The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-06-14
Gentlemanly Theft.

Theft is taking the property Of other peo
pie and applying it to ones own use. Their
are more polite names for the thing thai
stealing. 1t is sometimes called embezzle
ment. but it is simply vulgar stealing. l
is cloaked under the term of enterprise very
often, especially when man runs a corner
on the Board Of Trade or operates trust
1t is stealing just the same. The Board o
Trade operator owns or controls large
sum Of money. He sits down and matches
scheme 10 rob his fellow operators and
indirectly 10 rob the public. He conclude.
to buy all the grain there is in the market
or practically all. He works underhanded
if he can, and as long as he can-works on
the principal of the hlghwayman in the
dark. He manages matters so as to get as
many men indebted TO him as possible; and
then manages matters so that they cannot
pay him what they actually owe him, with
cut paying him perhaps double what they
owe him. He has bought thousands and
millions of bushels of grain from men who
have agreed to deliver it upon certain day.
The shark expects TO own all the grain in
the market on that day, and likely will. He
is inducing men to make contracts which he
knows he will prevent them fulfilling with.
out heavy loss to them and an immense
gain to him. The day of settlement finally
arrives. II may be wheat that is to be de-
livered. Wheat may actually be worth
dollar bushel. But the shark has bought
up all the wheat. Those who have agreed
to deliver him wheat must go to him and
buy il. He asks dollor and fifty cents and
two dollars for the wheat. He has his grip
upon the throat OF his victims. He squeezes
them until they pay him what they owe him
and as much more besides; and on The Board
of Trade that is called business. Men have
been sent 10 the penitentiary for twenty
years for less crime than is involved in a
transaction like that. There is not one sin
gle ray of honesty in it. 1t is a deliberate,
Internal theft, and the fact that. the men
who get caught were trying to do the same
thing is no palliation of the offense which
the first schener committed.
Trusts are Of similar character. They
are organized to steal other peoples money.
They are conspiracy to pick peoples
pockets; they are operated ~ on the same
theory that the highwayman adopts. He
puts his victim in his power and ImmanJs
him to deliver or be shot. He does not
argue. His pistol does his talking The
trust does not argue. 1t comes with its
sugar and demands your m ney, or you will
drink your coffee without sugar. 1t comes
with its Irvine and demands It's price or You
can go without Irvine; it comes with its oil
and robs you because you must have oil. 1t
is organized, systematic robbery, and il Is
done in the sacred name of law. That is
the most Calling part of it. A government
of the people, by the people and for the
people, permits few constituencies plund.
erers to rob the millions, without so much
as u remonstrance. We have just had
discussion settled by Chicago court that
the gas trust is practically legal. 1t some
times seems as if government was expressly
organized for the protection and encourage
ment of the we'll dressed villains of society.
l-WesteTR RaraI.