Civilization, Taxation, and Representation. By George Holloway. (Ridgway.)—Although Mr. Holloway
is a theorist, characteristically precise when dealing with first principles and vague when ho ap- proaches the practical region, there is much in his three essays that is eminently suggestive. The first deals largely with population, and the proportion it bears to the national wealth. The second, with the means of collecting a proper per-centage of that wealth, and levying it equably on the population. The third, with the proper representation of both these factors in the government of the country. It is rather significant of Mr. Holloway that on one page he says, "a pure democracy is the most perfect form of government," while on the very next page he tells us, "the word 'democracy,' rightly understood, means a perfect represen- tation of every citizen of a nation in his exact state of worldly existence." The italics are Mr. Holloway's, and we are afraid the doctrine will also remain his property. We have not yet advanced to such a state of civilization that we can listen to the voice of pure reason, especially on subjects which are so pressing and call for a rough-and-ready settle- ment.
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