1 68 AUSTRIA 



the State. For unreflecting persons that is the newest and 

 the most cordially welcomed solution of the social problem, 

 especially as it affects the middle classes ; while such a 

 solution is favoured by the bureaucracy because it gives 

 them a wide-reaching influence over the people in general. 

 True it is that the influence of an intelligent and en- 

 lightened bureaucracy over the uncultured classes may be 

 of practical service ; but when brought to bear on people 

 of a higher social scale it is likely to lead to positive harm, 

 by favouring indolence and undermining confidence in 

 their own powers. 



As against arguments such as these it is 

 pleaded that the aforesaid administrative crea- 

 tions are established on a sure basis from the 

 start, and have their finances secured, so that 

 the societies have a better chance of success than 

 if they were founded by individuals who lacked 

 experience, and were guided only by their own 

 elementary ideas as to the lines on which an 

 organization should be conducted. 



In the Trentino district (where the people are 

 essentially Italian in language and habits) agri- 

 cultural organization has made especially rapid 

 progress, as the result not alone of the helping 

 hand of the Austrian Government, but of what 

 the statistical report of the Italian National Co- 

 operative League describes as "the admirable 

 work in the way of active propaganda and wise 

 organization carried out by the Catholic party, a 



