MONTAGUE. In the end the public pays for everything. The stolen franchises are unloaded on the market for ten times what they cost, and the people pay their nickels for a wretched, broken-down service. They pay for it in the form of rent and taxes for a dishonest administration. Every struggling unfortunate in the city pays for it, when he comes into contact with the system... when he seeks for help, or even for justice. It was that side of it that shocked me most of all... I being a lawyer, you see. The corrupting of our courts...
LAURA. The judges are bought, Mr. Montague?
MONTAGUE. The judges are selected, Miss Hegan.
LAURA. Selected! I see.
MONTAGUE. And that system prevails from the Supreme Court of the State down to the petty Police Magistrates, before whom the poor come to plead.
LAURA. And that is why the white-slave traffic goes unpunished!
MONTAGUE. That is why.
LAURA. And why no one would move a hand for Annie Rogers!
MONTAGUE. That is why.
LAURA. And my father is responsible for it!