s incased our souls. I'm afraid it will be a slower
process. We must free ourselves from within. I believe we are moving
toward some sort of a socialistic state. No man with eyes in his head
can help seeing that. But we'll move a step at a time, and only so fast
as the love and altruism inside us can be organized into external law."

"No. You'll wake up some morning and find that this whole capitalistic
organization has crumbled in the night, fallen to pieces from dry rot."

Jeff might not agree with him, but he knew that Marchant, dreamer and
incoherent poet, his heart aflame with zeal for humanity, was far nearer
the truth of life than the smug complacent Pharisees that fattened from
the toil of the helpless many who could do nothing but suffer in dumb
silence.

Part 2

As the months passed Jeff grew in stature with the people of the state.
In spite of his energy he was always fair. The plain truth he felt to be
a better argument than the tricks of a demagogue.

A rational common sense was to be found in all his advice. Add to this
that he had no personal profit to seek, no political axe to grind, and
was always transparent as a child. More and more Verden recognized
him as the one most conspicuous figure in the state dedicated to
uncompromising war against the foes of the Republic.

Those who knew him best liked his humility, his good humor, the
gentleness that made him tolerant of the men he must fight. His poise
lifted him above petty animosities, and the daily sand-stings of life
did not disturb his serenity.

Everywhere his propaganda gained ground. People's Power Leagues were
formed with a central steering committee at Verden. Politicians with
their ears close to the ground heard rumbles of the coming storm. They
began to notice that reputable business men, prominent lawyers not
affiliated with corporations, and even a few educators who had shaken
away the timidity of their class were lining up to support Jeff's freak
legislation. It began to look as if one of those periodical uprisings of
the people was about to sweep the state.

Big Tim found his ward workers met persistently by the same questions
from their ordinarily docile following. "Why shouldn't we tie strings to
our representatives so as to keep them from betraying us?... Why can't
we make laws ourselves in emergency and kill bad laws the legislature
makes?... What's the matter with taking away some of the power from our
representatives who h