The proof of it will be in the offer
which they'll make to you in less than ten days. They're always on the
lookout for such men, especially men who have the confidence of the
farmers. The next war in this State and in the nation is to be a
railway war."

"You think so. I think the tariff"--

"What is the tariff, compared to the robbery that makes Gould and Sage
and Vanderbilt? I tell you, young man, the corporations in this country
are eating the life out of it. This power of three men to get together,
steal the privilege from the people, and by their joint action to
produce a fourth body (_corpus_), behind which they hide and push their
schemes--an intangible something which outlives them all--that is
the power that is undermining this government. It's against the
Constitution. Old Chief Justice Marshall in his verdict (which ushered
in the reign of corporations, in this country) distinctly said that it
was based on usurpation, dating back to the Stuarts or the Georges; and
the hint in that was, that it was un-American and un-Constitutional."

Bradley perceived that he was in the presence of another reformer like
himself. He wondered if he seemed so cranky to other men. He was
interested by the man's evident thought and honesty of purpose and by
the sympathy of a city man with a farmer's fight.

"You're with us in our fight against the railroads?"

The man threw one arm back over the top of his chair and looked at
Bradley out of his half-closed eyes. "Of course. Only you're so damned
narrow. Excuse me. You don't see that you've got to kill _every_
corporation. _Every_ corporation is an infringement of individual
rights. When three men go into business as a firm, they should every
one be liable for every contract which they make. The creation of an
intangible corporate personality is a trick to evade liability. Make
war against the whole system," he said, rising. "Don't go fooling about
with regulating fares and forming commissions. Declare corporations
illegal, and let the people know their practices."

They went down to the rotunda floor together. The electric lights
flooded the brilliant marbles with a dazzling light. Groups of men were
gathered around spittoons, talking earnestly, gesticulating with fists
and elaborate broad-hand, free-arm movements--political gestures, as
Bradley recognized.

"These are your colleagues and their parasites," said Bradley's
companion, whose name was Cargill. "Know any of 'e