“I will tell you, Rev. Dudley; it certainly requires a certain state of culture before we can mentally assimilate the essential material for a thought of a given degree of complexity and range. An individual of a little horde of savages would no doubt be unable to see how so many individuals as compose the United States could all live under one flag as you call it; and that almost without war, too. But we all know that it is done, and it does not seem impossible to us either; and if progress continues in the future as it did in the past, your posterity will be able to see things that are entirely hidden from your present view. “You see those acts which will conduce to the welfare and happiness of man will continually more and more commend themselves to the thoughtful consideration of humanity; they will be gradually accepted for their intrinsic worth.” “If I understand you correctly, then,” said Rev. Dudley, “you have no compulsory taxation, but only voluntary taxation.” “No,” replied Mr. Midith, “we have no compulsory taxation. No Marsite is forced to support any institution he does not wish to support. As to voluntary taxation, I may say, if you wish to call those gifts which visitors to the Fanos and Modano usually give voluntary taxation, then we have a kind of voluntary taxation; but if you do not call that taxation, we have no taxation at all. “Just as your former baronage was gradually superseded by your national militancy--the compulsory state--so was our militancy superseded by industrialism--our voluntary state, if you wish to call it so. Our Comers, Fanoers and Modanoers are no generals, no lawmakers, no statesmen and no politicians. They are solely business men. They aid in the advantageous distribution of wealth and live from the fruits of their own productive labor. Hence, we need no taxes for their support.” “But do you think, Mr. Midith, that we could do away with compulsory taxation without any bad effects of it at our present age?” asked Rev. Dudley. “I fear that you do not fully comprehend this subject,” replied Mr. Midith. “You see you can not possibly do away with compulsory taxation. It is always a concomitant of a certain mental condition, and the element of compulsory taxation can be weakened only in proportion as the mental condition is strengthened by the discovery of new truths; and the discovery of new truths implies time. Therefore it is as impossible for you to do away with compulsory taxation instantaneously as it is for you to produce instantaneously a ripe apple from an unfolding blossom. There is only one known agency which can do away with compulsory taxation, and that agency is the acquisition of a higher and broader intelligence.” CHAPTER XVII. SEX RELATIONS.