The chairman took his leg down, carefully relighted a people’s cigar, and said: “Strike that off the record.... I will inform the witness that this is a Committee of Congress, with power to punish contumacious and disrespectful conduct.... The witness is warned to answer questions without any irrelevant remarks of his own.” “I beg your pardon,” said Galt. “What was the question?” The official stenographer read from his notes,--“So this is the great Galt.” “That ain’t a question,” said Galt. The round was his. The audience tittered. The chairman put his leg back and glared wearily into space. “I withdraw it,” said Goldfuss. “Start the record new from here.... Mr. Galt, you were directed to produce before this Committee all your books and papers. Have you brought them?” “No.” “No? Why not, please?” “They would fill this whole room,” said Galt. Mr. Goldfuss started again. “Your occupation, Mr. Galt,--you said it was what?” “Farmer,” said Galt. “Yes? What do you farm?” “The country,” said Galt. “Do you consider that a nice expression?” “Nicest I know, depending on how you take it,” said Galt. “Well, now tell this Committee, please, how you farm the country, using your own expression.” “I fertilize it,” said Galt. “I sow and reap, improve the soil and keep adding new machinery and buildings.” “What do you fertilize it with, Mr. Galt?” “Money.” “What do you sow, Mr. Galt?” “More money.” “And what do you reap?” “Profit.” “A great deal of that?” “Plenty,” said Galt. “And what do you do with the profit, Mr. Galt?” “Sow it again.” “A lovely parable, Mr. Galt. Is it not true, however, that you are also a speculator?” “Yes, that’s true,” said Galt. “To put it plainly, is it not true that you are a gambler?” “That’s part of my trade,” said Galt. “Every farmer is a gambler. He gambles in weather, worms, bugs, acts of Congress and the price of his produce.” “You gamble in securities, Mr. Galt?” “Yes.” “In the securities of the railroad properties you control?” “Heavily,” said Galt. “If, for example, you are going to increase the dividend on Great Midwestern stock you first go into the market and buy it for a rise,--buy it before either the public or the other stockholders know that you are going to increase the dividend?” “That’s the case,” said Galt. “As a matter of fact, you did some time ago increase the dividend on Great Midwestern from four to eight per cent., and the stock had a big rise for that reason. Tell this Committee, please, when and how and at what prices you bought the stock in anticipation of that event?”