Qualifications.

Before doctors, lawyers, chemists, and blacksmiths can practise their professions or trade they have to specially prepare themselves at their own expense, and then in some cases pay for certificates of efficiency. Damages would be given against them for loss and pain through incompetence. No one would knowingly employ the unskilled.

Now if the less scientific businesses—such as horseshoeing, bootmaking, etc.—require special preparation, how much more the difficult science of politics, which implies a good knowledge of sociology, history, human nature, the law of nations, political economy, and the possession of education, based not only on book knowledge, but experience? Our doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc., are not allowed to live on the taxpayers while they are learning the necessary qualifications for their callings.