day. Now I do begin to see! But will dead policemen answer?"

Haven't they--up to this time?"

Well, if you put it that way--"

Put it any way you want to. Modify it to suit yourself, and my lads

shall still be superior. They won't eat, they won't drink--don't need

those things; they won't wink for cash at gambling dens and unlicensed

rum-holes, they won't spark the scullery maids; and moreover the bands of

toughs that ambuscade them on lonely beats, and cowardly shoot and knife

them will only damage the uniforms and not live long enough to get more

than a momentary satisfaction out of that."

Why, Colonel, if you can furnish policemen, then of course--"

"Certainly--I can furnish any line of goods that's wanted. Take the

army, for instance--now twenty-five thousand men; expense, twenty-two

millions a year. I will dig up the Romans, I will resurrect the Greeks,

I will furnish the government, for ten millions a year, ten thousand

veterans drawn from the victorious legions of all the ages--soldiers that

will chase Indians year in and year out on materialized horses, and cost

never a cent for rations or repairs. The armies of Europe cost two

billions a year now--I will replace them all for a billion. I will dig

up the trained statesmen of all ages and all climes, and furnish this

country with a Congress that knows enough to come in out of the rain--

The American Claimant