CO-OPERATION. 23 



POLITICAL MACHINERY. 



After the laws, let us notice what influence the political ma- 

 chineiy has upon liberty. Its theory is that of an agency, with 

 the people as principal. But whoever heard of a leading firm 

 becoming partners with Tom, Dick and Harry, on election 

 day? When did ever a business firm 'set up' its agent at a 

 primaiy, or consider itself committed to the verdict of a ma- 

 jority at the polls? What firm allows its agent's salary to be 

 many times that of its principal? or turns him loose, without 

 bonds or instnictions, into his employer's vineyard? Even 

 though this agent be caught stealing, he can only be white- 

 washed! However big a scoundrel, he cannot be discharged! 

 whatever be his record, there is no certainty of promotion! 

 Then there is the presidential agent with his 100,000 office seek- 

 ers. Certainly this kind of an agency is not the one recognized 

 by law or business. What then is it? It is a^. relic of kingly 

 prerogative and arbitratry power .All further doubt of which 

 Avill be expelled when it is remembered that, through compul- 

 sory taxation, this beautiful agent of ours does not allow his 

 principal even to audit his own accounts! Should he attemjjt 

 to keep the books of the firm, this SAveet angel of an agent 

 would pounce upon his principal with a whole standing 

 army at its back, shouting, "Your money or your life!!" The 

 citizen becomes subordinate to the soldier. The question then 

 seriously arises as to what use any one has for such an agency! 



THE CO-OPERATOR'S RELATION TO POLITICS. 



We have seen that government can create nothing; that 

 it does not generate, only eat; that it cannot make character; 

 but in turn is stamped by it; that it contains no moral power; 

 and that without public opinion, it could do nothing. What 

 use, then, has the substance for the shadow? does the weather 

 need the thermometer? Politics do not liberate society, soci- 

 ety liberates politics. They simply show how far the peoi)le 

 have outgrown their superstition and can govern themselves.* 



♦There is no need of the natiunal government farther than to protect the nationiil 

 boundary. A wise and frugal government will restrain men froui injuring one 

 another, leaving t)iem otherwise free to regulate Iheir own pursuits of industry and 

 improvements, taking not from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. •/»;irer»o/(. 



