lack of
organization and irresponsible leadership outside Parliament. Is it
possible that the dangers may be avoided and the requisites secured by a
change in electoral machinery? Those who have no conception of the
working of social forces, and who do not trace the law of causation into
the realm of mind, will be inclined to scoff at the suggestion. To them
the only hope of improvement lies in appealing to the people to elect
better men. They ignore entirely the reciprocal relation of the
Parliament and the people, and while recognizing the influence of the
people on the character of Parliament, they deny the influence of
Parliament on the character of the people. They declare that the people
are "free agents" and will have better government when they make up
their minds to get it; and no electoral machinery or parliamentary
machinery can influence the result. Such is the passive attitude which
consciously or unconsciously is almost universally assumed. Yet who can
study the history of the British Constitution without being impressed
with the fact that every step in the evolution of its machinery was a
true sociological invention and had the effect of directing the people's
will, which is the motive force, into channels conducive to the general
welfare? Take away the responsible leadership of the Cabinet in the
British Parliament, and it would become a sink of corruption like the
United States Congress; take away its organization into two national
parties, and it would become a rabble like the French Chambers. Now, is
not the electoral machinery the connecting link between the people and
Parliament, and therefore a vital part in the machinery of government?
Does it not actually decide the constitution of Parliament? If this be
granted, it follows that unless the electoral machinery be adapted to
give effect to these two great principles, parliaments will inevitably
decline; and that the present method of election is a very inadequate
means of giving effect to them few will deny.

Our claim for the application of the electoral reform set forth in the
preceding pages rests simply on the fact that it will give effect to
these principles under conditions in which the present system would
fail. We press especially for its application to the Federal House of
Representatives, which will be the most important Australian
representative assembly; for it it there that organization and
responsible leadership are most urgently need