“Even socialistic tendencies,” pursued the other.
“Socialism is anything that holds up our programme,” grinned the lawyer, who occasionally permitted himself the private luxury of frankness.
The public utilitarian frowned. “Have you been reading the articles on tax-dodgers?”
“I have.”
“What is the purpose of them, if not to stir up socialistic unrest?”
“Sensation, I should say. The series has been popular. When Mr. Average Citizen reads in his paper that he is being taxed twice as heavily as Mr. Rich Man next door, he’s interested. He begins to think the paper is a devil of a paper. He talks about it. That helps.”
“Suppose The Guardian should attack Us on the tax issue?”
“That also would be interesting,” remarked Dana. “But they won’t. Our trail is too well covered. It would take them a year to get at the facts.”
“But what’s the young fool driving at, anyway, Dana?” The lawyer rubbed his long angular jaw, and the somnolent look of his eyes deepened into musing. “I figure he’s making a bid for the radical support. The radicals have never had a show here, and he may be able to rally them to him.”
“What do they amount to, the radicals! A newspaper has got to have the support of people with money.”