The alignment of the future will turn upon these.
But underlying all issues of all time are fundamental ideas which live forever and aye, and may not be forgotten or ignored.
It used to be claimed by the followers of Jefferson that Democracy was a fixed quantity, rising out of the bedrock of the Constitution, while Federalism, Whiggism and Republicanism were but the chimeras of some prevailing fancy drawing their sustenance rather from temporizing expediency and current sentiment than from basic principles and profound conviction.

To make haste slowly, to look before leaping, to take counsel of experience--were Democratic axioms.

Thus the fathers of Democracy, while fully conceiving the imperfections of government and meeting as events required the need alike of movement and reform, put the visionary and experimental behind them to aim at things visible, attainable, tangible, the written Constitution the one safe precedent, the morning star and the evening star of their faith and hope.
What havoc the parties and the politicians have made of all these lofty pretenses! Where must an old-line Democrat go to find himself?
Two issues, however, have come upon the scene which for the time being are paramount and which seem organic.

They are set for the determination of the twentieth century: The sex question and the drink question.
I wonder if it be possible to consider them in a catholic spirit from a philosophic standpoint.

I can truly say that the enactment of prohibition laws, state or national, is personally nothing to me.