The evening world., 1888-10-04
Is His Who Reaps Usury on the
Bread of the Poor.
Speculation in the N~ecessaries
OF Life Holly Condemned.
Prominent Judges and Clergymen De.
nounce h Wheat Corner Evil.

poor, n criminal act?
If so, how should the corneror or any other
gambler i'll the necessaries of life be pun
ishcd?
These two questions were propoundcd by
an EVENING WORLD reporter to prominent
and learned citizens of this community with
tie view of showing the public n practical
remedy for such gambling i'll the necessaries
of life 6s is now carried On.
To many il would seem that n man who by
speculation would force the price of the chief
necessity of life from So. % to 81 per barrel,
taking the money directly from the pocket of
the hard-working man, was clearly guilty of
larceny, and not very petty larceny either.
1t was an authoritative opinion that was
wanted, however, and the reporter first went
20 Judge Rufus H.. Cowing, who was presid-
ing in Part |. of General Sessions.
Judge CowIng pondercd the questions care
fully, and said:
" If by criminal net you mean one pro-
vided for by punishment in the code of laws
/ do not know what the law of Illinois is on
the subject. If You simply wish to know
whether il seems II grave moral wrong to run
| up the prices of the necessities of life through
n spirit OF speculation, | do think 30. 1t
seems to me II serious OtlCnse.
If 1t is IN oifense it is naturally deserving
of punishment, but how 1t can be punished,
or how II aw could strike them, IL not so
clear. If several were engaged in IL scheme
like this, it might be considered II conspir-
acy."
Recorder Frederick Smyth smiled when he
was asked the same questions and said
You must excuse me from saying anything.
If 1 did, and n case were ever to come up of
the kind before me then l should stand rs
committed to II positive view on the point
| ..l L.. r..t. - l.,4A. Et.4.., t,l,ltn. =, ,...
TO 1t. do not care to express an opinion for
this reason"
Tho reporter next saw Rev. Howard
Crosby, of the Fourth Avenue Presbyterian
Church. He was clear spoken and pro-
nounccd in his views on the points raised.
Whether II Is criminal Ill the eyes of the
law or not, 1T is certainly criminal i'll the
sight of the Lord. 1t is an oilense that ought
to lie punished by the law. and il we had
legislators who had backbones they would
enact laws that would prevent the rich from
making gains out OF the poor, plundering
the poor that they may add to their wealth.
1 have always held this Wow, and have pre-
senied II III my writings"
There was no doubt what Mr.. Crosby
thought aud felt on this point. 1t was evil
dently one OH which lie had an earnest con-
yiction.
The reporter next called on Rabbi Gustav
Goitheil at 6Sl Madison avenue. He is Rabbi
i'll the Temple Emanu-El, ON Fifth avenue.
the largest place Of Hebrew worship in the
| Wv y wa pi'NihE ~ ITO - il'
reading some volume i'll the Hebrew tongue.
When the reporter mentioned the object of
his call and told the Rabbi he would like an
expression of opinion from him ON the points
III question, the Rabbi SAID
Well, you know what the Scriptures say
on the point. There is n passage i'll Proverbs
which curses the man who makes for himself
gam from tho bread of the poor. If these
men want 10 speculate let them do so in the
Injuries of life; Why don't they operate III
diamonds or brandy, or something of that
kind
" If they run diamonds up to n fancy price
people would SIMPLY say ; We can do with
out thom.' But thoy can't do that with
bread, or with meat and those things which
are necessary to the maintenance of life. |
think the tax on sugar of two cents n pound
il wrong. Sugar IL not a luxury. 1t may
really be considered ono of the necessities.
" think there ought to be some way of
checking such things. Al that is made out
of tho poor by speculating in the necessities
of life and running them up III price in this
way is blood money. The State should step
in to prevent such things
Rev. Robert S. Macarthur, pastor of Cal
vary Baptist Church, on Fifty. seventh street,
tied by the reporter. lie has one of the
largest Congregations III the city. The re.
porter found linn at his residence, JAS West
D lIfty-soNcnth street. When the question
WAS put to him he reflected for n moment OF
two aud then answered, deliberately
. THAT is a question which 1t is not easy &c
A answer. No Que has the right to charg,
another with anything unless the case is s.
s pain that there can he no doubt. TIT
t morality of an act depends on the motive
winch the person is actuntod by who com
mits II, and that motive cannot easily be
known. Besides in this point is III
volyod II question that is hard t.
settle, and trat is the one wheel
deals with tho degree TO which II man or
r firm may 20 IN mercantile transactions. 4
big firm like Wunamaker, or Macy, or nm,
very large concern OF that kind. may wip,
:. ont fifty smaller concerns which deal in til,
: things which they are able to carry and sci
At n very low rate. If Hutchinson had faileC
in his spoculntlCns, nobody would have sai,
anything about it. But the morality of VIVA
c he did is the same, whether he succeeded o
n failed.
take the risks he did was entitled to 3
= per cent. gain. Others would think tina
u when he took such chances it is right h
should get 10 per cont, so per cent, S,
il is II point which it is hard to determine.
Now, if the thing be put abstractly il
d this way, II may he answered. If IL man spec
ulatcs IN tine necessities of life in order to adC
II supcriiuous wealth to himself al the cost o
material Inconvenience to the poor, is i
criminal ? | would say to the question. pu
x in this way, that such u man is morally rep
Il rCnCnsible.
About a law TO prevent such a thing, no,
could it be applied Circumstance do s.
y much to alter cases, and circumstances are St
' variable III q matter of speculation in thi
sort of thing, 1t may be n good harvest yea
and the amount of the commodity very great
- Then n Spectator could carry a great dea
e more of it than he could when u crop wa
l. small. 1t would be n very difficult matter,
= seems TO me, then, to frame any measur
which could justly be applied to this sort c
case"
The reporter also called on DIR. Houghton
Of the " Little Church Around the Conner.
lie When he WAS asked the question, he said
" "Oh. | don't know anything about il. II
"a price may DO us low tomorrow as it is hig
IL TODAY"
Then You do not care to express an
opinion on the point -
, No; | am not fond of gott ng into I'll
newspapers" answered the reverend gentle