sufficient to
eat. This man was not a drunkard, neither was he one of those
semi-mythical persons who are too lazy to work. He was married and had
several children. One of them, a boy of fourteen years old, earned
five shillings a week as a light porter at a Grocer's.

Being a householder the man had a vote, but he had never hitherto taken
much interest in what he called 'politics'. In his opinion, those
matters were not for the likes of him. He believed in leaving such
difficult subjects to be dealt with by his betters. In his present
unhappy condition he was a walking testimonial to the wisdom and virtue
and benevolence of those same 'betters' who have hitherto managed the
affairs of the world with results so very satisfactory for themselves.

'I should like to ask the speaker,' he said, 'supposin' all this that
'e talks about is done--what's to become of the King, and the Royal
Family, and all the Big Pots?'

''Ear, 'ear,' cried Crass, eagerly--and Ned Dawson and the man behind
the moat both said that that was what they would like to know, too.

'I am much more concerned about what is to become of ourselves if these
things are not done,' replied Barrington. 'I think we should try to
cultivate a little more respect of our own families and to concern
ourselves a little less about "Royal" Families. I fail to see any
reason why we should worry ourselves about those people; they're all
right--they have all they need, and as far as I am aware, nobody wishes
to harm them and they are well able to look after themselves. They will
fare the same as the other rich people.'

'I should like to ask,' said Harlow, 'wot's to become of all the gold
and silver and copper money? Wouldn't it be of no use at all?'

'It would be of far more use under Socialism than it is at present. The
State would of course become possessed of a large quantity of it in the
early stages of the development of the Socialist system, because--at
first--while the State would be paying all its officers and productive
workers in paper, the rest of the community--those not in State
employ--would be paying their taxes in gold as at present. All
travellers on the State railways--other than State employees--would pay
their fares in metal money, and gold and silver would pour into the
State Treasury from many other sources. The State would receive gold
and silver and--for the most part--pay out paper. By the time the
system of State employment was f