The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1893-03-30
THIEVES AND ROBBERS.
THE DISTINCTION Is ORAPHl-
CALLY EXPLAINED.
Men Have Been Hung for Less "Sesli-
tiOhs" Language Than that Quoted BE-
l0w-Disgraceful Scenes At Clevelai,d's
InauguratiOn-Th Kansas Outrage.
Truths Plainly Told.


Truths Plainly Told.
He who takes by stealth what be-
longs to another is thief; he who
takes by violence what belongs to an
other is robber. The r6bber is
properly supposed 10 disappear, with
other predatory animals, before the
progress of civilization bnt this is
superficial Judgment. The force that
unlawfully deprives men Of their
property passes through many trans
formations, but no force is more per-
sistent. Men are plundcrcd nowadays
in America far more frequently and
fagrantly than in England in thedays
of Robin Hood; there are men among
us beside WHO robberies those of the
brigands of Italy and Greece and the
Bedouins of the desert are mere pleas
antries. Of all triumphs Of ,inyention
none are more wonderful than those by
which the hard earned gains Of mil
lions nre forcibly conveyed to the
vaults of the robbcr princes. No bust
ness is more highly organized, more
strehuously pursued. more success
fully managed than the business of
| robbery, no; hing worse nor better.
The peculiarity of the modern
method of robbery is the employment
| by the robbers of the state as their en-.
forced agent and accomplice. Some
times, but not often, the, organize
their clients and retainers into armed
| bands and seize the coveted booty,
combining to have the state confirm
possession. But the force on which
they prefer to rely is the quiet and re-
sistless force of the laws and the
courts. By artfully contrivel legal
schemes they constrain courts to do
their bidding. The judges may he un-
willing instruments. yet they are bound
to sanction, impartially, the working
| of legal processes. But what shall we
say when weak or corrupt judges
hasten to realize schemes by which
great corporations are wrecked or re-
labilitated, as suits the purpose of the
conspirators?
OF the gigantic fortunes now held in
this country, not few have been got
ten by legal robbery. Twenty years
ago our millionaires could be counted
almost on the fingers of four hands.
To-day their enumcrA, lion would carry
us into thousands. Since the new system
Of robbery was perfected, about twent y
men have amasscd fortunes, which.
taken together, exceed the debt Of the
nation. Twenty years ago many OF
these men were poor. Some of the
new millionaircs have grown rich Lon
estly, but some of them have led raid
upon the production of the accumu-
lated wealth of the country. So
Napoleonic in it's boldness and sue
cess has been the method OF
the master robbers that rich
men of better instincts have been daz'
zled by it, have adopted it openly and
Independently, or have lent indirect
cooperation and social credit to the
robber chiefs. and have shared in the
plunder. Men of honorable reputa
tions, who have been crowned with
public honors, have rountenance,1
these crimes rs affording the stires
way of adding 10 their unsatisfying for
tunes of ten, twenty. or even thirt,
millions. 1t is by no means our pur
pose to throw ,liscredit upon the pur
suit of wealth. Honest production ant
honest gains OF wealth that is employed
in the service of society are the bnl
warks of civilization. But we do sa,
that the examples of private greed ar,
sapping the sources OF public honor
examples of gigantic and countenancet
robbery are undermining the founda
tions of public morality aud corrupt
ing the national character.
Our Legislators have failed to see, O
4 for private and corrupt reasons hav'
winked at the fact, that the laws tha
were made TO fit old-fashioned ideas o
honor and morality, instead of protect
ing the public, are the strength an,
the protection of dishonest men. Th
old code of commercial honor is los
sight of in the complex transactions o
of stock -jobbers, who remain out o
sight while their work is being don
by consciencclcss factors; by lawyer
skilled in discovering loopholes in til
law and in Juggling with law; by lob
bies with money at the doors of Legis
latures, by paper shares and pape
promises to pay; by cipher message
and spies, and by using the facilities Q
stock exchanges.
1t is we'll that our Legislators ar
making at least the show of lnquirin,
into the methods by which the publi
is robbed in the interest of stockhold
ers, and they. in turn, are robbed b
corporate managers; by which whole
sale robbery is cloakcd with legal form
of consolidation, Reorganization,
"receivership," and "watcred stocks,
by which men may safely conduc
trade and rob the public by the artific
of corners" by which man is al
lowed to control rival or double sys
TENS of railways and with impunit
array one against the other, as suit
his varying purpose, thereby despol
ing the public with the ease of a gan
bier playing with marked cards.
What have the people to say abou
these practices? They do not appea,
as vet, to have anything to say. Til
robber princes are held in high esteem
They go about to the colleges, som
Of them, and Doctors Of La,
and Doctors of Divinity grovel q
their feet; if any Mordicai refuses t
bow down before them his name la
not been reported. Men whose richie
have been increased by despoiling thei
neighbors are held up as shining ex
amples for the imitation of our youth
50 long rs teachers of morality silentl
endorse such iniquities, it is not to b
expected that the people will cry on
against them. Bat the day is sure t
come wien plain men will clearly Sc
that no one man can get with clca
u hands, in an ordinary lifetime, hur
drcd million dollars; that such a
e enormous pile SO suddenly collecte
must be loot, not profit. That will 1
day of recks ming, indeed, for til
rogues and for the judges and the lei
r islatcrs and the public teachers vii
have been their accomplices.
Meantime these facts are to be kept i