step。　　When　they　shall　once　have　entered　within　it；　when　the　key
  shall　have　been　turned　upon　their　spirit　and　have　confined　them
  in　narrower　straits　than　even　Puritanism　could　have　done；　it　will
  be　left　for　them　to　find；　in　their　blind　obedience　and　passive
  submission；　the　recompense　for　the　singleness　of　character；　the
  foresight；　and　the　energy；　that　they　have　left　behind　them。
  In　almost　every　phase　of　life；　this　doctrine　of　political
  altruists　is　equally　impracticable　and　pernicious。　　In　its　social
  results；　it　involves　the　substitution　of　the　community　in　the
  family's　present　position。　　In　its　political　aspects；　it　involves
  the　absolute　dominion　of　the　State　over　the　actions　and　property
  of　its　subjects。　　Thus；　though　claiming　to　be　an　exaltation　of
  the　so…called　natural　rights　of　liberty　and　equality；　it　is　in
  reality　their　emphatic　debasement。　　It　teaches　that　thoughtless
  docility　is　a　recompense　for　stunted　enterprise。　　It　magnifies
  material　good　at　the　cost　of　every　rational　endowment。　　It
  inculcates　a　self…denial　that　must　result　in　dwarfing　the
  individual　to　a　mere　instrument　in　the　hands　of　the　State　for　the
  benefit　of　his　fellows。　　No　such　organization　of　society…no
  organization　that　fails　to　take　note　of　the　fact　that　man　must
  have　scope　for　the　exercise　and　development　of　his　faculties…no
  such　organization　of　society　can　ever　reach　a　permanent　success。
  However　beneficent　its　motives；　the　hypothesis　with　which　it
  starts　can　never　be　realized。　　The　aphorism　of　Emerson；　〃Churches
  have　been　built；　not　upon　principles；　but　upon　tropes；〃　is　as
  true　in　the　field　of　politics　as　it　is　in　the　field　of　religion。
  In　a　like　figurative　spirit；　the　followers　of　communism　have
  reared　their　edifice；　and；　looking　back　upon　the　finished
  structure；　seeking　to　discern　the　base　on　which　it　rests；　the
  critic　finds；　not　principles；　but　tropes。　　The　builders　have
  appealed　to　a　future　that　has　no　warrant　in　the　past；　and　fixing
  their　gaze　upon　the　distant　dreamland；　captivated　by　the　vision
  there　beheld；　entranced　by　its　ideal　effulgence；　their　eyes　were
  blinded　to　the　real　conditions　of　the　human　problem　they　had　set
  before　them。　　Their　enemies　have　not　been　slow　to　note　such
  weakness　and　mistake；　and　perhaps　it　may　serve　to　clear　up
  misconceptions；　perhaps　it　may　serve　to　lessen　cant　and　open　the
  way　for　fresh　and　vigorous　thought；　if　we　shall　once　convince
  ourselves　that　altruism　cannot　be　the　rule　of　life；　that　its
  logical　result　is　the　dwarfing　of　the　individual　man；　and　that
  not　by　the　death　of　human　personality　can　we　hope　to　banish　the
  evils　of　our　day；　and　to　realize　the　ideal　of　all　existence；　a
  nobler　or　purer　life。
  End