Miscellaneous Legislative Provisions. 
415 
provisions such as comprise the substance of factory legislation 
and insurance laws, and from that point of view the influence 
of taxation, of inheritance laws, of the attitude of the State to¬ 
ward natural monopolies, etc., will gain a new application. 
The increasing complexity of modern industrial conditions re¬ 
quires the regulative interference of law at an increasing num¬ 
ber of points, to prevent such as would not otherwise be deterred, 
from misusing the powers placed in the hands of each, and rend¬ 
ered more destructive against all, by the ever greater increase 
of social solidarity. While the need of proper legislation is 
more and more felt, a mistake made through it, like that of an 
individual in modern society, may work an increased amount of 
evil. 1 
Madison , Wis. 
1 The scrutiny to which the individual legislator of the future must 
be subjected, with regard to preparation and capacity, must be brought 
into proportion with the far-reaching effects of his action. It will 
eventually be recognized that ability to accumulate a fortune, to become 
a successful public speaker, or even a celebrated lawyer, does not neces¬ 
sarily imply ability as a legislator. In connection with this application, 
of the principle of the division of labor, lies one of the great problems 
upon the solution of which rests the future of a popular form of govern¬ 
ment.— Cf. Cohn, “ Finanzwissenschaft,” Bk. i, ch. vii, part 2, § 176-184. 
Bryce, “ The American Commonwealth,” part v, ch. 94, third and fourth 
of the faults pointed out. L. F. Ward, “The Psychic Factors of Civiliza¬ 
tion,” Boston, 1893, p. 167. 
