Van Emmon considered this a dig at Powart. "Why, of course their government is autocratic, dear! How else can it be protective?"
"You seem to have a lot of admiration for your Mr. Powart," laying her hand on his.
"I have. He and the others seem to be highly capable fellows, who have undertaken to maintain happiness, and have made good."
"But without the direct consent of the people."
"What of that?" warmly. "Most folks don't care to burden their heads with law-making, anyhow. They'd rather leave it up to specialists."
"Who are only too willing, my dear, to handle the matter—at their own price!"
The doctor put in hastily: "From what you tell me, Van, this commission determines the living conditions for the majority, although it has no popular authority whatever. Moreover, conditions are no better than they were a hundred years ago. There's been no progress. Powart admits that.
"Now, placing that fact alongside the rest, I reach this conclusion: that the people of Capallette, no matter what may have been their experience in the past, do not now care for revolutionary ideas. They want standardization, not change.
"It all roots back in that extra dense air of theirs. See why?"
Apparently the three did not. The doctor explained: "Life is much easier for them than for us. It is no great struggle to gain a livelihood where transportation is so easy and simple. In consequence of this their advancement was much more rapid than ours here on the earth, up to a certain point; and they've reached that point already.