of the world as one nation. That, no doubt, will be the
ultimate form of society, and will realize certain economic advantages
over the present federal system of autonomous nations. Meanwhile,
however, the present system works so nearly perfectly that we are quite
content to leave to posterity the completion of the scheme. There are,
indeed, some who hold that it never will be completed, on the ground
that the federal plan is not merely a provisional solution of the
problem of human society, but the best ultimate solution."

"How do you manage," I asked, "when the books of any two nations do not
balance? Supposing we import more from France than we export to her."

"At the end of each year," replied the doctor, "the books of every
nation are examined. If France is found in our debt, probably we are in
the debt of some nation which owes France, and so on with all the
nations. The balances that remain after the accounts have been cleared
by the international council should not be large under our system.
Whatever they may be, the council requires them to be settled every few
years, and may require their settlement at any time if they are getting
too large; for it is not intended that any nation shall run largely in
debt to another, lest feelings unfavorable to amity should be
engendered. To guard further against this, the international council
inspects the commodities interchanged by the nations, to see that they
are of perfect quality."

"But what are the balances finally settled with, seeing that you have
no money?"

"In national staples; a basis of agreement as to what staples shall be
accepted, and in what proportions, for settlement of accounts, being a
preliminary to trade relations."

"Emigration is another point I want to ask you about," said I. "With
every nation organized as a close industrial partnership, monopolizing
all means of production in the country, the emigrant, even if he were
permitted to land, would starve. I suppose there is no emigration
nowadays."

"On the contrary, there is constant emigration, by which I suppose you
mean removal to foreign countries for permanent residence," replied Dr.
Leete. "It is arranged on a simple international arrangement of
indemnities. For example, if a man at twenty-one emigrates from England
to America, England loses all the expense of his maintenance and
education, and America gets a workman for nothing. America accordingly
makes England an allowance. The sam