The evening following his interview with Mollie found Cobb in better
spirits and more cheerful. He had not seen her since the day before, as
she had complained of a slight indisposition and had remained in her
room.
Seated in the library of the President, and in his accustomed
place--for Cobb came nearly every evening to hear Mr. Craft discourse
on the topics of the day, and to narrate, in his turn, the events
contemporary with his former existence--he reminded his friend that
he had promised to explain the law system of the present day, and to
discuss its merits and defects.
"And right happy I am, my dear boy," returned the President, "to sit
and chat with you on these subjects, which, in many cases and under
many phases, may strike you as being worthless, absurd, and detrimental
to a just definition of the principles of sound common law."
"You will hardly surprise me by any innovation upon the law of my
time," said Cobb; "knowing, as I do, that the age is progressing. It
could not have taken a retrograde movement in common law--not the law
itself, but its definition and interpretation in the courts."
"The laws of the land have been greatly modified and simplified. No
longer are the bickerings, snarlings, personal abuse and ungentlemanly
conduct of the opposing counsel permitted in the courts. Decorum is
strictly observed, and justice--pure, plain justice, as far as it is
possible for human minds to discern it--is meted out to the culprit at
the bar, the defendant or the appellant in the case."
"If such is now the condition of your courts and your law, you are
worthy of man's sincere praise and thanks. The farce daily enacted
in the courts of 1887 was a disgrace to an enlightened and civilized
community."
"The root of the innovation was the substitution of a plain and simple
code of laws for the cumbrous shelves of State and national codes
existing during your time. There is now one universal code of laws for
the nation, whole or integral. Every crime known to man is laid down
fully and plainly, and one, and only one, punishment ordained for the
guilty."
"But does this not work more harshly against those of otherwise good
reputation than against the habitual criminal?"
"Possibly. But to avoid that greatest of evils--the giving of
different sentences for exactly the same crimes, and committed under
almost similar conditions--the universal code was established. Now
every man knows exactly the punishment fixed for those guilty of any
particular crime. There is no such thing as irrelevant testimony. The
desire of justice is to know every circumstance connected with the
commission of the crime. Yet limits to the continuance of testimony
in certain directions are fixed. The desire now is not to defeat the
just endeavors of man to obtain his rights--not to punish the accused
because he is accused, but to quickly dispense justice to all. The
most radical change in the dispensing of justice is the discontinuance
of the jury system in vogue up to 1926--a system faulty in the
extreme; a system where twelve men of widely different characters,
education, religious principles, and ideas of justice, were expected
to each and individually concur in one particular finding, and where a
single dissenting voice required the trial to be held again, before a
similar enlightened jury, or the accused discharged. In fact, during
the jury system, it was the endeavor of counsel to impanel a jury
of ignoramuses, a jury of men who had not read of the events of the
day, or if they had read them, then of such infantile, idiotic minds
as to have reached no conclusion upon the case whatever. That system
is obsolete, thank God! Outside of the police courts, which have a
single judge who hears and determines the case, and whose powers are
very limited, we have the Dom Cöda, or house of justice, in which all
cases are tried in which the punishment does not exceed a certain fixed
standard. This house is presided over by three judges, and to them is
the testimony given, by them heard, and by them is judgment rendered.
They are lawyers, and understand the law. Next comes the Gledom Cöda,
or superior court, presided over by five judges. Here are heard the
highest criminal cases. The Legledom Cöda, or supreme court, is the
highest in the State, and is presided over by nine judges. There are
Doms Cöda and Gledoms Cöda for civil cases, likewise."
"But suppose one is dissatisfied with his trial; what then?"
"He appeals it, as formerly; but with this knowledge and understanding:
If the higher court finds him guilty, the penalty fixed by the lower
court is doubled, provided such a sentence is possible."
"Humph! I should think guilty people would hesitate about appealing."
"Indeed they do. It is not often that an appealed case is decided
against the appellant; and for the very reason you have advanced, that
if guilty, they stand by the finding given in the lower court."
"Does not this system give opportunities for bribery and jobbery?"
"The opportunities may exist, but the practice is one of the rarest
crimes known in the calendar. The punishment for conviction of bribery
of, or corruption in, a judge, is life imprisonment in the government
prisons; and to the person accomplishing it, a similar sentence; while
to attempt it is a twenty years' offense."
"Severe punishments, compared with those of former times," was Cobb's
remark.
