It would have been very strange if the result of the vote on the Socialist. motion in the House of Commons had been different from what it was—a striking majority against. If people distrusted Socialism and its kindred political principles in the past, they have much more reason for doing so to-day, when the results of many experiments are before them. No more than a hint of Socialistic legislation has been required in any country to send capital off in full flight, seeking security elsewhere. Not so long ago it was Switzerland that frightened away a large amount of money by the talk of a capital levy, and when it comes to something more far-reaching, the socialization of industry, the effect would be pronounced in still greater degree. It seems to be forgotten by the promoters of such schemes that in relation to the computed wealth of a country capital takes a very small share as its return, and the benefit to individuals—workers and the like—by its distribution would be so small as to be almost negligible. So economists, basing their conclusions on a census of national wealth made a few years ago, tell us. More than that, what the average man is in wholesome fear of is a multiplication of Government offices for the purpose of controlling private
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.