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to law； and the rules themselves should be laid down by the
legislature； the central administrative authority only watching over
their execution； and if they were not properly carried into effect；
appealing； according to the nature of the case； to the tribunals to
enforce the law； or to the constituencies to dismiss the functionaries
who had not executed it according to its spirit。
Such； in its general conception； is the central superintendence
which the Poor Law Board is intended to exercise over the
administrators of the Poor Rate throughout the country。 Whatever
powers the Board exercises beyond this limit were right and
necessary in that peculiar case； for the cure of rooted habits of
maladministration in matters deeply affecting not the localities
merely； but the whole community； since no locality has a moral right
to make itself by mismanagement a nest of pauperism； necessarily
overflowing into other localities； and impairing the moral and
physical condition of the whole labouring community。 The powers of
administrative coercion and subordinate legislation possessed by the
Poor Law Board （but which； owing to the state of opinion on the
subject； are very scantily exercised by them）； though perfectly
justifiable in a case of first…rate national interest； would be wholly
out of place in the superintendence of interests purely local。 But a
central organ of information and instruction for all the localities
would be equally valuable in all departments of administration。 A
government cannot have too much of the kind of activity which does not
impede； but aids and stimulates； individual exertion and
development。 The mischief begins when； instead of calling forth the
activity and powers of individuals and bodies； it substitutes its
own activity for theirs； when； instead of informing； advising； and；
upon occasion； denouncing； it makes them work in fetters； or bids them
stand aside and does their work instead of them。 The worth of a State；
in the long run； is the worth of the individuals composing it； and a
State which postpones the interests of their mental expansion and
elevation to a little more of administrative skill； or of that
semblance of it which practice gives； in the details of business； a
State which dwarfs its men； in order that they may be more docile
instruments in its hands even for beneficial purposes… will find that
with small men no great thing can really be accomplished； and that the
perfection of machinery to which it has sacrificed everything will
in the end avail it nothing； for want of the vital power which； in
order that the machine might work more smoothly； it has preferred to
banish。
THE END
。