"Yes, very severe. But a good government needs and demands a good and
true corps of judges to settle, justly, the individual disputes of its
people, and to protect them in their lives, liberty and property."
"I should imagine that the system is very expensive--the salary of so
many judges?"
"Not nearly as expensive as the summoning of jurors, their per diem
pay, the delays in justice, and the many incidentals of cost in trials
in former years. One Dom and one Gledom Cöda serves for 15,000 people.
The salary lists are $12,000 and $25,000, respectively; or three
dollars per capita to insure justice. The judges serve until seventy
years of age, unless removed for incapacity or for commission of crime.
The lease of office is thus, practically, for life, the salary high,
the honor great, and self-interest makes the man honest."
"I think it a good innovation," exclaimed Cobb.
"No doubt you would like to hear of the prison system as it exists
to-day; for it is directly connected, of course, with the law?"
"Certainly. I have wondered if there was any change."
"Each State has its own prison, wherein are incarcerated all convicts
whose sentence is less than five years. All others are sent to the
government prisons. Of these latter prisons, there are ten, situated
in various parts of the country, but all on islands and isolated from
communication with the world except by government vessels. The island
of Anticosti, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, is the main Eastern prison;
then, there are those of Tiburon, in the Gulf of California; Great
Abicos, among the Bahamas; Charlotte's Island, in the Pacific Ocean,
and others. These are prisons belonging to the government, and no
convicts are sent to them whose sentence is less than five years. Here
are manufactured every conceivable thing needed by the government,
and for which it would have to pay cash, did it not make it itself.
Great ship-yards, from which are turned out magnificent vessels of
war; foundries, in which immense and powerful guns are fabricated;
looms and workshops for the clothing of the army and navy; factories
for boots, shoes, furniture, ironware, and thousands of other articles
that the various departments of the government require. In fact,
the manufactured articles are few that the government has to buy by
contract. The raw material, however, is purchased and sent to the
prisons, and there fabricated into the articles needed. As no convict
comes with less sentence than five years, ample time is available in
which to teach him such a trade as will give to the government the
greatest benefit from his labor. The working system of the prisons
is admirable in the extreme. The convicts are well fed and clothed,
and required to work a given number of hours, only, a day, depending
upon the fatigue of the labor. Good conduct remits four days in each
month, or fifty-two days in each year; extra work, when available, is
furnished to them, and credited at the rate of the number of hours of
that particular service per day, as so many days of their sentence
served. This system prevails in all of the State prisons, but, of
course, upon a minor scale. In them only such articles are manufactured
as are required and used by the State governments."
"How about pardons from these prisons?" inquired Cobb.
"The President alone has the power of pardoning from national prisons;
the governors, from State prisons. At each prison is a Legledom Cöda,
and a pardon is never issued except this court has examined the case
and recommended it. The Legledom Cöda of each prison also tries all
cases of infraction of the laws of the prison, and fixes the punishment
for the same. As a matter of fact, few, very few, pardons are given,
and then only when it is apparent from subsequent evidence that an
injustice has been done a man."
"What are considered among the gravest crimes?"
"Murder, perjury, rape, receiving of bribes, or giving of same,
corruption in office, arson, mayhem, premeditated and willful. These
are all life imprisonment offenses, and there is no reduction of
sentence for any reason."
"But does not this convict labor compete with the labor of the masses?"
asked Cobb.
"How can it? If the government needs a million dollars' worth of
manufactured articles, one of two courses must be pursued to obtain
them: either to buy or manufacture. If they are bought, the people
are taxed to pay for them; if they are manufactured by convict labor,
the tax-payers save just that amount of money, while a punishment is
inflicted upon the worthless class by causing it to labor without
reward."
"True; but in my time the people howled and railed against convict
competition. Now, turning from the subject, tell me if there are many
labor troubles at the present day."
"None worthy of the name. A great and just law was advocated, in 1920,
by that eminent jurist, Attorney-General William Bean, of Pennsylvania,
and passed the next year, that it should be unlawful for any firm or
corporation carrying on any manufacture, to accumulate in any one
calendar year a profit in excess of twenty per cent. on the actual
money invested, and exclusive of that invested in the plant. Full
provision was made in the bill for examination of accounts, books, etc.
The bill further provided that each person, firm, etc., should regulate
the price of the labor employed by them. Then further laws were enacted
against combined strikes, intimidation of the employed, etc. It was a
wise bill, and has worked advantageously ever since it was passed by
Congress."
"But I fail to see its benefits to the laborer," dubiously returned
Cobb.
