ven over to
private enterprise. Is this too much? It is only a legitimate
application of the principle that government should leave to private
enterprise all matters connected with commerce and industry.

Little need be said to prove that a similar application of the principle
of societism to our industrial system would result even more
disastrously. As a general thing, the necessary formality and expense of
administration when business is carried on by the government, causes the
final cost of production to be much greater than under private
management, even when conducted with all honesty. But the chief reason
why the principle of societism is impracticable and unwise for universal
application, lies in the fact that the men who administer our
governments are neither the wisest nor the most honest of men. The
competition among those engaged in private business tends by a process
of natural selection to bring the men of greatest business ability into
control of affairs. But by any form of government yet tried, popularity
rather than merit, and excellence in the arts of the politician, rather
than experience and capacity as a statesman and business man, are the
qualities which place men in positions where they can control public
affairs. Not that very many wise and good men do not now hold office,
and that many unprincipled and vicious men do achieve success in private
business. But, as a general rule, the statements just made hold good.

It seems plainly apparent, then, that neither the principle of
individualism nor the principle of societism can be taken as an
infallible guide for determining the control of our industry. It would
be as manifestly unwise to take a step toward abolishing existing
societism by placing our postal department under the control of a
private company, as it would be to make a move toward abolishing
individualism by having the government assume the management of all the
farms in the country. Both of these principles are necessary.

There is, indeed, a marked tendency toward an increased reliance on the
principle of societism as civilization progresses and our life becomes
necessarily more intense and complex. A community of plain farmers,
isolated from each other, can live their individual lives about as they
please, without any interference of the government becoming necessary to
protect the rights of each man from infringement by his neighbors. But
the resident in a large village must submit