380 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



After this, rather evasive, reply the water-plug is removed, the water 

 runs anew and the senator replies to the first plea, noted above : 



If he can show, gentlemen of the jury, that there is a law which requires 

 the corn-dealers to buy up corn because the officials bid them to, vote to acquit 

 them. But if he does not, it's only just that you vote condemnation; for we 

 produced the law which forbids any one in the City buying up more than 

 seventy-five bushels of corn. Now this accusation ought to be sufficient, since 

 this man admits he bought it, the law clearly prohibits it and you have sworn 

 to vote according to the laws. 



However, to persuade you that they are lying about the officials, I must 

 speak more at length about them. Now when these fellows put the blame on 

 the officials we summoned the officials and questioned them. Four said they 

 knew nothing about the matter and Anytus said that during the previous 

 winter, when corn was high and these fellows were bidding against each other 

 and fighting with each other generally, he advised them to stop their wrangling, 

 thinking it to the interests of you who buy from them, that these dealers 

 should buy as low as possible; for they've got to sell it higher than cost, if it's 

 only a penny more. Now to prove that he did not order them to buy up corn 

 and store it away but did advise them not to bid against each other, I will 

 furnish Anytus himself to you as witness; and to prove, too, that he spoke 

 these words under the former Senate and that these fellows appear to have 

 bought it up this year. "Testimony (Read and acknowledged)." Now you've 

 heard that they did not buy up the corn on orders from the officials. But 1 

 think, if they are really telling the truth about the corn-inspectors, they will 

 not be defending themselves but be accusing the officials; for in matters which 

 the laws have expressly provided for, why shouldn't both those who fail to obey 

 and those who incite them to act contrary to the laws, pay the penalty? 



The senator then replies to the second plea in excuse which ad- 

 mitted Miat they had "cornered" the supply but held their action had 

 really benefited the people. This prototype of the modern trust-lover's 

 argument is logically decapitated and the disguise of public benefactor 

 is torn off in brief but telling language which exposed variation of price 

 in a single day — the most charitable explanation of which was that the 

 price changed as the "bulls" or "bears" respectively controlled the 

 market. The senator also took the opportunity to impress on the 

 "corn-ring" that obedience to the laws and willingness to make the 

 patriotic contributions the nation called for was a condition precedent 

 of loyalty and that charity in trade may be allowed as a supplement, 

 but not as a substitute for the performance of duty to one's country and 

 fellow citizens. 



But, gentlemen of the jury, I don't think they will get any pity for such 

 talk. And perhaps they will say, as they did in the Senate, that they bought up 

 the corn out of good will towards the state, so that they might sell as low as 

 possible. But I will offer you the greatest and most evident proof that they 

 are lying. For if they did do it for your sake they would have appeared selling 

 for many days at the same price, until the corn they bought up gave out; but 

 now, as a matter of fact, at times on the same day they sold at a drachma 

 [18 cents] higher than at other times — just as if they had bought by the bushel 

 and not by bulk. And I furnish you witnesses to prove it. 