"In this way, Junius. Twenty per cent. interest on the money invested
is enough to satisfy any man, and cause him to advance capital and
embark in manufactures. Now, if the wages of his laborers are fixed
by him, he can increase them just as much as his income is greater
than twenty per cent.; he must do it or cut down supply. He actually
divides the surplus over twenty per cent. among his men. If competition
is great and the profits less, he must cut the wages or increase the
output to save his percentage; but if he is willing to accept fifteen
per cent., or ten per cent., then the wages remain the same as before.
But if he desires to cut the wages, it is his right by the law;
the laborer may work for it, or not. As a truth, though, wages are
better now than ever, while the price of articles has fallen nearly
twenty-five per cent. below that of 1920."
"Are there any laws relating to the holding of real estate?" Cobb
asked. "I remember quite an agitation on that subject during the '80s."
"Yes; one general law only: no individual not a citizen can hold land
in the United States; and no one citizen can hold, in his own name,
more than 640 acres, or one square mile."
"A good and wise law. In my time, vast tracts of land were held by
individuals and corporations, both domestic and foreign."
"It was so until the Bean bill of 1920. One year after the passage of
that bill was given to foreigners to dispose of their real estate, and
five years given the citizen to bring his holdings within the limit of
the law."
"I think I was informed by Mr. Rawolle that the government owns all of
the railroads in the country?" inquiringly.
"Yes, all; and likewise the telegraph system. Furthermore, each city
owns its own water supply and electric-light plant. It will thus be
seen that the people, and not the capitalist, own and govern the
country."
"What is the rate of taxation--national and municipal?"
"There is no national taxation except on tobacco and liquors. Municipal
taxation is really the only burden, if it can be called a burden, which
the people bear. That taxation is very low indeed, and is levied under
certain equitable laws. The revenue of the nation is derived from
customs, liquor, tobacco, and the excess of receipts over expenditures
of the railroads, telegraph and postal service."
"And how about the rates of postage?"
"The rate per mile for railroad traveling is one cent, the rate for
telegraphic messages is one cent per word, and letter postage one cent
per ounce, throughout the United States."
"Is the nation in debt?"
"No; the nation owes not a dollar. The last of what we call the great
debt was paid in 1979. It would have been paid long before that time
had it not been that an enormous outlay was required to gain possession
of the railway system of the country."
"What did you pay for the telegraph system? That must have taken
another immense sum."
"The rights of the sympathetic telegraph system were purchased in 1892,
for five millions of dollars, and that system caused all of the surface
lines to be abandoned in a few years."
"The sympathetic system, did you say?" and Cobb showed more interest
than he had evinced in the President's dry recital of the law of the
country.
"That is the name of it," Mr. Craft replied.
"Does it differ much from the Morse system?"
"Many would not understand your question, Junius. You must remember
that the system has been in operation for over a hundred years; few
persons know any other. Fortunately, I can answer your question, for I
have studied the subject. There is practically no difference between
the two systems, save in one respect--"
"And that respect is--" interrupted Cobb.
"That there is no wire, metal, or tangible connection of any kind
between the instruments."
"What! no wire! How, then, does the current pass?"
"We do not know!"
"Well! that is very strange! A telegraph system, and its principle
unknown!"
"It is just as I tell you. We know how it works, but not why."
"And was the principle never divulged by the inventor?"
"Never."
"Surely, he taught you how to make the instruments?"
"Oh, yes; or the system would have been of little worth," and Mr. Craft
smiled at the utter amazement of his listener.
"But I can conceive of no instrument being made by human hands for a
specific purpose, unless the principle upon which it was constructed
was fully known," and Junius Cobb shook his head as if doubting the
statement of the other.
"The sympathetic telegraph is, however, a manifest success," continued
the President. "It works over miles of country and in every direction,
and at each station records the pulsations of the heart of its mate,
wheresoever on the face of the earth that mate may be."
"By whom was this wonderful instrument invented? Surely, his name will
live forever!"
"Ah, Junius, you are right! The name of Jean Colchis will--why, Junius!
what is the matter?"
Cobb had sprung from his chair as the old name, so dear to him, was
uttered. He moved anxiously toward the President, and seized him by the
arm, while an expression of hope, of fond remembrance, came into his
eyes.
"O, tell me," he cried. "Tell me of this Jean Colchis! of his daughter!
It was he, you have said! There never was but one Jean Colchis! It must
be he--my master!"
