Hastings','' said Selma to the driver. The carriage
drove away.
She gave Ellen's message to Wetherbe and returned to the house.
Victor was still unconscious; he did not come to himself until
toward daylight. And then it was clear to them all that Dr.
Charlton's encouraging diagnosis was correct.
Public opinion in Remsen City was publicly articulate by means of
three daily newspapers--the Pioneer, the Star, and the Free
Press. The Star and the Free Press were owned by the same group
of capitalists who controlled the gas company and the water
works. The Pioneer was owned by the traction interests. Both
groups of capitalists were jointly interested in the railways,
the banks and in the principal factories. The Pioneer was
Republican, was regarded as the organ of Dick Kelly. The Star
was Democratic, spoke less cordially of Kelly and always called
for House, Mr. House, or Joseph House, Esquire. The Free Press
posed as independent with Democratic leanings. It indulged in
admirable essays against corruption, gang rule and bossism. But
it was never specific and during campaigns was meek and mild.
For nearly a dozen years there had not been a word of truth upon
any subject important to the people of Remsen City in the columns
of any of the three. During wars between rival groups of
capitalists a half-truth was now and then timidly uttered, but
never a word of ``loose talk,'' of ``anarchy,'' of anything but
the entirely ``safe, sane and conservative.
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