The Labor enquirer., 1884-02-02
DYNAMITE is strong to-day at 4ec.
RANK BLACKLEGs.

BANK BLAoKLEGs.
Three different times within the past
few weeks have the business circles OF
this city been startled by the announce
ment that a Leadville bank had gone up
-or down, no matter which. The re-
ports are followed for few days with
conflicting statements as to the liabilities
and assets of the defunct concerns, and
then it is finally announced that all is
lost and the cashier and other principal
culprits are flown to strange parts.
There is little fuss and stew, the daily
press INDUCES in bit of sensational ed
itorial, the outcries of d.frauded depos-
itors die out, and all isquiet, until fresh
smash-up arouses "public indignation
again. +
Now, to the surface thinker this is
probably all right and as it should be,
but since the last announcement Of the
bursted bank, have thought it was time
to get down into the heart of these affairs
and find what there really is in them
and to offer a wholesome suggestion or
two.
Is there any use at this time to go into
details and show the iniquity and COM
pound thievery of our present banking
system? Is there a reader of The EN-
ou1RER who does not know how the
banking system of this country was bred
in legislative corruption, is fostered and
fattened by the boldest, rascally conni-
vance of the nations blood-suckers and
its traitorous legislatorsP All this is
known, and has been clearly demon
,strated by some of the ablest men of
our country-it has been made partlcu-
larly clear in our own city in a recent
lecture delivered by DR.. De La Matyr.
So there is no use to 60 over that ground
at this time.
The system is wrong; the thieves in
congress who make andiunmake systems
will not regulate it, the people will not
compel the legislators to be honest and
do their duty, and the rascality goes on.
The banks tax and bleed the people and,
when the recklessness and profigacY of
bank officers 60 beyond their epportu-
mites to steal, the "panel-shop" closes its
doors, and the helpless depositors can
whistle. These failing banks keep open
their doors until the very last moment,
and the brainless dudes who act as the
tools of the robber gangs un-
concernedlY rake in the savings of the
depositors who might as well go and
chuck their money in the middle of the
ocean. 1t may be said to the credit of
the average bank clerk that he doesn't
know he is stealing under such circum-
stances but if he did, it would not prob
ably make any difference, He is brought
up in bad atmosphere.
But there are those over him who do
know that the money they are hauling
in will never be returned to to the un-
fortunate depositors. And l say this is
stealing. 1t is as cool theft as was ever
perpetrated by the slickest cracksman
or lowest thief in the world And the
newspaper or pulpit that gives the trans
action countenance by silence on the
subject is accessory to the crime and
should be punished with the principal
thief.
Now, you would probably like to hear
what consider the proper punishment
for the bank presidents and cashiers
who commit these robberies? Well,
have no hesitsncy in telling you; 1 say
they should be hanged or shot. And ]
do not say this without some little con-
sideration, and an entire absence of any
desire to be sensational. The presidents
and cashiers of the banks have connived
for and secured a monopoly of the de-
pository business of the country, and
they should be strictly held accountable
for their acts. These two, at least, oi
the officers of bank should know its
condition, and when they coolly and
premeditatedly take into their hands
the funds of an uninformed public
knowing they will not be able to return
dollar for dollar, they should be killed
The law of this country does nothing
with such robbers, as it does in China
and so I think the defrauded should
emulate the law of that heather land
cut the defaulters' heads off.
The damnable corruption of society
by fends of the bank-official kidney
makes it unsafe for one to carry very
much money on the person or keep il
around the house, and so it has to be
placed in the keeping of the men who
have monopolized the vaults of the
country, and when they add crime to
injustice, it is about time to DO some
thing. :.
You mouth-reformers can ind fresh
food for argument in favor of the gov
.,,+ ,,,nn;no the banking business,