376 The Effects of Erobition 



a little to some of the dreams already referred to, and note 

 tlieir impractical nature. For when there is serious divis- 

 ion of opinion as to which of several roads to take, much 

 is gained in having it definitely settled as to which of 

 them are impassable, and in setting up the sign, as a guide 

 to all seekers, " No Thoroughfare^' For it is undoubtedly 

 true that the larger part of the world's time and thought 

 and money and enthusiasm is wasted in the endeavor to 

 travel along roads that lead to nowhere-in-particular. Let 

 us note, then, a few of the proposed " short-cuts " that are 

 supposed by many to be the nearest way to the '•' Coming 

 Civilization." 



1. Communism — the equal division of all existing 

 wealth. The story goes that one of the disciples of this 

 method for the abolition of poverty called one day on 

 Eothschild, and tried to bring this supposed duty home to 

 his conscience. The Baron listened patiently, and then told 

 him he was quite willing, and would begin with him. 

 AVhereupon, after figuring for a minute, he handed him out 

 his share, which proved to be a little less than one shilling. 

 There is no commoner mistake on the part of thoughtless 

 peoi)le, who do not stop to apply the test of a small sum in 

 arithmetic, than that which supposes that what is called a 

 fair division of the world's goods would make everybody 

 well-off. I suppose that, according to its population, Massa- 

 chusetts is the richest State in America. Biit it is esti- 

 mated that its total wealth, equally divided among all its 

 inhabitants, would give only somewhere about five hundred 

 dollars apiece all round. That figure is rather above than 

 under the fact. It is clear, then, that we cannot all get rich 

 in that way. 



And then experience has proved, over and over again, 

 that about the worst average use you can make of money is 

 to give it outright to the man who has not earned it. It 

 is like putting a gun in the hands of a small boy who does 

 not know how to use it. Neither himself nor his neighbors 

 are safe. For a man has not wealth, in the true sense of 

 that word, on account of what he has, but rather on account 

 of what l>e is. 



Then, though all were started equal to-day, so far as the 

 quantity of possessions was concerned, where would the 

 equality be in a week? The nature, the training, the 



