CONFUCIUS. A walk-over. Only one candidate.
BURGE-LUBIN. Any good?
CONFUCIUS. He was released from the County Lunatic Asylum a fortnight ago. Not mad enough for the lethal chamber: not sane enough for any place but the division lobby. A very popular speaker.
BURGE-LUBIN. I wish the people would take a serious interest in politics.
CONFUCIUS. I do not agree. The Englishman is not fitted by nature to understand politics. Ever since the public services have been manned by Chinese, the country has been well and honestly governed. What more is needed?
BURGE-LUBIN. What I cant make out is that China is one of the worst governed countries on earth.
CONFUCIUS. No. It was badly governed twenty years ago; but since we forbade any Chinaman to take part in our public services, and imported natives of Scotland for that purpose, we have done well. Your information here is always twenty years out of date.
BURGE-LUBIN. People don't seem to be able to govern themselves. I cant understand it. Why should it be so?
CONFUCIUS. Justice is impartiality. Only strangers are impartial.
BURGE-LUBIN. It ends in the public services being so good that the Government has nothing to do but think.