Los Angeles daily herald., 1876-02-08
How the People are Robbed.

We have the most law-abiding peo-
pie in California that can be found in
the United States. We doubt if there
is people On the globe who would
manifest the same degree of patience
ami forbearance under the same provo
cations. All the devices that can be in
vented to rob them legally and illegal
ly, they endure with fortitude that
would put to shame the ancient Qua
kers. Their houses are robbed and
burned; stages robbed; their women
raped and murdered, and for all these
outrages there is no lynching. Every
body says let the law take its course.
Such little offenses as horse stealing,
land-jumping and black-mailing, is
only reported to the Sheriff and Courts.
Nine-tenths of the men summoned to
serve on the jury in such cases have
never heard of the case before. The
sffense was committed perhaps in
sight of them, but so little do such
things disturb the community that
they never hear of it until the District
Attorney reads the complaint. This
forbearance upon the part of the loyal
citizens has emboldened every class of
robbers until they are ready to walk
in and help themselves to all we have.
1t Is true the lawless brigand still pre-
fers the lonely highways or the shades
of night to secure his plunder. But
there is class Of legal robbers that
are more bold but equally corrupt, who
have the cheek to walk In and occupy
our possessions, houses, lands, and
everything else. They are great
sickle for the law, yet without the
shadow of a legal claim they can serve
notice on any citizen of this city,
county or State, to get up and vacate
their homes, and large damages will
be claimed if they refuse. The poor
fellow is frightened. All he has on
earth has been expended on this land,
but he fears the law, 1t is very
expensive to go into court, even If he
should win the suit, it will break him
to pay lawyers, etc. While he is thus
Eliminating in his mind, Iank-sided,
lynx-eyed lawyer makes his appeaf-
ance, looking as wise as an owl, and
as humble as URIAH HEAP, who in
forms the poor fellow that the best
thing to be done is to compromise,
and he agrees to approach the prosecu-
tor and see what sum his dignity will
condecend to accept to withdraw the
suit. The next lawyer he meets tells
him he is fool to think of compro-
missing, that he can win the suit very
easily, and will only charge a fee of
s.. The prosecutor sends word that
he will compromise for s., fixing the
amount a few dollars less than the
fee of the other lawyer. The unfortu-
nate man has his choice now, and
there is so much money to be drawn
from his pocket anyhow, and he
makes up his mind to stand the black
mail. This class of robbery is going on
all over the State. Thousands and
millions of dollars are being filched
from the honest, hard-working people
in this way, under the color of law.
Let it never be said again that Cali
fornians are not the most patient,
kind-hearted people in the world. In
every other state the people have Or
ganized into leagues and unions to
protect themselves against oppression,
and they make strike and big fuss
about little reduction in wages.
What would they do If they were be-
ing robbed as we are? The same black
mailing game was undertaken some
wears ago in the State of Texas. But
Texas is a very sickly country for that
class of men, and they all died or left.
and the Legislature passed some laws
that settled or put stop to such suits.
Now that our Legislature is in session
the honest people of the State should
petition that body to make law COM
pelling these parties bringing suit for
land to give bond for all costs and
damages. 1t is no trouble to give
bond, il the claim Is good one. But
Il would be q hard matter to give
bond for the cost of Imany suits that
have already been instituted. This
class of suits is not only robbing the