Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1899-02-11

4oland Detective Agency.
very nation ITSELF" continued judge
Waterman. This 10 q government Of
the people, for the people and by the
people. theoretically, at least, and no
such government can long or ought
long to exist II the bribery Of public
officials elected by the people to serve
the people Is permitted to go unpun.
isheti."
The remarks Of his honor caused .
sensation in the court room. judge
Waterman occasionally read from the
statutes defining bribery and its pun.
ishment.
The following from the courts charge
Il regarded a. significant:
you have heard read a portion Of
the statute concerning bribery. Bri-
berry ID frequently, when committed,
the result Of combination Of two or
more persons to brlbe, or to bring about
bribery. Whenever two or more per.
sons by concerted action combine to
accomplish criminal and unlawful
purpose, or some purpose not In itself
criminal, by criminal or unlawful
means, such act 10 what IL known m Q
conspiracy; and 90 say to you that II
1t IL the case that In this county any
two or more persons have combined or
confetlerated together to bride any Of.
ficial, legislative, executive or minis.
terinl, whether the bribery IL effected
or not, the very combination aud com.
bining to bride any official and to pro-
cure oflclal action by means Of bribery
Is Itself an oifense denominated by the
law AZ conspiracy and Ii punishable by
imprisonment In the penitentiary.
Moreover, It may be the case that
bribery by those who are to receive or
who expect to receive the profits Of
such criminal action is to be accom-.
plished through agents; that the par.
ties who expect to profit by such un.
lawful means will not themselves actu.
ally hand over the corrupt reward; but
II they act through agents, however In.
directly, they are equally guilty with
those who hand over the vile stipend for
which the legal action Is to be done.
The statute Of this State provides as to
accessories"
Since the City Council declared war
upon the Gas Trust and appointed q
committee to work for the repeal Of the
Gas Trust legislation, friends Of the
Trust are around pooh.poohlng the nc.
ton Of the Aldermen and saying that
II the city did own Its own gas plant It
would be poorly run, as all city instl.
tutiOns are.
Indeed!
And Is the water department 80 poor
~ run?
What is to prevent the city from
making better gas than the Trust
makes?
Nothing at all.
And. Furthermore. the gas made by
the city and furnished to private con.
sumers for 90 cents per 1000 feet would
be gas and not air, as much Of the
stun now forced through Its pipes by
the Gas Trust at high pressure un.
questionably Is.
When the frontage laws are repealed
this session and the necessary leglsla-
ton Ia obtained to enable the city to
construct Its own gas plant, not one
foot OF pipe will be bought from the
Gas Trust.
And the Gas Trust plant will not be
taken for gift.
The truth Is, the Gas Trust plant Is In
bad shape.
Most Of Its pipes have been In the
ground for such long time that they
are played out and are worth nothing
FOR junk.
Those that are not rotten are victims,
~ an advanced stage, of electrOlOysls.
There are authorities that can prove
that 1t Is better for the moral c0ndi.
lion Of the community for the city to
)wn Its own gas plant.
When the city owns Its own gas
works there will be no Gas Trust to
Drlbe the Legislature and encourage
he reign of rottenness and immortality.
~6
The Gas Trust needs a new bill at
springfield this winter.
@9
With such Representatives as we
nave In this present Legislature, the
'eOple will be taken care of and not
las and Cigarette Trusts.
~a