“I am quoting to you almost literally from the chronicles of the times,” replied the High President. “These two little kings absolutely ruled the state between them. It was at their royal behest that governors were nominated and elected, legislators selected and judges put upon the bench. When any opposition to their respective rules appeared to threaten them, they promptly joined forces, fought shoulder to shoulder and, under prearranged agreement, divided the subsequent plunder. Behind them was an armed banditti of many thousand men, known as a police force and supposed to be organized for the protection and enforcement of law and order. As a matter of fact, this force was nothing less than an organized body of ravishers and despoilers, preying upon the people and levying tribute right and left. It is safe to say that the operations of all the banditti since the beginning of the Christian era, nor any invading army, ever equaled in the amount of loot secured the operations of the force I speak of which stood behind these two kings.” “Well, well,” exclaimed Mortimer; “things must have been pretty bad in your Republic, Professor!” Dean lowered his eyes as one who is ashamed. “There is much that is correct in all this,” he said; “much that I cannot truthfully contradict. But proceed.” “Aye, and proceed I will,” replied the High President stoutly. “The aristocracy which surrounded these kings--that is, the men who formed their courts and helped to administer the public affairs--were in many instances vulgar publicans; men who derived their incomes by the maintenance of groggeries and low dancing houses, or worse--gamblers, touts, and a sprinkling of ex-convicts and little lawyers. Such was the aristocracy and the environment of these kings--the men who really ruled the land. I have spoken so far of the proud Empire State of New York. If you turn to the East or to the South, the middle country or the West, you will find that much the same conditions prevailed. Deny it, if you can!” “I think,” protested the Professor, “that your criticism is, perhaps, directed into too narrow channels and that it treats too much of certain phases of mere partisan, or local politics.” “But was not each State sovereign and independent,” retorted the High President, “and did not each State make its own laws and govern itself generally? Then, too, how was the Federal government itself made up except from the combined selections of the different States?” “Still,” persisted the Professor, “I think that your criticism might be directed toward more broad and general conditions of our national life.”