"How are the thousand and one matters pertaining to private life and habits to be settled without continually augmenting the power of government? The authority of the most absolute despot who ever lived never dared to sit on questions we must decide. Can we do it? "If we are ever to attain a condition of equality must we not forbid gifts and exchanges? For, if men are not to be allowed to grow rich by trading, must not the State forbid private exchanges of every nature? "On the other hand, if the State alone can make exchanges, how can we prevent a shrewd man from getting rich by dealing with the State itself? "If the State will not make exchanges, what is one to do who has taken a piece of property and finds later he has no use for it? For example: if Miss Blanche grows tired of looking at her piano, which she cannot play, and desires to exchange it for a carriage and pair of horses, must she continue to walk because she cannot effect the exchange? [Illustration: BARBARA.] "If we solve these troubles by declaring all property in common, who shall decide the privilege of use which the various tastes of individuals may demand? "If each member be allowed a fixed number of units of value for each day of the year, must he spend them at once, or will the State keep an account for each individual? If he doesn't spend all his allowance by the end of the year can he save it and thus accumulate a private fortune? "Or will the State force him to spend all, thus encouraging reckless habits? "Suppose that a spendthrift squanders his allowance at once and later breaks his leg, has it amputated, and needs a hundred dollars to buy a wooden leg, how will he get it? Will the State make good his recklessness, force him to buy his own leg, or make him hop through the year on one leg?" "I move we adjourn!" Joe yelled, from the rear. "Second the motion!" Tom echoed, from the front. The Bard, who had recovered sufficiently to attend on crutches, rose painfully, adjusted the bandage on his eye, and once more raised his voice in protest. "I demand freedom of speech on behalf of my friend whom those rowdies are insulting!" he thundered. With reluctance the chairman rapped for order, and Diggs wiped his glasses and smilingly proceeded: "We have established a general nursery for the children. As they grow up, who shall decide at what age each child shall begin to work? Some children are slow, some quick in growth. Will the new State of Ventura take direct charge of all children? "Or, supposing that separate families are allowed to live apart and parents to govern their own children, how is each child to be protected so that it gets its exact due? How is it to be known whether the parents misappropriate the fund of a child, or favour one more than another? "As our numbers increase we cannot avoid the religious question." "Amen, O Lord!" shouted Methodist John.