Social and Political Views 



But this choice, he considered, would be further 

 strengthened by the fact that, with the ever-increasing 

 approach to equality of opportunity for every child born 

 in our country, that terrible excess of male deaths, in 

 boyhood and early manhood especially, due to various 

 preventable causes, would disappear, and change the 

 present majority of women to a majority of men. This 

 would lead to a greater rivalry for wives, and give to 

 women the power of rejecting all the lower types of 

 character among their suitors. 



" It will be their special duty so to mould public 

 opinion, through home training and social influence, as to 

 render the women of the future the regenerators of the 

 entire human race.'' He fully hoped and believed that 

 they would prove equal to the high and responsible posi- 

 tion which, in accordance with natural laws, they will be 

 called upon to fulfil. 



Mr. D. A. Wilson, who visited him in 1912, writes : 



He surprised me by saying he was a Socialist — one 

 does not expect a man like him to label himself in any 

 way. It appeared to be unconscious modesty, like a school- 

 boy's, which made him willing to be labelled; but no label 

 could describe him, and his mental sweep was unlimited. 

 Although in his ninetieth year, he seemed to be in his prime. 

 There was no sign of age but physical weakness, and you 

 had to make an effort at times to remember even that. His 

 eye kindled as he spoke, and more than once he walked about 

 and chuckled, like a schoolboy pleased. 



An earnest expression like Carlyle's came over his counte- 

 nance as he reprobated the selfish, wildcat competition which 

 made life harder and more horrible to-day for a well-doing 

 poor man in England than among the Malays or Burmese 

 before they had any modern inventions. Co-operation was 

 the upward road for humanity. Men grew out of beasthood 

 by it, and by it civilisation began. Forgetting it, meii 



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