110 Tra nsactions. — 3IisceIlaneous. 



turing to assert himself thus nowadays, and to speak in this 

 strain to the electors, would probably hear the word " Fudge ! " 



But, if democracy has its peculiar risks, it has some safe- 

 guards in modern life. Whether these will prove completely 

 effective remains to be seen. The first of these is freedom of 

 discussion — the fullest freedom, within reasonable limits, to 

 express opinions. " Experience and discussion may be trusted 

 to make error find its level." Another safeguard is the de- 

 centralisation of power by means of local government. There 

 are many things which local bodies, acting under the dele- 

 gated authority of the State, can do better than the central 

 Government. Mismanagement on the part of such bodies is 

 more easily discovered and rectified than when the central 

 Government is at fault. Considerations of party and struggle 

 for political power and place do not embarrass the actions of 

 local bodies as they do those of the central Government. 



Suppose the success of democracy assured, what benefits 

 may we hope to derive therefrom ? Is democracy itself the 

 final form of government, or is there a beyond ? The late Dr. 

 Pearson, in his book on " National Life and Character," main- 

 tains that democracy will find its consummation in State 

 socialism, that the leading nations of the world are tending 

 towards a condition of stationary civilisation, and that the 

 increased importance of the State will prove disastrous to the 

 energy and independence of thought of the individual. " It 

 is now more than probable," he says, " that our science, our 

 civilisation, our great and real advance in the practice of 

 government, are only bringing us nearer to the day when the 

 lower races will predominate in the world ; when the higher 

 races will lose their noblest elements ; when we shall ask 

 nothing from the day but to live, nor from the future but that 

 we may not deteriorate." This is a sufficiently dismal vision 

 of the future. After the fierce struggles and stern discipline 

 of the ages, what more pitiful issue than hopeless, irresistible 

 decay of character? In this connection it is a little pathetic 

 to remember that here in New Zealand there is no one left to 

 whom we may give a vote, and that we are thought to have 

 gone a long way in the direction of State socialism. 



It is proverbially hard to confute a prophecy, and most 

 people prefer to speak after the event. But Dr. Pearson's 

 anticipation' is not shared by all who venture to forecast 

 the future of man upon earth. A greater teacher than he 

 cherished a very different belief. Tennyson, while he wisely 

 bids us not " deal in watchwords overmuch," never loses 

 hope in the progress of mankind towards a better and happier 

 condition upon earth : — 



We are far from the noon of man : there 

 Is time for the race to grow. 



