PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS—SECTION F. 135 
extent, the subject has been governed by the more or less 
plausible generalisations of mere literary men; and_ their 
deserved fame and undoubted ability and skill as such have given 
them a prestige in political matters to which they are not entitled 
from a practical or scientific point of view. That they have 
done good service in arousing and sustaining attention on such 
important matters is readily admitted ; but further progress is 
impossible so long as the inexact methods of the mere literary 
athlete are employed. In future the progress of Political 
Economy as a science depends upon demonstrations based upon 
quantitative analysis, and not as heretofore upon authoritative 
dogmas based upon the qualitative analysis of any ove factor of 
the problem arbitrarily chosen from a compound or complex 
equation. 
It is obvious that we may concur with most of the writers on 
Political Economy as to the general tendency of any one 
influence ; but while this is so, it may not be a safe proceeding 
to trust the effect of this one tendency—even admitting its 
importance—as determining the ultimate conclusion ; for other 
tendencies, minus or plus, must be reckoned with before any 
reliable conclusion can be arrived at. Pathos and literary merit 
are powerful adjuncts, no doubt, but in the solution of political 
problems they are worse than useless where complete and exact 
‘methods are eschewed, 
THE Best Mopre For EFFectiInc THE H+iGHEsr QuoTa oF 
SATISFACTIONS wWitH A Minimum or TROUBLE DEPENDS 
Uron THE Locat VALUE AND ExTEeNT oF NATURAL 
SOURCES OF SUPPLY. 
The principal material satisfactions essential to the happiness 
and cultured content of human life primarily depend upon 
natural sources of supply, and that country whose natural sources 
afford the greatest potential of elements which may be made to 
contribute to the material satisfactions of cultured men, is also 
the country wherein the greatest number of people may best 
fulfil all those mutual services to each other which cover the 
whole round of wants of an ideally happy community. The 
essential natural conditions for the sustenance of a_highly- 
cultured community, and permitting a natural, healthy expansion, 
are :— 
(1.) Large area covering all zones of climate favourable for 
the production of all reasonable wants, and possessing 
richly all the elements essential to production, such 
as water, fertile soil, the varied mineral and vegetable 
products, and such flocks and herds as most contribute 
to the welfare of man. 
