``We can't always be certain
what's right. But can't we always know what's wrong? And, Mr.
Hull, it is wrong--altogether wrong--and YOU know it's wrong--to
lend your name and your influence and your reputation to that
crowd. They'd let you do a little good--why? To make their
professions of reform seem plausible. To fool the people into
trusting them again. And under cover of the little good you were
showily doing, how much mischief they'd do! If you'll go back
over the history of this town--of any town--of any
country--you'll find that most of the wicked things--the things
that pile the burdens on the shoulders of the poor--the masses--
most of the wicked things have been done under cover of just such
men as you, used as figureheads.''
``But I want to build up a new party--a party of honest men,
honestly led,'' said Davy.
``Led by your sort of young men? I mean young men of your class.
Led by young lawyers and merchants and young fellows living on
inherited incomes? Don't you see that's impossible,'' cried
Selma. ``They are all living off the labor of others. Their
whole idea of life is exploiting the masses--is reaping where
they have not sown or reaping not only what they've sown but also
what others have sown--for they couldn't buy luxury and all the
so-called refinements of life for themselves and their idle
families merely with what they themselves could earn. How can
you build up a really HONEST party with such men? They may mean
well.
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