roker,
I, the jolly joker!

Among Samuel Clemens's literary remains there is an outline plan for
a "Casting-Vote party," whose main object was "to compel the two great
parties to nominate their best man always." It was to be an organization
of an infinite number of clubs throughout the nation, no member of
which should seek or accept a nomination for office in any political
appointment, but in each case should cast its vote as a unit for the
candidate of one of the two great political parties, requiring that the
man be of clean record and honest purpose.

From constable up to President [runs his final clause] there is no
office for which the two great parties cannot furnish able, clean,
and acceptable men. Whenever the balance of power shall be lodged
in a permanent third party, with no candidate of its own and no
function but to cast its whole vote for the best man put forward by
the Republicans and Democrats, these two parties will select the
best man they have in their ranks. Good and clean government will
follow, let its party complexion be what it may, and the country
will be quite content.

It was a Utopian idea, very likely, as human nature is made; full of
that native optimism which was always overflowing and drowning his
gloomier logic. Clearly he forgot his despair of humanity when he
formulated that document, and there is a world of unselfish hope in
these closing lines:

If in the hands of men who regard their citizenship as a high trust
this scheme shall fail upon trial a better must be sought, a better
must be invented; for it cannot be well or safe to let the present
political conditions continue indefinitely. They can be improved,
and American citizenship should arouse up from its disheartenment
and see that it is done.

Had this document been put into type and circulated it might have
founded a true Mark Twain party.

Clemens made not many more speeches that autumn, closing the year at
last with the "Founder's Night" speech at The Players, the short address
which, ending on the stroke of midnight, dedicates each passing year
to the memory of Edwin Booth, and pledges each new year in a loving-cup
passed in his honor.

CCXVIII. NEW INTERESTS AND INVESTMENTS

The spirit which a year earlier had prompted Mark Twain to prepare his
"Salutation from the Nineteenth to the Twentieth Century" inspired him
now to conceive th