234 The Morality of Nature 



— as compared with that individually controlled — is that it 

 permits of regard for many principles at once, so that each 

 may be proportionately observed by specialized units, and 

 may be submitted to the test of selective survival. But to 

 secure this advantage the essential principle is liberty. It is 

 in this invitation to progress that the altruistic, liberty- 

 granting motive seems to take foremost place in the world's 

 organizing methods. The increase of capacity for organiza- 

 tion, achieves the material reward in the efficiency attending 

 greater and higher units of action, whether national, social or 

 industrial. And a decrease or neglect of the capacity for 

 organization is attended promptly by a loss of efficiency in 

 the machine, and a lessening of its material rewards. In 

 other words the happiness, comfort, wealth, and elevation 

 of the life of a community is in due proportion to its altruis- 

 tic faculty of combining its activities in mutual support, with 

 the least possible internal resistance. 



It is an unavoidable inference from facts to be noted in 

 a review of humanity in its largest conduct units, that the 

 highest governmental authority procurable by humanity, is 

 simply the consensus or net sum, or aggregate, of that of all 

 the individuals; and the highest expression of it is found in 

 the sympathetic wisdom of representative leaders, whose 

 ideas are expressive of the ideals of the people. The manner 

 of choosing these representatives is a question of custom and 

 convention. A choice by numerical majority is expedient, 

 for the stability consequent upon the physical support, which 

 stands behind an authority thus delegated; and is based 

 altruistically in concession by any superior intellect, of the 

 right of an inferior to understand the governing wisdom; 



