THE MORAL ASPECT OF THE FISCAL 

 QUESTION 



IT is a common if not a universal belief that there is a 

 very strong case against any action of government which 

 comes into conflict with public morality. Any political 

 gain secured at the expense of the national character we 

 should consider to be too dear at the price ; and, however 

 much we desire the material prosperity of our country, 

 we are not willing to seek it by methods which are detri- 

 mental to public morals. 



Nevertheless, when a new policy is projected compara- 

 tively little is heard, either in Parliament or elsewhere, of 

 its moral aspects. There are many reasons for this, but 

 probably the most potent of them all is the opinion that 

 many, if not most, of the actions of government have 

 little to do with morality, at least directly. The function 

 of the legislator is to conduct the business of the nation ; 

 the aim of government is to protect the persons and pro- 

 perty of the citizens ; and the State itself is merely an 

 organ of secular force, and a pledge of lawful dealing 

 between man and man. It has no directly moral or 

 religious function. It cannot undertake to inculcate mor- 

 ality by direct enactment, nor employ compulsory powers 



