One day they will rise in their wrath and seize by the throat this knavish plutocracy which, confident in the power of its wealth to procure legal immunity and reckless of its danger, persists in robbing the public daily.

But retribution is at hand.

The growing discontent of the proletariat, the ever-increasing strikes and labour disputes of all kinds, the clamour against the Railroads and the Trusts, the evidence of collusion between both--all this is the writing on the wall.

The capitalistic system is doomed; socialism will succeed it." "What is socialism ?" he demanded scornfully.

"What will it give the public that it has not got already ?" Shirley, who never neglected an opportunity to make a convert, no matter how hardened he might be, picked up a little pamphlet printed for propaganda purposes which she had that morning received by mail.
"Here," she said, "is one of the best and clearest definitions of socialism I have ever read: "Socialism is common ownership of natural resources and public utilities, and the common operation of all industries for the general good.