ALTRUISM 259 



occasionally seen on the surface. But altruism is 

 the stronger in the end. It alone makes lasting 

 union possible, since it is founded upon the united 

 interest of humanity. Altruism and egoism have 

 been in contest with each other since the beginning 

 of life. Among animals egoism stands preeminent, 

 although many animals are sacrificed for their off- 

 spring. But among men a broader altruism is 

 clearly, even if slowly, gaining the contest. Only as 

 altruism has gained a supremacy over egoism has 

 civilization advanced. It is this contest that has 

 founded our system of laws, which would be unneces- 

 sary if either greed or love ruled alone. If love 

 ruled alone, certainly no laws would be needed; if 

 greed ruled supreme then man would be on a grade 

 with the brute and would be in no more need of the 

 law than a pack of wolves. It is thus the contest that 

 has created the customs of society. Were it not that 

 the interests of the few are in contest with the inter- 

 ests of the many, law would be unnecessary; their 

 interests clash, and in order that harmony should 

 exist, human society has organized its rules and 

 customs to regulate the relations of one to another. 

 It is this contest that curbs the passions of mankind ; 

 for egoism demands that the passions be gratified, 

 while altruism demands that they be regulated in 

 such a way as to do no injury to others. It is this 

 same contest that has developed all of our modern 

 laws regarding sanitation, the customs which regu- 

 late charity, and, indeed, nearly all the peculiar 

 features of modern civilization. 



Civilization is thus an attempt, both conscious and 

 unconscious, on the part of man to replace the old 

 law of struggle with the new law of service. But he 



