Bad work Dies of its Own Badness

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Having each man a law unto himself has its advantages and its disadvantages. Mistakes are made of course. Not everyone as a genius for designing, and even geniuses have to learn the details of technic [sic]. A strong central jury could cut out mistakes more quickly and ruthlessly, but it would at the same time cut out originality and initiative. If the growth is natural, natural causes soon ordain the survival of the fittest. Bad work dies of its own badness. A spirit of self-reliance, guided by a sense of honor and responsibility, will in the long run produce better results than a chastened obedience to the dictates of an absolute authority.

Mary Allen, "The handicrafts of Old Deerfield," The Outlook, 69, no. 9 (November 2, 1901), 410.