Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-03-20
NO. A..

"What Broke the law that's made to be obeyed?
Such awful work is anarchy most rank!
For doing so what reason can you give?'
And on his breast the culprits head then sank;
And slowly came the words in feeble voice,
AS if to hearts of stone he was appealing:
"My wife and children are haif-starved, half
clad.
l only tried to keep them without stealing"
Then spoke the Judge Enough. The case
is done.
Put this man in the cell with No. l."
Cease No. 3. The charger" "'Tis vagrancy
This man approached another the street,
In broad daylight, with people passing by,
And asked dime to buy some bread and meat
Case No. a; another vagrant here
The awful charge: "Found sleeping on the
streets'
So $50 days. is given and a,
'"To clear the city of the pests-dead-be beats"
Said No. 3, ono food had 1 day or more.''
"For lodging, sir, I could not pay" said No.4.
Again court is opened for the day.
Excitement runs rampant-all wild with fears
The bank has failed-a hundred thousand gone
The hard-earned savings of the town for years
Cease No. Il" in quiet, modest tone
(The harshness common to him in reservsl.
''What is the charge against this man to-day"
"Embezzlement." (Not stealing, please OBJ
serve).
The prisoner, so worried at his station,
His nervousness has almost reached prostratisnI
Five lawyers rise as if to speak at once
(The right one always gets the judges eye).
"Your honor, there are complications here
Which make this case impossible to try.
Our most important witness is down SOUTH
Another just good in Jersey state.
This being so, we leaders in the case
Now kindly ask to set another date"
"Next term for trial'' is the entered decree.
"Two thousand dollars bond; the prisoners
free"
"How sad, indeed this case," the pastor says
('rhe opening service DER of prayer and song).
"a faithful brother, with us many years,
So chartaby Inclined has now gone wrong!
Five years ago. when we were building here,
The steeple was un6nished-money spent;
On opening my mail one morn, to my surprise,
A check for one cool thousand he had sent"
(Not thinking that he'd given for the steeple
A part of what he'd stolen from the people).
Next term arrves--again the case is called.
The cashiers wife is in the court in tears.
GA change of venue" now the lawyers want.
''He won't get justice" (yet It's that he fearsD
So argument on argument is given.
What one don't think of there are others will.
They talk, they plead, in soaring eloquence,
Before the sober judge so calm and STILL
The bonds renewed--both cash and wind well
spent
And to far-of court the case is sent!
Again the case is called Judge No. 2,
With head chock-ful of law, is on the bench.
Again the case proceeds with fiery zeal;
The plain laws of the state they twist and
wrench
'"rhe case is plain, they argue, one and all,
"That every charge against this man must fall,
For when the law was passed Gall of them sieh),
They in the fourth line failed to dot the 'i'.''
Sustained" :" the learned judge says "You
may go free.
Unconstitutional. IT'S plain to see"
A lawyers but man who works for gain.
His goal, the fees, no matter how they Gomez;
Nor cares he if he be in right or wrong,
So he wins, though it makes justice dumb.
When schooled in law, upon the bench he sits,
Sworn to protect the rights of all,
But greed for cash with him is still UNCHANGED.
Meath its seductive wiles his manhood falls.
So courts but echo what the rich dictate,
And each decision given feeds increafing hate.
ED BLAIR in Appeal to Reason.