1 50 HEREDITY AND SOCIETY 



indeed tend to make the House more "representative" 

 in the strict sense of the word. The only question 

 that remains is how far the " representative " principle 

 should descend on these lines how large a proportion 

 of the nation should be governed by persons who are 

 probably physically, mentally and morally of an inferior 

 type to themselves. 



But in dealing with the proposals for further ex- 

 tension of the franchise, a new question is involved. 

 Hitherto, although we may know that the intelligence 

 of the bulk of the electorate, in the main, is far less 

 than that of a selected few, the electors have been men 

 of recognized position, and some fixity of abode and 

 occupation, and hence probably of some ability or 

 competence. Their knowledge and experience have 

 been valuable additions to the common store. But 

 any considerable further lowering of the franchise will 

 bring into action a different section of the community. 

 Some of them might be desirable acquisitions : men 

 of necessarily roving trade or profession, or men of 

 intelligence who had fallen through no fault of their 

 own. But on the average and in the bulk they would 

 consist of the social failures, the undesirable element of 

 the population, men of far less ability and competence 

 than the present average electorate. Some of them 

 would be men who most need restraint on their 

 liberties, a spur to their activities, and a check on their 

 reproductiveness. Nearly all would be in a position 

 and of a physical type of mind and body where long- 

 sighted views are impossible ; where a promised, if 

 illusory, chance of the amelioration of present conditions 

 at the expense of other people, would outweigh a 



