althy and safe drainage for their houses is
conserved. In a similar way, the government may pass laws of various
sorts to restrict and control what seems to be at first sight purely
private business, such as the sale of explosives, spirituous liquors,
poisons, drugs, and many other articles. In every instance, this is done
on the ground that the interference of government is necessary to
protect the rights of the community as a whole, even though the
liberties of certain classes are abridged.

The study of these facts brings to our attention an important principle
of governmental action, which should always be remembered when in any
industrial matter we find that the principle of individual action is
producing unsatisfactory results, and conclude, therefore, to ask the
government to take some part in its control. This principle is as
follows: _government, as the representative of the will of the whole
people, should in general, attempt the regulation, or control, of
industrial matters only to benefit the people as a whole_.

Of course it cannot be said that all government action for the benefit
of special classes of the community is wrong. The granting of pensions
to those defenders and upholders of the government who deserve it, is a
case in point where special legislation is justifiable and proper; and
many other cases exist. Nevertheless, the shaping of legislation to
effect the interests of special classes of the community is one which is
now working the nation serious injury; and it has obtained so firm a
bold that it will take a long time for us to throw it off. It causes men
of all classes to consider the government as a paternal benefactor,
whose duty it is to aid them, either in their schemes for getting rich
or their struggles to earn a living; when its real office is to protect
all citizens in their individual rights, undertake only such industrial
enterprises as can manifestly be better and more economically conducted
by it than by private enterprise, and enforce restrictions upon industry
only as they are needed to protect personal rights or the interests of
the community as a whole. Worst of all, the use of government to advance
special interests places a premium on the efforts of those who seek to
corrupt the expression of the popular will in its every stage, from the
voters at the polls to the chief rulers in the seats of government. For
by combining to accomplish their mutual purposes, they are able to