The Government -- I heard about the Government and
    I went out to find it. I said I would look closely at
    it when I saw it.
Then I saw a policeman dragging a drunken man to
    the callaboose. It was the Government in action.
I saw a ward alderman slip into an office one morning
    and talk with a judge. Later in the day the judge
    dismissed a case against a pickpocket who was a
    live ward worker for the alderman. Again I saw
    this was the Government, doing things.
I saw militiamen level their rifles at a crowd of workingmen
    who were trying to get other workingmen
    to stay away from a shop where there was a strike
    on. Government in action.

Everywhere I saw that Government is a thing made of
    men, that Government has blood and bones, it is
    many mouths whispering into many ears, sending
    telegrams, aiming rifles, writing orders, saying
    "yes" and "no."

Government dies as the men who form it die and are laid
    away in their graves and the new Government that
    comes after is human, made of heartbeats of blood,
    ambitions, lusts, and money running through it all,
    money paid and money taken, and money covered
    up and spoken of with hushed voices.
A Government is just as secret and mysterious and sensitive
    as any human sinner carrying a load of germs,
    traditions and corpuscles handed down from
    fathers and mothers away back.