Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-06-19

$3.50 drawn out of the people and
handed over to the banker. That same
500 government bill is the redeemer
of the national bank bill. Why not the
government issue the money and save
that to the people?
The union carpenters Of Cripple
Creek have given an example of what
some people will call foolishness, but
the more thoughtful will characterize
as an aunusual example of the spirit of
fairness to and consideration of their
fellow men in distress, which should,
but does not. find imitators in other
callings. After the recent fire had de-
stroyed the greater part of that city the
Carpenters union met in special ses-
sion and resolved that the question for
an advance of wages, which had been
under consideration before misfortune
had overtaken the city, should be in
definitely postponed, and that no adj
vance on the old rate of wages would
be asked pending the rebuilding of the
burned district. Those having stocks
of lumber, hardware and other building
material en- hand were not so thought
full of their unfortunate neighbors who
were burned out. The business men
took advantage of the prevailing dis
tress and extraordinary demand for
building material and provisions and
advanced the prices of everything eX-
brilliantly. There was none of that
fellow feeling that makes us wond-
rous kind" to be found among the bust
ness men.
There are many examples of this
kind occurring every day that prove
more sympathetic feeling among the
alleged lower walks of life than there
are among the pillars of the commercial
world. 1t is true that the rich and
powerful stand together better than do
the working classes, but then it is for
the purpose of more easily robbing the
weak and unprotected. They are not
producers and their whole time is given
to the study of the science of fieecing
their fellow man without running the
risk of getting into the penitcntiary.
And this is called business. Coils p.
Huntington secures an extension for
the payment of the Pacific railroad debt
and the right to fleece the people for
another long term of years. 1t may
have cost him several million dollars.
What is that to him? The people pay
the freight. The people are controlling
the railroads, you know. The burning
of towns and disasters of cyclones don't
disturb Huntington and his class.
The Star and Kansan says:
up at Leavenworth last week there
was a destitute woman with nine
young children, who had to be provided
for the by charitable people there. Her
husband was in Jail for dofrauding the
United States government. Ignorant Of
wrong he had used cancelled two-cent
stamp in mailing letter; and for this
crime he was sentenced to the federal
penitentiary for two years! That is
the same sentence the republican state
treasurer of South Dakota received for
stealing S350,000. Think Of it.. A poor
man with large family dependent
upon his labor for support, and our
wise and just and humane government
gives him two years in prison for rob-
bling it of two cents. Carnegie cheats
the government out of hundreds of
thousands by furnishing defective
armor plate, and President Cleveland
RENTS most Of the fine imposed on him.
But the poor man who defraud5 Uncle
Sam of two cents is left to rot iE Jail,
while his family starves. a beautiful
system, noble civilization and q grand
government, surely! Can't we improve
upon such methods and punish The big
thieves little more and the small ones
a little less. Can't we approximate a
little more closely to justice and reason
in our penalties? If we can't, it's
about time to conclude that the expert
ment of human government is fail
ure. "By their fruits we shall know
them" A social system based on the
ideas of interest, rent and profit for
idlers, at the expense of the toilers,
can't work out any better, though. 1t
f. the worst imaginable form of an
an y.