The Portland daily press., 1875-11-05
A Suggestion.

Now that bank robbers are dealt with ''on
the square, and cracking bank is COM
paratively safe means of getting living in
Maine, why not make arrangements to have
the business done by residents of our own
state? There are thousands of other de-
mands upon our people for their money from
abroad without having our ''cracksmen" live
in New York or Philadelphia. We have no
question but that there are scores of men
who could in short time crack bank with
tina utmost neatness and dispatch known to
the profession. Then if our natives are
ignorant respecting the business, no doubt
our state authorities who are keenly alive to
any enterprise calculated to extend and null
tiply the industries of our peoplel will allow
!. ,,.s public institution at Thomasson, under
the sklllful preceptorship of Messrs. Bartlett
and Mcguire of Bowdoinham memory. In
the recent Winthrop operation, the profess
sionals-and they were not first class-realized
between $4,000 and $4,000. In these hard
times that is large sum of money to 90
cut of the state. 1t would extend great
many notes, pay off a hundred factory hands,
and in many ways strengthen the siuews OF
trade. Now it is a dead loss. By all means,
if this is to be a regular industry, let us so
protect it as to make it thrive at home. If
something is not done in this direction our
resources will be seized upon by the enter
prizing robbers of other states and our state
will become bowling wilderness. Moreover,
we have large number of sharp and rather
pleasing young men in Maine who have no
trades and no employment, and who might
be made middlemen. Evidently it isn't very
difficult business to learn. A little GOODNESS,
a few of-hand Sort of commercial phrases,
| a suit Of rather goodish clothes and withal a
| jaunty air which our young men OF iaisure so
easily take on and so gracefully carry, are all
that is required for the diplomatic position Of
middleman. --
We are aware that old fashioned and
provoking people will insist that bank rob
bing and compromising with felons is q
very improper and wicked thing to do. In
the abstract we fear it is. At any rate we dc
not feel like arguing the point, and will only
say in extenuation that such operations are
quite as honest as falling in business fol
the purpose of making money, or selling
worthless railroad bonds to poor and con.
fiding people, or a dozen other things thai
might be named Indeed, bank robbing il
quite as honest as was that policy that Da
tional patty went before the country on il
1868, viz: the payment of the gold bonds
the government in paper promises to pay
and the men who rob bank are quite
worthy Of favorable recognition as those
gentlemen who, knowing the history
worthless money, advocate further infia
tion OF the currency, If the revelations re
specting the manipulations OF the stock {
certain railroads and concerning the Credl
Mobier are true, the bank robber has notf
| ing to fear from fair comparison Of his pre-
fessional record with that of those kings.
But we are opposed to bank robbing. w
think that Warden Rice can best provide 10
the class of geniuses who take to that bus
ness; but if banks must be ROBBED, and tn
robbers compromised with, as if such stea
ing is an exception, let us save money by ha'
ing all the parties reside at home and theret
derive all the benefits.