man may have suppressed desires, you see, and lace
curtains and victrolas may stand not only for the improvidence of the
poor, but for the neurasthenic yearnings of the rich. Talk about the
economy of Nature! Why, nothing in the universe, not even the
civilization of man, has ever equalled her indecent prodigality!"

As the man's words poured out in his rich, deep voice, Stephen stared at
him in a silence which reminded him humorously of the pause in church
before the sermon began. Was this the reason of Vetch's influence and
authority--this flow of ideas, as from a horn of plenty, that left the
listener both charmed and bewildered?

"I admit it all," rejoined the young man, "except that you have
discovered the remedy."

The Governor laughed and settled back in his big leather-covered chair.
"You think that I blow my own horn too loudly," he continued, "but,
after all, who knows how to blow it half so well as I do? For the same
reason some over-sensitive nerve of yours may wince at my behaviour at
times, my lack of dignity or reserve; but have I ever lost a vote--I put
it to you plainly--or the shadow of a vote by an occasional resort to
spectacular advertising? It pays to advertise in politics, we all know
that!--but it was honest advertising since I never failed to deliver the
goods. I started out to prove my strength and to flay my opponents, and
you tell me, you group of black-coated conservatives, that I make myself
ridiculous because I strike an attitude. The people laughed--but, by
George, they laughed with me! Oh, I know you think that I am wandering
from my point; but I haven't forgotten your question, and I am going to
answer it, if you will give me time. You ask me what I believe--"

"If you could tell me in few words and plainly."

"Well, first of all, I make no pretence. I do not promise to work
miracles. I do not, like your conventional candidates, talk in
platitudes. I do not undertake to achieve a regeneration of politics out
of unregenerate human nature. As long as we have cherries we shall have
blackbirds; as long as we have politics we shall have politicians. I
acknowledge the good and the bad, and all that I promise is to get as
good results as I can out of the mixture. Definitely I stand for a
progressive reorganization of society--for a fairer social order and a
practical system of cooperative industry, the only logical method of
increasing production without reducing the labourer to the old
d