Politics and the Land 



that now exists will be a safeguard for the 

 future, provided that proper care is taken in 

 the selection of officials for the ever increasing 

 number of posts. 



One word more about Socialism : if the form 

 or principles of government advocated by the 

 Fabian society, as expounded by Mr. Wells for 

 instance, could be brought about wisely and 

 scientifically as the Fabians wish it to be ac- 

 complished, and if the moderate man anxious to 

 improve the condition of the people could in any 

 way satisfy himself that this mild and intelli- 

 gent Socialism would be, in fact, the Socialism 

 adopted in the hour of social strife, then I think 

 that Socialism would have fewer bitter opponents. 

 But in the hour of revolution the high in- 

 tellectual leaders go to the wall and the advo- 

 cates of violent agitation take the lead ; in such 

 an hour the populace will give more heed to 

 the voice of the stump orator than to the subtle 

 arguments of the scientific Socialist ; it will, in 

 fact, class him as an aristocrat of intellect, and, 

 as such, a few degrees more odious than the 

 landed aristocrat. 



The scientific Socialist may be a great power 

 in times of peace, but when the social war is upon 

 us the violent Socialist will be supreme — the 

 Socialist who has given up all hope of securing 

 reform under existing conditions, and who in 

 consequence demands the destruction of existing 



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