“No; but there is one against speaking on the streets.”
“Who passed that ordinance, if I may ask?”
“The town council.”
“Consisting of Johnson, postmaster and company-store clerk; Ellison, company book-keeper; Strauss, company pit-boss; O'Callahan, company saloon-keeper. Have I the list correct?”
Cartwright did not answer.
“And the fifth member of the town council is yourself, ex-officio—Mr. Enos Cartwright, mayor and company-superintendent.”
Again there was no answer.
“You have an ordinance against street-speaking; and at the same time your company owns the saloon-buildings, the boarding-houses, the church and the school. Where do you expect the citizens to do their speaking?”
“You would make a good lawyer, young man. But we who have charge here know perfectly well what you mean by 'speaking'!”
“You don't approve, then, of the citizens holding meetings?”