at sea with reference to the nature of rights.
Under such circumstances socialism offers an apparent solution of
difficulties unprovided for. Though any practical effort to apply these
theories under such circumstances usually results in despotic assumption
of authority by a few, the people are moved by the pleasant-sounding
phrases. If, in the settling of social affairs after a revolution, an
earnest effort is made to agree upon set phrases embodying principles of
constitutional liberty, the chances are in favor of some sweeping
statements, too general to control action, but over-emphasizing individual
rights in comparison with individual duties. Action under these
declarations usually conforms to the necessities of the case, accepting
the immediate welfare of the society as a guide to more complete welfare.

All these conditions are abnormal, wholly unfavorable to a fair
consideration of what will promote welfare. Even if socialistic methods
might work fairly well when all were favorably disposed, there is great
question whether they would work as well as present social methods, under
equal good will. It must not be forgotten that every scheme of
nationalization, for its own sake, implies the government of every
individual by everybody else, thus hampering under petty regulations and
by force of multitudes the growth of every individual. No scheme for
national direction provides as natural tests for merit, ability,
enterprise or necessity as present methods are known to do wherever fraud
and tyranny are abolished.

_Cooeperative consumption._--In the natural order of social development
there is room for much more general association in the consumption of
wealth than we sometimes think. The world has made great progress in this
direction during the last fifty years, through voluntary organizations for
prudent expenditure. The only limit to such community of organization for
special purposes is in the nature of the work and the relation of the
workers. Cooeperative stores, banks, building and loan associations,
laundries and even kitchens are within the range of actual experiments. We
have already seen how such cooeperative interests may operate in simple
investment of capital for production. The chief obstacles in them all are
the lack of certain characteristics of prudence in a multitude. In general
the best management does not accord with the judgment of the mass.

A few brief maxims may indicate the natural restri