Just possibly there is a double meaning here involving the money-oriented Barrios,
with "let" meaning "rent." I.e., since the People are the
possession of their leaders, would the leaders be so kind as to rent them out
to another purpose for money -- which is exactly what they unwittingly do with
every wage payment to the socialist People. On this level, Barrios' retort that
Nostromo is "conceited" could refer to that presumption of monetary
value in himself.