MAJORITY RULE. 15 



The real fact is, then, that the rale of the majority, under a re- 

 publican form of government, must always be wrong. God never 

 speaks through majorities. The majoi'ity, over here, a« against 

 King George, did repi'esent libert}-, but it has never since repre- 

 sented it except as a protest against some previous majority. The 

 majority rule system, then, carries in itself the seed of its own dis- 

 solution. King George was once our political Pope, then majority 

 rule became our political Bible, and 'rule of faith and piactice.' 

 Soon will the private interpretation of sects and parties so divide its 

 authority, that the last majority will be the sovereignty of the indi- 

 vidual, as typical of the ecpuil sovereignt}^ of all. Mere numbers, 

 devoid of any principle of liberty, only indicate brute force. And 

 when an important issue or crisis arises, it results in civil strife. 



Majority rule and compulsory taxation, then, are the tap root 

 of all violations of equal liberty. They are survivmg types of brute 

 force and rapacity. When a car of cattle or hogs is unloaded to 

 feed, the form of government thej- immetliately resolve tliemselves 

 into is one of majority rule and compulsory taxation. The mo- 

 ment one should be stationed, as an umpire to keep the others in 

 place, we should have a government of reciprocity. And as soon 

 as all should find that it was for their interest to Keep themselves in 

 place, \vithout any outside government, we should have local au- 

 tonomy, or self government. 



Now the evolution of government passes through these changes. 

 First, we have the government of animals, or brute force, which 

 takes an aggressive form. Then we liave brute force, directed by 

 cunning and greed, qualities of the fox and the wolf. This direction 

 of government is exemplified in wars of conquest, in commerce, in 

 corporations, and makes most of our legal titles to 2)roperty. The 

 function of government is that of a thief and Iiighwayman. Then 

 we have brute force aggressively directeil by paternalism, or the rule 

 ot the good over the bad, the respectable over the unrespectable, 

 tlie orthodox over the heterodox. The source of authority emanates 

 from a central lieail, the pretext for its exercise is always " the pub- 

 lic good." Tills is tiie government of tlie theologians, for its au- 

 thor and oriirin is God groverning the worhl. It is the government 

 also of the refoiiners and the state Socialists. It is the govern- 

 ment of the best, of the aristocracy. Some wise man has said that 

 it does not make any dillerence what the form of the government, 

 if only the best rules ! 



Lastly, we have the kind of government herein advocated. It 

 is not the entire elimination of brute force, ])ut it is used defensively, 

 instead of aggressively, repressive not initiative. Its use is to 



