The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-09-11
MILLIONAIRE ANARCHISTS.

(From the Chi cago Sentinel.)
Some years ago it was discovered
that a mparatively poor man had
tapped a city water pipe in such man
-ner that he obtained all the water he
wanted without paying. OF course, he
was duly prosecuted according to law,
just as he ought to have been.
Now the startling discovery has just
been made that the great packing
houses of Chicago have for years been
getting water in the same manner-a
siX-inch pipe, tapping the water main
and conducting water around the
meter,in the case of the Nelson Nor
riS Company.
The Armour Company has been pro-
vided in the same manner, so it is
said, and several other prominent
packing houses in the StockyardS dis
trict still to be heard FROM with the
good work Of investigation still going
on.
1t is estimated that more than a
million dollars in revenue has been
lost to the city in this manner.
The Civic Federation has stirred up
this hornets nest,and the authorities
are compelled to take some action.
So far, they are simply trying to stop
the leak-nothing is said about prose-
cutting Phil Armour. or Nelson Morris,
or any other OF those highly respect
able gentleman of the StJckyards dis
trict, vino are making so much money
every year and devoting a little of it
to the cause of education and reli-
gion.
1t goes without saying that no Grim
inal proceeding will be instituted.
And why? Simply because the Of
tenders are so wealthy and influential
as not to be amenaDle to the laws
which apply to poor people. La Eng
land there is a written law which eX-
empts members of the Royal family
from prosecution for crimes other
than murder, and there seems to be
an unwritten law in this country eX
empting our Plutocratic rulers from
prosecution for offenses Of any kind.
Prosecute Phil Armour! The great
pigpotentate, who refused to appear
before a United States Senatorial in
vestigating committee, and nothing
was done about it! The idea is pre-
pOSterOuS.
The man who makes United States
Senators would not obey the bidding
Of United States Senators, much less
would he heed the summon Of a
Judge whom he or his confreres have
placed on the bench.
Phil Armour, Nelson Morris, and
other Chicago millionaire packers
may have stolen millions from the
City of Chicago in evading water
taxes, but they will never be called to
account for the offense. j the City
can "stop the leak" it will be more
than satisfied.
There don't seem to be any law in
this country which rich men are
bound to respect.
But there is a growing public senti
ment in this country that, men so
wealthy as to be able to defy the law
and live unmindful Of law are no less
anarchists than those who advocate
the abolition of all law-for the poor
as we'll as for the rich, for the pauper
as we'll as for the PlGtocrat.
Anarchism is a dangerous doctrine
and its advocates, especially if practi-
cal advocates, should be properly pun
iShed
The anarchist who practically advo-
Gates the abolition of law so far as it
applies to the wealthy classes is more
dangerous to society than he who car
ries red flag.
The great anarchist breeder Of this
country is the unwritten law that the
wealthy culprit shall 60 scott free for
an offense that sends poor man to
the workhouse or penitentiary.