Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-02-18
CRIMINAL CLASSES.


and murder are crimes. 1t is not necessary to
mention, perhaps, that petty theft is largely
confined to poor people. Surely 1t Is not nee
essary to mention that stealing horse worth
thirty dollars is so heinous an otfense against
law, or public sentiment, that punishment Is
both swift and sure. The same may be said OF
stealing loaf of bread. The petty thiei is
abhorred of all men.
Society generally abhors the murderer We
have nothing to say upon the position Oh So
ciety as to horse-thieves and murderers. Moses
has said "Thou shalt not steal" and "Thou
shalt not kill" Civilized people of all coun-
tries hold that the law as delivered by Moses IS
binding. The enforcement of the law OF Moses
dates away back to the dawn of civilization
hundred dollars worth of property in the
earv enforcement of the law of Moses was
large holding.
The little thief has remained all these years,
and is still here. Out of the little thief or lit
tie murderer greater thief has developed, and
widespread slaughter Aourishes. Is the great
or thief an offender? is now question, and is
he who causes widespread suffering and death
murderer!
body of ministers known as the Westmin-
ister's Assembly of Divines met IN England
three hundred years ago, and, i'll defining the
law of Moses, declared that in any way ln]ur-
mo the wealth or outward estate OF oui neigh
bor was violation of the law against THEFT,
.rd what conduced to the shortening OF lite
was murder.
Under the definition given above, we lndlct
everv trust and combine in the United States.
The trusts are the big thieves-linea descend
.nts Of the little thieves. The trusts are the
-.o+ ,rrrderers-bastard sons of the medieval
barons. :. -,
T. &c NOT necessary to say that the big thief
bas crown and flourished apace from the time
~ the great Credit Mobeler robbery. The
b;o thief is somewhere i'll every state, and III
.ls rot;on,s capital, and has resisted every eff
fort to bring him to punishment. He has gone
into our legislatures, and bought our LOWERED
lawmakers; gone into our courts and solled
the ermine of Our judiciary; gone to our exec
,,t;ve and procured immunity from prosecution;
,. down to the ballot and debauched our
voters.
Not only is our big thief thief, but he is
.-otor-dsloval to religion, disloyal to liberty,
d;s1ova1 to humanity, disloyal to every jot and
little Of the American republic. We proclaim
orr ohhorreuce of the horse thief, but, at the
come fine. we proclaim our adherence OF the
h;o.tI,;et is ten-fold more intense, and we pro-
claim our undying opposition
WHO is the anarchist? Is the man who
merely teaches that governments are wrong
,,,orse than the man who secretly undermines
Government and accompanies his purpose with
ont proclaiming his intention? Is the man who
.+eois a horse or a loaf of bread worse than the
mon who waters stock, buys valuable franchises
Of legislatures and EFFORTS big pay for little ser
v;ce2 Is the tramp worse man than the man
who crabs the earth, and who, thereby, de-
,,r;ves the tramp of an opportunity to earn a
f;v;ro7 Is congress, which has the power to
..,o1,e law. The executive that has power to en-
force and courts that have power to interpret
latter than the corporations, which trampie Il e
,,,osces down 10 poverty? IS not an accessory
hafore the fact, and after the fact, and all the
lime equally guilty with the principal? These
10 The questions for the voters, and with the
voters lie the issues.
r,,u Marion Record, Ed Hoch's paper, sec
:.,o that Dick Blue has no opposition for con-
-esernan at-large, moves to make II unanimous.
Die truly, will have no opposition. He is
~ or,v man in the state who has not penetra-
~, arouob to see that the election of a Re
,,bl;cau against Jerry Botkin is an impossible
ityI