The Peril of the Republic of the United States of America - Percy T. Magan

and four and a half hours afterward she is wedded
to another millionaire. So blunted have morals in
general become that the affair excites but little
disgust anywhere. Two wealthy men have
differences of opinion over business matters. One
invites the other to a friendly conference. They
meet, and the one who has been invited is shot
without warning. The murderer gives himself up
with the utmost complacency to the authorities, and
hands them two sets of typewritten statements,
setting forth in legal form his reason for the deed.
One of these statements is four thousand five
hundred words in length, and the other ten
thousand. In these he had previous to the
commission of the crime set forth in the coolest
manner possible his object in killing his fellow
millionaire.
These are only a few specific instances of
crime, representing a few of the different classes.
After all, with how thin a veneer has that which we
call civilization covered the natural brute ferocity
of our natures. True, we have steam engines,
elegant railroad cars, and fast service; we have high
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