Railroads, had any man said such things to his face. And
the fact that Austen Vane had seemingly not spoken in wrath, although
forcefully enough to compel him to listen, had increased Mr. Flint's
anger. Austen apparently cared very little for him or his opinions in
comparison with his own estimate of right and wrong.

"It seems," said Mr. Flint, "that you have grown more radical since your
last visit."

"If it be radical to refuse to accept a pass from a railroad to bind
my liberty of action as an attorney and a citizen, then I am radical,"
replied Austen. "If it be radical to maintain that the elected
representatives of the people should not receive passes, or be beholden
to any man or any corporation, I acknowledge the term. If it be
radical to declare that these representatives should be elected without
interference, and while in office should do exact justice to the body
of citizens on the one hand and the corporations on the other, I declare
myself a radical. But my radicalism goes back behind the establishment
of railroads, Mr. Flint, back to the foundation of this government, to
the idea from which it sprang."

Mr. Flint smiled again.

"We have changed materially since then," he said. "I am afraid such
a utopian state of affairs, beautiful as it is, will not work in the
twentieth century. It is a commercial age, and the interests which are
the bulwark of the country's strength must be protected."

"Yes," said Austen, "we have changed materially. The mistake you make,
and men like you, is the stress which you lay on that word material.
Are there no such things as moral interests, Mr. Flint? And are they not
quite as important in government, if not more important, than material
interests? Surely, we cannot have commercial and political stability
without cominertial and political honour! if, as a nation, we lose
sight of the ideals which have carried us so far, which have so greatly
modified the conditions of other peoples than ourselves, we shall perish
as a force in the world. And if this government proves a failure, how
long do you think the material interests of which you are so solicitous
will endure? Or do you care whether they endure beyond your lifetime?
Perhaps not. But it is a matter of importance, not only to the nation,
but to the world, whether or not the moral idea of the United States of
America is perpetuated, I assure you."

"I begin to fear, Mr. Vane," said the president of the Northeastern,