Mark Twain (1835-1910) is often credited with the quotation: “In the beginning a patriot is a scarce man, hated and feared and scorned. But in time when his cause succeeds, the timid join him, because then it costs nothing to be patriot.”
 
The saying appears in Mark Twain’s Notebook (1935), edited by Albert Bigelow Paine, although it is not clear if the authorship is Twain’s or Paine’s. The quotation has been often used by radio talk show host Alex Jones.
 
   
Google Books
Mark Twain’s Notebook
Prep. for publication with comments by Albert Bigelow Paine
By Mark Twain and Albert Bigelow Paine
New York, NY: Harper
1935
Pg. 394:
In the beginning of a change the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot. The soul and substance of what customarily ranks as patriotism is moral cowardice—and always has been.
 
Rense.com
Government Insider Says Bush
Authorized 911 Attacks
From Thomas Buyea
9-17-4
Keep in mind when reading this, that the man being interviewed is no two-bit internet conspiracy buff.
 
Stanley Hilton was a senior advisor to Sen Bob Dole (R) and has personally known Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz for decades. This courageous man has risked his professional reputation, and possibly his life, to get this information out to people.
 
The following is from his latest visit to Alex Jones’ radio show. 
(...)
AJ: Let’s talk about polls. In the beginning a patriot is a scarce man, hated and feared, but in time when his cause succeeds, the timid join him, because then it costs nothing to be a patriot.
     
Examining 9/11
Sunday, March 26, 2006
CNN Transcript
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT
Sheen 9/11 Comments Spark Controversy
Aired March 23, 2006 - 19:00:00 ET
(...)
JONES: Mark Twain said that, “In the beginning a patriot is a scarce man, hated and feared and scorned. But in time when his cause succeeds, the timid join him, because then it costs nothing to be patriot.”
(Alex Jones—ed.)
 
Partnership for a Secure America
Conspiracy Theories
by Benjamin Rhodes | August 22nd, 2006
(...)
COMMENTS
88. Myra M. Jackson wrote,
“In the beginning, a patriot is a scarce man, hated, feared and scorned, but in time the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.”
-Mark Twain
Comment on August 24, 2006 @ 7:15 pm
   
Words
Sunday, January 20, 2008
It Costs Nothing to be Patriot
In the beginning a patriot is a scarce man, hated and feared and scorned. But in time when his cause succeeds, the timid join him, because then it costs nothing to be patriot.
-Mark Twain
Posted by Hussaini at 4:18 PM
     
Calguns.net
fullrearview
03-05-2009, 3:18 PM
“In the beginning a patriot is a scarce man: Hated ,feared & scorned; but in time, when his cause succeeds, the timid join them, because it costs nothing to be a patriot”~Mark Twain~