the combativeness, 

 jealousy, vanity or selfishness of the public, it 

 will give us but little of the fruit which it is 

 capable of bearing. The chief of its potential 

 merits is that it enables the community to profit 

 by the energy and talents of such of its members 

 as have a provident and kindly interest in the 

 fortunes of their fellow-citizens. So far, it enlists 

 these capacities very imperfectly indeed. Men 

 of this stamp are, and probably will always be, 

 an inconsiderable proportion of the electorate, 

 although they are increasing in numbers and in 



