I  reasoned  in  this  way  twenty  years  ago,  in  opposition  to  my
friend's  suggestion,  and  longer  experience  has  not  changed  me.
■Of  course  the  scheme  to  which  I  referred,  though  I  believe  mis-
taken, was  scrupulously  honest.  There  is  another  scheme  for  the
nationalization  of  land,  on  which  I  hope  to  comment  in  a  future
lecture.  I  only  say  in  passing  that  this  later  scheme  is  not  inten-
tionally dishonest.    It  is  exceedingly  startling,  but  it  purports  to


518  THE  POLICY  OF  GOVEBNMENT.
be  the,  resumption  of  a  neglected  right,  the  restoration  of  a  system-
of  which  negligence  and  cupidity  have  permitted  the  violation.  As-
I  have  more  than  once  said,  the  crudest  economical  fallacies  have
generally  some  truth,  always  much  plausibility  in  their  composi^
tion,  and  it  is  not  wise  or  just  to  denounce  those  who  astonish
us  with  their  theories,  as  being  brigands  and  anarchists.  Long"
experience  and  labour  given  exceptionally  to  the  study  of  economical
society,  have  convinced  me  that  there  are  reasonable  causes  for  all
discontents,  however  unreasonable  and  nugatory  are  the  remedies
which  discontent  avers  to  be  proper,  righteous,  and  necessary.
It  still  remains  that  I  should  dwell  on  the  other  aspect  of  govern-
ment propounded  in  this  lecture,  viz.,  government  as  a  producer.
In  the  cases  which  I  have  already  given  government  is  supposed'.
to  be  doing  a  service,  or  is  invited  to  do  a  further  service,  and  I.
