VI ADMINISTRATIVE NIHILISM l>lil 



any other man," I am unable to see that the 

 logical consequence is any such restriction of the 

 power of Government, as its supporters imply. 



If my next-door neighbour chooses to have his 

 drains in such a state as to create a poisonous at- 

 mosphere, which I breathe at the risk of typhoid 

 and diphtheria, he restricts my just freedom to live 

 just as much as if he went about with a pistol, 

 threatening my life ; if he is to be allowed to let 

 his children go unvaccinated, he might as well be 

 allowed to leave strychnine lozenges about in the 

 way of mine ; and if he brings them up untaught 

 and untrained to earn their living, he is doing his 

 best to restrict my freedom, by increasing the 

 burden of taxation for the support of gaols and 

 workhouses, which I have to pay. 



The higher the state of civilisation, the more 

 completely do the actions of one member of the 



ocial body influence, all the rest, and the less 

 (possible is it for any one man to do a wrong thing 

 /without interfering, more or less, with the freedom 

 i-:of all his fellow-citizens. So that, even upon the 

 narrowest view of the functions of the State, it 

 must be admitted to have wider powers than the 

 advocates of the police theory are disposed to 

 admit. 



It is urged, I am aware, that if the right of 



/he State to step beyond the assigned limits is 



admitted at all, there is no stopping ; and that the 



/principle which justifies the State in enforcing 



