Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-06-02
Accusing a
Con ScienCe
BY CLYDE MONTAGUE
iELltlIlll1}tft<Lltlkkl
Copyright, 1905, BY Daily Story Pub. Col

I'D and unproyided for; nourished
grudgingly and meanly; thrown out in
TO the current and strife Of human en-
deavor while still an infant; pushed
along under the spur Of necessity and
compelled to hold his own; miniature
man at 5, a child at 20; gifted with some
marvellous heritage from the misty
mirrors Of the past; unknown, IN
claimed, unframed and uncared for
this was the history and antecedents Of
Robert Melbourne.
Where he got his name was a mystery
as profound as that Of his birth and
parentage Everybody knew him as
Rob and II was tradition that prodi-
gal Australian doing" America gave
him the surname.
Anyway he grew up in the street with
no schooling and only the education
which comes from the training Of ne
cessity, supplemented by the force Of
his own personality At he was
nuisance, at 10 a terror, at - leader.
at IA a king. While always boy Of the
streets, he showed at all times and
places a character and quality smack
ing of another sphere A typical street
arab. he deliberately broke into night
sehool-and thrashed the boy who
jeered. He worked hard selling papers
and backing boots. but he always read
the papers and talked with his boot
backing patrons.
SO eventually he got his feet on a
higher round Of the ladder and started
in a new life. He became a lawyers as
slstant-to dig up evidence on the
street; then a law student; then full
hedged lawyer.
And finally at % he found himself
fairly well educated, ultra worldly wise
and self-confident. a power In city poll
tics. a lawyer Of recognized ability and
mar Of more than ordinary perception
and education
This was at %. At IS he had made HIS
mark. He was a gentleman Of presence
/ and address. a lawyer much sought for
ana a politician whose knowledge OF
human nature and the conditions In
the great cities was the marvel Of the
party leaders from New York TO san
Francisco. Incidentally be was a mem
her Of congress and an orator whose
clean logic. ready imagination and con-
vfncing rhetoric always filled the gal
Ieries and drew tardy members to their
seats when he held the floor.
Never had Robert Melbourne made
more brilliant or convincing speech
than the one on the Bracken bill and
when he finished colleagues and OBJ
moments alike crowded around him with
congratulations. II had been bold po-
sition 10 take and required courage to
defy criticism and censure, as well as
ability TO sustain his point. His effort
accomplished the purpose. Despite the
fact that public sentiment was opposed
to the bin and party leaders we're AFRAID
of II because corporation was It's I'M
mediate beneficiary, Melbourne had
thrown the great ultimate benefit to the
people and the country in contrast with
n mere present sentiment so strongly
that II stiffened the backbones Of the
wavering members and the bill had
passed Immediately after his argument.
The bill was for the reclamation OF
vast arid territory. II gave eXtraordi-
nary powers and privileges TO a corpo-
ration formed for the purpose on condi-
lion that a mammoth system Of irriga-
ton be established and maintained.
A great opposition had developed
from two sources. On one hand the
natural hostility OF the public to grants
TO private corporations and the inev-
table screaming Of demagogic POLITE
clans and newspapers had aroused
clamor. From another source came
cry that had enlisted a more reputable
and intelligent protest. In the plans TO
reclaim the wilderness ii was necessary
10 wipe out the claims TO title OF an IN
considerable number of small settlers.
These claims to title were very shaky
and the value Of the property involved
was almost nothing. II was necessary
to have a clean title to the entire tract
and the bill provided clearly for the
viping out OF the vague shadows OF
claims held BY the squatters. This
aroused a protest which helped out the
demagoeic anti-corporation wall until
the opposition had become so formida-
ble and the talk of Doodle" SO great
that many members who were really in
favor Of the bill dared not vote for It.
He had assured himself that there were
favorable votes enough if the members
dared vote. So he had taken the floor
Al the last moment and met the opposi-
ton face to face-granted that pri-
waite corporation would be the bene-
Aciary and that hundreds of settlers
would be Obliged to move on or perfect
their title under the new conditions
which presumed a tribute to the new
company. Then he turned and pic
tured with master hand the transpor-
tation of a wilderness almost uninhab-
tied into a garden spot teeming with
life and overlooking with milk ana
honey-a trackless desert avoided oy
man and beast changed with an Alad-
din's touch to an empire inhabited by
sappy and prosperous men and women
and children and able to feed half the