The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-01-03

practical business. You cannot mag /
inc that I am making money wasting !
an hour or two of my time 10 prosecute I
a case in which i have no personal IN
terest whatever. 4 am doing this just
efsf-e4tfZen worthy of the name /
should do. lie has no choice. He has
a distinct duty. Tie is a nonclassiiied
policeman. and It is his duty TO assist
the police and the magistracy IN every
way he can and give his time If neces-
sary TO uphold the law. This cabman
is not the criminal here at all. The
criminal is the citizen OF New York
and the absence of patriotism. am
not here TO avenge myself on him 1.-THE
cabmanl | have no quarrel with him.
MY quarrel is with the citizens of this
city that have encouraged overcharging
in this way There is only one side to
moral question. A legal question is
moral one"
As usual, Mark got right at the crux
OF the matter without wasting words
in argument or beating about the bush.
IL required courage to do this, for IN or
der TO drive home his argument ana
secure the conviction Of the cabman ne
was obliged to make several enemies.
IL required an honesty of purpose, also,
and that Mark Twain Is honest is
proved by his recent liquidation OF all
debts Of the defunct firm OF which ne
was a silent partner after he had prac-
tically compromised with the creditors
at 50 cents on the dollar. AT an age
when most men like 70 take their ease
and enjoy the fruits of a lifetime OF la
bor he made his famous lecture tour of
the world and came back TO the United
States not only with money for his
creditors hut with the nucleus for
pretty good fortune as well.
No more forceful argument was ever
+ presented i'm favor OF a bill than his
before the house OF lords anent perpet-
ual copyright. Even that fossilized
body had a notion that Mark Twain
could be nothing II not humorous and
/ laughed a every point he made, wheth-
az witty or not. But he drove home his
argument as TO civic and national in
I tegrity just the same as he did when
before the court in New York. "As to
/ The value 10 the nation of terminabl
/ copyright" he said. when the state
/ sets the example Of disregarding a com
/ monty accepted moral law In the mate
I rial interests OF the public it should
! make sure that the commercial advan-
,age accruing 10 the people would be
n
4 dome to the nations sense OF honor and
4 iusttce." AS this was exactly what it
) had not done, Mark made point in his
remarks that even the fat Witted lords
could not but perceive ana applaud.
frhat Inc could be serious he showed in
J th, following remarks: "fhe man who
fpurchascd a landed estate had to earn
the money by the superiority Of his in
tellcct at the bar. in trade. in manufac-
ture or the like His land was what a
lmuk was-the result OF his brainwork,
of combination and the exploiting OF
ideas. There was no difference between
the two. All property. OF whatever
kind. stood for the same thing-some
mans successful exercise OF his intel
lectual forces-and the law allowed him
TO hold II and TO transmit Il TO his pos
terily forever
Crystaliized common sense like that
apueaIed 10 the noble lords" as IL ap-
peals to the common people" and his
shaft at himself also went home as IN.
tended wien he said he had found that
according TO the English law everything
was taxable except copyright In books
lie looked 90 see what his Literature
vas taxed under and found Il was tax.
ed az gaswOrks. II was so literally
true, he added, that IL hurt his feelings
Mark Twain has, as one OF his critic,
truly says, certain primordial quail
ties" which will give 20 his works un
, diving fame even should the humorou,
features OF his writings prove 10 b,
transitory and ptdshable. Anon,
. these sturdy qualities are honesty. indig
, nant resentment Of wrong--to himself