"Calm yourself, Junius," hurriedly exclaimed Mr. Craft, as he gently
laid his hand upon the young man's shoulder. "Did _you_ know Jean
Colchis?" in a wondering tone.
"Ah! did I? He was my master! It was he, Mr. Craft, who invented the
power that brought me to this new life!" Tears came into his manly eyes
as he remembered his benefactor and his lovely daughter.
"I know nothing of him," sadly returned Mr. Craft. "He was, and has
passed out of life. He lives now but in history and the minds of the
American people." A dimness came into his eyes as he witnessed the
emotion of the other.
"Where is the evidence of his skill, of his ingenuity? Where can I
behold the work of his loved mind?"
"If you desire, Junius, you shall visit the great theatre of action
of hundreds upon hundreds of his wonderful instruments--the city of
America, on the Central Sea."
Cobb had heard the announcement of his old master's wonderful
achievement in the sciences with astonishment not unmixed with joy.
He thought, now the good old man will have money, fame, and
distinction; his daughter, the dear little Marie, would be advanced to
her rightful place among womankind, and no longer be hidden in Duke's
Lane, unknown and unsought. Unsought! Then came a feeling of jealousy
at his heart. Men would seek the heart and hand of his little fiancé.
Would they succeed? Would she quickly forget him, and receive with
pleasure the advances of other suitors? Then, with a grim smile, he
bade his heart have no fear; Marie Colchis was no more. It mattered not
what she had done; she was dead to him forever. He would live in the
remembrance of her childish yet womanlike love.
It was past midnight when Cobb and the President separated, each to his
bed; the latter to slumber, the former to lie in a mournful remembrance
of former days and former friends.
The next few days were passed by Cobb as the others had been, in the
gaining of a knowledge of the world as he now found it. Much of the
excitement caused by his advent had passed; much of the curiosity of
mankind in his appearance among them had vanished. He settled down to a
life similar to the rest. To Mollie Craft he was kind and polite, but
not passionate. He still believed her the magnet toward which fate was
drawing him; but he awaited the propitious moment to tell her of his
belief, of his love. She was kind and sisterly to him; nothing more.
It was near the first of December that a new face, a sweet, girlish
face of innocence and simplicity, came across the path of his life.
Marie Colchester had arrived at the executive mansion as the one dear
friend of Mollie Craft during her school-days at Weldon. As she was
presented to mamma and papa Craft, she blushed at the knowledge of the
deception she was practicing; but she had promised her brother and his
fiancé to obey their wishes.
[Illustration]
A tall girl, with blonde hair, majestic form, round and plump, with
eyes melting in their expression of artlessness and innocence, Marie
Colchester was one who would easily conquer the heart of a susceptible
man. In the parlor they met for the first time, Junius Cobb and she.
"My brother, Marie. Junius, let me make you acquainted with my dear old
schoolmate, Marie Colchester. I want you to be the best of friends,"
and she moved toward the piano, and listlessly tapped the ivory keys.
"Oh, I am sure we will, will we not, Mr. Cobb?" exclaimed Miss
Colchester, with a winning smile. "You know everybody has heard of you,
and I feel it a great honor to know one who has lived in two lives."
For a moment Cobb stood with a perplexed expression, and gazed intently
at her; the name had startled him. She raised her face, and met his
gaze, then, blushing, dropped her eyes to the floor.
"You do not answer, Mr. Cobb?" she ventured. "Are you displeased at
meeting me?"
Recovering himself in a moment, he quickly returned:
"Pardon me. My thoughts were far away."
"Not very complimentary to me," with a merry laugh. "But, then, if
you will tell me of whom you were thinking, and her name, for I know
it must be a woman, I will forgive your ungallantry," with bewitching
naiveté.
"Marie Colchis," he slowly answered, with his thoughts still far away.
"How funny! almost my own name. Now you have aroused my curiosity. Who
is this divinity that can hold your thoughts so enthralled when _I_ am
near?" and again she laughed as she emphasized the pronoun.
"She was my affianced wife!"
The words came as if from the depths of his heart.
Marie Colchester saw she had touched a tender chord in his memory.
Casting aside all semblance of levity, she approached him and laid her
white, small hand upon his arm.
"Forgive me," she said; "I did not wish to bring sad memories to your
mind."
Mollie Craft slyly watched them both, as she stood at the piano,
apparently deeply absorbed in the music copy on the stand.
"Good! They will be friends," she murmured. Such was the meeting of
Junius Cobb and Marie Colchester.