"Yeah," Watson grinned. "The thing about a benevolent tyranny, though, is that it's up to the tyrants to decide what's benevolent. I'm not so sure there's a great basic difference between your governing of Genoa and ours of Texcoco."
"Don't be an ass," Mayer snapped. "We are granting the Genoese political freedoms as fast as they can assimilate them."
Joe Chessman growled, "But I imagine it's surprising to find just how slowly they can assimilate. A moment ago you said they were free to form any government they wished. Now you say you feed them what you call freedom, only so fast as they can assimilate it."
"Obviously we encourage them along whatever path we think will most quickly develop their economies," Mayer argued. "That's what we've been sent here to do. We stimulate competition, encourage all progress, political as well as economic."
Plekhanov lumbered to his feet. "Amschel, obviously nothing new has been added to our respective positions by this conference. I propose we adjourn to meet again at the end of the second decade."
Mayer said, "I suppose it would be futile to suggest you give up this impossible totalitarian scheme of yours and reunite the expedition."
Plekhanov merely grunted his disgust.
Jerry Kennedy said, "One thing. What stand have you taken on giving your planet immortality?"
"Immortality?" Watson said. "We haven't it to give."
"You know what I mean. It wouldn't take long to extend the life span double or triple the present."