_Hovstad._ To you, as a doctor and a man of science, this business of the water-works is an isolated affair. I fancy it hasn't occurred to you that a good many other things are connected with it.... The swamp our whole municipal life stands and rots in.... I think a journalist assumes an immense responsibility when he neglects an opportunity of aiding the masses, the poor, the oppressed. I know well enough that the upper classes will call this stirring up the people, and so forth, but they can do as they please, if only my conscience is clear. _Aslaksen_, printer of the _People's Messenger_, chairman of the Householders' Association, and agent for the Moderation Society, has, like _Hovstad_, a keen eye to business. He assures the _Doctor_ of his whole-hearted coöperation, especially emphasizing that, "It might do you no harm to have us middle-class men at your back. We now form a compact majority in the town--when we really make up our minds to. And it's always as well, Doctor, to have the majority with you.... And so I think it wouldn't be amiss if we made some sort of a demonstration.... Of course with great moderation, Doctor. I am always in favor of moderation; for moderation is a citizen's first virtue--at least those are my sentiments." Truly, _Dr. Stockmann_ is an idealist; else he would not place so much faith in the staff of the _People's Messenger_, who love the people so well that they constantly feed them with high-sounding phrases of democratic principles and of the noble function of the press, while they pilfer their pockets. That is expressed in _Hovstad's_ own words, when _Petra_, the daughter of _Dr. Stockmann_, returns a sentimental novel she was to translate for the _People's Messenger_: "This can't possibly go into the _Messenger_," she tells _Hovstad_; "it is in direct contradiction to your own opinion." _Hovstad._ Well, but for the sake of the cause-- _Petra._ You don't understand me yet. It is all about a supernatural power that looks after the so-called good people here on earth, and turns all things to their advantage at last, and all the bad people are punished. _Hovstad._ Yes, but that's very fine. It's the very thing the public like. _Petra._ And would you supply the public with such stuff? Why, you don't believe one word of it yourself. You know well enough that things don't really happen like that. _Hovstad._ You're right there; but an editor can't always do as he likes. He often has to yield to public opinion in small matters. After all, politics is the chief thing in life--at any rate for a newspaper; and if I want the people to follow me along the path of emancipation and progress, I mustn't scare them away. If they find such a moral story down in the cellar, they're much more willing to stand what is printed above it--they feel themselves safer.