Democracy will go its own way in spite of the prophets.
In any case, the work of Mr.Keir Hardie has been fruitful and valuable.
For it has made for a quickened intelligence, and a more exalted view of human life amongst the working people; and it has increased the sense of personal and civic responsibility.

It has made for civilisation, in fact, and it has insisted on the importance of things that democracy can only forget to its own destruction.
The third distinguished working-class leader in Parliament is Mr.J.Ramsay MacDonald, the elected leader of the Labour Party, and its secretary since its formation.

Mr.Ramsay MacDonald is for the working class, but, though born of labouring people, and educated in a Scotch board school, has long ceased to be of them.

Never a workman, and never associated with the workman's trade union, Mr.MacDonald went from school teaching to journalism and to a political private secretaryship, and so settled down quickly into the habits and customs of the ruling middle class.

Marriage united him still more closely with the middle class, and strengthened his position by removing all fear of poverty, and providing opportunities for travel.
From the first Mr.MacDonald's political life has been directed clearly to one end--the assumption of power to be used for the social improvement of the people.