256 THE THRESHOLD OF EVOLUTION 



patible with efficient power of direction and compulsion, and 

 whose administration must extend only to universal, not local, 

 matters and interest. The tendency of to-day is wrong, as 

 it tends to place the control of nearly ail forms of legislation 

 and direction in the hands of a central governing body instead 

 of separating matter of local interest from central control. 



The centralisation of population in large towns and cities 

 and the congested population in civilised communities make 

 the burden of administration too huge and cumbersome to 

 be managed and directed upon one system or from one central 

 base except in matters of absolutely universal interest. Aus- 

 tralia has established a form of Federal Government, but, being 

 a young colony, she has all the faults of youth. Its organisers 

 were blessed with large conceptions, the natural product of a 

 life of fierce contest and close intercourse with nature, but they 

 lacked the maturer wisdom which is the outcome of past ex- 

 perience, of older customs. 



So their conceptions, though grand and well meant, lack 

 the more conservative tendency of restriction. Nevertheless 

 it will do much to illustrate to the world the faults and short- 

 comings of its imperfect conceptions. This may in course 

 of time serve a useful purpose by elucidating to the world in 

 general the false steps made, particularly for the want of due 

 regard being paid in its definitions of the limits and bounda- 

 ries placed upon its powers of action, which are far too sweep- 

 ing, for time will show that the powers of administration of 

 the States will have to be greatly extended, and those of the 

 Federal Government greatly restricted, and probably the states 

 will have to be cut up into provinces. Now, it is quite correct 

 to have Military, Postal, Custom, Tariffs and Police, and, I 

 should also say Medical duties, Railway and other general 

 occupations of delivery undertaken by the general adminis- 

 tration ; but all matters relating to trade and commerce, 

 Trade disputes, Municipal taxation, Charities and local inte- 

 rests, should be strictly matters of municipal State legislation, 

 and must be most carefully safeguarded from any possible 

 present or future infringement or encroachment upon the 

 rights and liberties of the States by the Federal Govern- 

 ments. Such encroachments are its greatest weakness and 

 will be the cause of the faults and failures of its youth 

 until a few centuries of existence have given it age and 



