But you slaves - it is too bad to be slaves, I grant - but
you slaves dream of a society where the law of development will be annulled,
where no weaklings and inefficients will perish, where every inefficient will
have as much as he wants to eat as many times a day as he desires, and where all
will marry and have progeny - the weak as well as the strong. What will be the
result? No longer will the strength and life-value of each generation increase.
On the contrary, it will diminish. There is the Nemesis of your slave
philosophy. Your society of slaves - of, by, and for, slaves - must inevitably
weaken and go to pieces as the life which composes it weakens and goes to
pieces.
    Remember, I am enunciating biology and not sentimental ethics. No state of
slaves can stand -«
    »How about the United States?« a man yelled from the audience.
    »And how about it?« Martin retorted. »The thirteen colonies threw off their
rulers and formed the Republic so-called. The slaves were their own masters.
There were no more masters of the sword. But you couldn't get along without
masters of some sort, and there arose a new set of masters - not the great,
virile, noble men, but the shrewd and spidery traders and money-lenders. And
they enslaved you over again - but not frankly, as the true, noble men would do
with weight of their own right arms, but secretly, by spidery machinations and
by wheedling and cajolery and lies. They have purchased your slave judges, they
have debauched your slave legislatures, and they have forced to worse horrors
than chattel slavery your slave boys and girls. Two million of your children are
toiling to-day in this trader-oligarchy of the United States. Ten millions of
you slaves are not properly sheltered nor properly fed.
    But to return. I have shown that no society of slaves can endure, because,
in its very nature, such society must annul the law of development. No sooner
can a slave society be organized than deterioration sets in. It is easy for you
to talk of annulling the law of development, but where is the new law of
development that will maintain your strength? Formulate it. Is it already
formulated? Then state it.«
    Martin took his seat amidst an uproar of voices. A score of men were on
their feet clamoring for recognition from the chair. And one by one, encouraged
by vociferous applause, speaking with fire and enthusiasm and excited gestures,
they replied