INTRODUCTORY. v 



I suppose some of my readers will disagree with me in 

 many things; possibly this may be because they will not 

 understand me. A strong English author* has said, in sub- 

 stance, tliat the most difficult of intellectual feats is for one 

 man to precisely understand another in anything. But when 

 good men differ it is never upon questions of logic, but always 

 upon questions of fact. One believes one thing and reasons 

 upon it, while the other thinks some other thing to be true 

 and reasons accordingly. When two men agree upon the 

 facts in the major and minor premises, the conclusions 

 which they reach will be identical. The way to settle 

 differences, therefore, is to ascertain the facts and let the 

 argument take care of itself. But if, after all, there should 

 remain differences of opinion, I may say to my non-agreeing 

 friends that for myself I learn ver}^ little from those who 

 think exactly as I do, while I learn a great deal from those 

 who think otherwise. Possibly they may have the same 

 experience. At any rate, this book is not written to prove 

 anything whatever, but to render such aid as it may to those 

 who wish to find economic truth wherever, it is. 



^Ruskin — "Sesame and Lilies. 



