Professor Stewart paused and looked at Samuel wondering, perhaps, if
he were not throwing away his instruction. But the boy looked very
much interested, even excited.

"Most of our economists are disposed to blink the truth," said he.
"But the fact is, there are too many men."

Samuel started. It was precisely that terrible suspicion which had
been shaping itself in his own mind.

"There is a law," went on the other, "which was clearly set forth by
Malthus, that population tends continually to outrun the food supply.
And then the surplus people have to be removed."

"I see," said Samuel, awestricken. "But isn't it rather hard?"

"It seems so--to the individual. To the race it is really of the very
greatest benefit. It is the process of life."

"Please tell me," Samuel's look seemed to say.

"If you will consider Nature," Professor Stewart continued, "you will
observe that she always produces many times more individuals than can
possibly reach maturity. The salmon lays millions of eggs, and
thousands of young trees spring up in every thicket. And these
individuals struggle for a chance to live, and those survive which are
strongest and best fitted to meet the conditions. And precisely the
same thing is true among men--there is no other way by which the race
could be improved, or even kept at its present standard. Those who
perish are sacrificed for the benefit of the race."