an idle matter in which the rest of the community has no substantial interests. Such is not the caae. In so far as the gains of these unproductive occupations are of a substantial character, they come out of the aggregate product of the other occupations in which the various classes of the community engage. The aggregate profits of the business, whatever its character, are drawn from the aggregate output of goods and services ; and whatever goes to the maintenance of the profits of those who contribute nothing substantial to the output ifl, of course, deducted from the income of the others, whose work tells substantially.
There are, therefore, limits to the growth of the industrially parasitic lines of business just spoken , of. A disproportionate growth of parasitic indusI tries, such as most advertising and much of the other efforts that go into competitive selhng, as well as warlike expenditure and other industries I directed to turning out goods for conspicuously [Wasteful consumption, would lower the effective vitality of the community to such a degree as to jeopardize its chances of advance or even its life. The limits which the circumstances of life impose in this respect are of a selective character, in the last resort. A persistent excess of parasitic and wasteful efforts over productive industry must bring on a decline. But owing to the very high productive efficiency of the modem mechanical industry, the