nal. Before the nation could even think of honoring any
such transfer as you speak of, it would be bound to inquire into all
the circumstances of the transaction, so as to be able to guarantee its
absolute equity. It would have been reason enough, had there been no
other, for abolishing money, that its possession was no indication of
rightful title to it. In the hands of the man who had stolen it or
murdered for it, it was as good as in those which had earned it by
industry. People nowadays interchange gifts and favors out of
friendship, but buying and selling is considered absolutely
inconsistent with the mutual benevolence and disinterestedness which
should prevail between citizens and the sense of community of interest
which supports our social system. According to our ideas, buying and
selling is essentially anti-social in all its tendencies. It is an
education in self-seeking at the expense of others, and no society
whose citizens are trained in such a school can possibly rise above a
very low grade of civilization."

"What if you have to spend more than your card in any one year?" I
asked.

"The provision is so ample that we are more likely not to spend it
all," replied Dr. Leete. "But if extraordinary expenses should exhaust
it, we can obtain a limited advance on the next year's credit, though
this practice is not encouraged, and a heavy discount is charged to
check it. Of course if a man showed himself a reckless spendthrift he
would receive his allowance monthly or weekly instead of yearly, or if
necessary not be permitted to handle it all."

"If you don't spend your allowance, I suppose it accumulates?"

"That is also permitted to a certain extent when a special outlay is
anticipated. But unless notice to the contrary is given, it is presumed
that the citizen who does not fully expend his credit did not have
occasion to do so, and the balance is turned into the general surplus."

"Such a system does not encourage saving habits on the part of
citizens," I said.

"It is not intended to," was the reply. "The nation is rich, and does
not wish the people to deprive themselves of any good thing. In your
day, men were bound to lay up goods and money against coming failure of
the means of support and for their children. This necessity made
parsimony a virtue. But now it would have no such laudable object, and,
having lost its utility, it has ceased to be regarded as a virtue. No
man any more has any care for th