6 ECONOMICS OF FORESTRY. 



the questi on of educat ion, which in part provides 

 for future improvement, is only imperfectly cpn- 

 s idered from this point of view. The question of 

 the franchise, as well as that of immigration, both 

 of which are of the greatest_infl.ue.nce upon the 

 future composition and condition of our society, 

 are much more often discussed with reference to 

 the rights of present members than with reference 

 to the future of^ society. 



The one condition of social life in which the 

 action of the present influences the future almost 

 more than in any other direction, namely, the con- 

 dition of the means of material existence and their 

 economical use (the' economy of resources), has re- 

 ceived perhaps the least recognition in practice as 

 well as in theoretical discussion ; and especially is 

 this absence of attention to this most important 

 branch of economics noticeable in English litera- 

 ture. 



The reason probably is that the need of careful 

 analysis of this factor of social life has as yet not 

 been pressing. But as the world has been explored 

 in all corners and the extent of its resources has 

 become more nearly known, and as it is being rap- 

 idly peopled everywhere and the causes of depopu- 

 lation are becoming less, the warnings of Malthus 

 and Mill come home to us with new force ; and the 

 study of the nature of resources, their relation to 

 social life and development, and their economy, be- 

 comes a most important branch of social science. 



