The Scientific Method. 327 



The Scientific method has no part or lot with the Social- 

 istic, if by the latter is meant the theory which proposes 

 the State and its government machinery as the chief 

 agency for guiding and training the human race to positive 

 and progressive development, and for doing for individuals, 

 positively, what they could not do for themselves. The 

 reason why this principle is unscientific is apparent from 

 what has gone before. To accomplish socialistic ideals, 

 power must be accumulated. Where ? In the hands of 

 men. Whence comes it ? It is taken away from other 

 men. Who are to use it ? Men. For what purpose ? 

 Theoretically, for the common Aveal. If it is not so used, 

 there is tyranny and greater wretchedness than before. 

 The users of this power then must be supremely intelligent 

 and supremely benevolent. When the amount of govern- 

 ment we have is so largely in the hands of thieves, cut- 

 throats and ruffians, what encouragement have we to 

 believe that, if government had more power and more 

 directions for its activity, matters would be improved ? 

 The answer to Socialism always is : The accumulation and 

 exercise of power by the State is necessarily the vesting 

 of power in individuals to be used by them over others. 

 If the community is chiefly made up of people who are 

 good and righteous from the social point of view, there is 

 no need of such accumulation. If, on the other hand, the 

 community contains any considerable evil element, increase 

 of State functions tends to abridge the common liberty, to 

 disturb the social equilibrium, to foster oppression, and to 

 inaugurate a retrograde movement toward the primitive 

 forms of "man's inhuananity to man," which made life a 

 lurid drama of woe and wretchedness. 



Having now presented what I conceive to be the Scien- 

 tific method of effecting social reform, I shall not bring 

 forward arguments to support it more than have already 

 been indicated in the course of exposition. I shall occupy 

 the remainder of my time with a few cautions and sugges- 

 tions regarding its application. The first of these is that 

 the Scientific method does not require a person to become 

 either an idiot to understand or an imbecile to apply it. 

 Because our true principle is to seek for the minimum of 

 government, we are not required to abolish all laws and 

 offices. Though Ave are to develop the altruistic character 

 in which selfishness is to be put aside and thoughts of the 



