Daily Republican., 1882-08-04
FRIDAY. AUGUST 4, 1889.
CORNERS and Options

CORNERS and options.
In q land of plenty the people ar
suffering from high prices, because som
who want to get rich all at once troubl
the markets and speculate in bread
stuffs and provisions. They get togethe
in the large cities upon the highways o
transit and lay plans for the future
whereby they can by intercepting th'
trade and commerce of the country
make corners in grain and provision
and futures for a month in advance
All this time the workman at scanty
wages bas to suffer that these human
cormorants may grow rich. Is it moi
high time that Justice would wake uI
from her apparent sleep and put a STOP
to this criminal dealing in futures and
making corners in breadstutfs? II
would seem by this time as if the peo-
pie should be fully convinced of their
demoralizing effect on business and on
morals. The miserable mania for specu-
lation has sapped the very foundations
of trade, inflated the prices of the ne
cessaries of life, poisoned the mind of
the young, made defaulters, ruined re-
spectacle professional men and instilled
into people the false, delusive idea
that it is possible to get rich in day.
It is q strange phonomena that in a
country where two thirds of the people
are producers and laborers, and where
they are protected by the ballot, the
other third should be allowed to syste-
natically rob them and compel them
to struggle with poverty all their lives.
Wheat, -four and meats are higher to-
day because of corners and futures.
Around bucket shops stand cigarette
smoking clerks, who unconscieusly are
drifting into worthlessness. In banks
and other places of trust are those who
have been tempted into the faithless
nse Of the property of others. Capable
IailrOad men have been drawn into the
same W hirlpool and gone to dishonora'
bic gr aves because of this madness for
speculation, and all through the land
men who know better, and even women,
are wasting their means in order tb at
brokers, corner speculators and future
makers, may build cottages at the sea-
side and that their wives may wear
diamonds. Only within day or two
past we hear OF such cases as the fail
urs of such men as Craft and Hilgert.
the latter adding forgery to his crime.
Every day in the public prints are &C.
counts of failures, embezzlements and
breaches OF trust, caused solely by gam
bling in futures. Daily is whispered |
around some story of losses in the same
illusive venture in speculation-not
legitimate dealings, but bets ON future
prices. By common consent gambling |
is disreputable and there are laws TO
punish it, because of its noxious effects
on society. In other words society has
exerted its right of self protection.
There are penalties provided in statutes
for this kind of debauchery as well as
for Others, and more severe statutes are
needed. Why should the man who
plays faro and keno be ostracised and
Ths one who wins money by betting
what the price of wheat or cotton will
be next month be lauded to the skies
a1d admitted to social circles? Will
jnsrice still sleep ON and her scales be.
come rusty for want of use? Where
are all the teachers and preachers, the
public press and the public platform,
that this great wrong upon society is
allowed to 60 unrebuked? ? If there
sTer was a demon, a vague Elusive
will-o-the-wisp Turing mon on to dark
ness, ruin and death, amid bogs, quick. ,
sands and pitfalls, it is this same de. ,
sire to get rich quickly, which causes ,
people to abandon the safe principles ,
1f their forefathers for a mist, vapor,
q cloud, which vanishes at the touch ,
Md leaves nothing substantial behind. ,
Where are the old land marks of hon. ,
ssty that guided our foreSathers q?
Where are the light houses to warn us ,
against the cruel rocks and breakers of =,
speculation There is but ,
me way by which the evil can be met, :
mt that is by bringing the force of +
public opinion to bear against it, in the 3
ocial and family circles, in the pulpit,
m the forum aud in the public press. '
This gambling form of speculation 4
'hOuld be made disreputable. II
'lerk or officer of bank or railroad is n
in futures, he should be-
visited with instant discharge. The A
drift Of the times is toward that
which is right, but it wants concentra. II
ZION to give 1t force. Let the good work c,
OF creating public sentiment against ~
corne' and futures go on that the stan
lard Of morals may be elevated, and el
then let the, laws come in as an ex- I'll
preston OF public opinion to brand ~
IpcculatioDs in breadstuffs and other
necessaries of life as criminal by pun "
ishable under the statutes. bC
lar
COUNCILMAN BAILEY, where slum- p
'sreth that market ordinance? The m
market sharps are laughing in their fo
1aawao oo1 an - Abo N;tu No,u..1 - | 4,