The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-06-29
BANKS AND BURGLARS.

BANKS AND BURGLARS.
For some weeks there has been almost
a total absence of reports of wealthy far
mers captured in their homes by robbers
and relieved of their valuables, but now
Games a report from BinghamptOn N. Y.
Of such case, in which the thieves got
$1,000 in cash and $4,000 in securities. If
men will keep such sums about them in
stead of depositing them in bank they must
expect that the knowledge of their hoard
ing will become public after which
visit by burglars is almost inevitable
Omaha Bee.
The man at least knows what has be-
come of his money, which he would not
have known il it was deposited in the bank.
The burglar has got it instead OF the
banker. and his friends. 1t has gone to
the better of the two classes of robbers.
But is the man wiser who deposits his
money in a bank than he who carries It
on his person. or hides 1t in the ground!
Do not banks steal more of the peoples
money than the burglar? Is there not
thousand dollars lost in breaking banks
where one is lest through the burglar or
the highway robber? You hide your money
from the burglar, but you give it yolun-
tarily to the banker. Therefore the bank
er has a thousand chances to steal, where
the burglar has one, and both of them
can improve their advantages according
to their opportunities. LINCOLN HAD
TEN BANKS A FEW YEARS AGO. NOW
depositors' money in those eight defunct
banks? The bankers steal more money
in a year that the burglars steal in
century. The bank stealings are SO enor-
NOUS that the business has become re-
spectacle on account of the magnitude OF
its dcpredatirns One farmer OF binehamp-
ton lost 1000 and the burglar got 1t. Ten
tn. usand farmers have lost all their saw
ings because they had deposited them in
a bank for safe keeping. The burglar
is bad man, but he is not half as bad
or half as dangerous as the banker. The
burglar and the banker both go to the
penitentiary sometimes, and the burglar
STAYS there, but the banker is generally
pardoned by the president. The man from
Binghamptcn is not such a blamed fool
after all.-Nonconformist.
And then there is another point to be
considered.
The burglars are modest and un-
pretentious people. When they have
filled their pockets with plumber, they
retire to modest seclusion. They make
no efforts to control the politics of their
victims, or run the government for
larger and fouler robberies.
They do not hold state and national
conventions, to overawe politicians and
legislators and congressman, and die
tate the best policy for the people-that
is-for themselves.
We suppose during the Twentieth
century the burglars will rise to the
measure of their opportunities, and
also hold great conventions. We shall
then have reports in the sympathetic
daily press, something like this:
''The Hon. John Grabbem, of Ohio,
here read learned essay to prove that
the men who lived off the producers
were of a higher order of intelligence
than the producers who were lived off;
on the principle that the flea is of
much more active and penetrating mind
than the dog which submits to be
sucked by it." (Cheers.)
"The Hon. James Jimmy, of Montana
offered a resolution that they organize
and act with the political party which
will advocate the repeal of all laws
against larceny. They could in return
contribute hundreds of thousands Of
dollars to the campaign fund, for the
purchase of honest and intelligent vot-
ers." (Great applause.)
"Col. Paul de Darkelantern, delegate
from France, said that in his country,
and all over Europe, there were many
noble and aristocratic families, which,
being more given to spending than
earning, had been reduced to poverty;
and as there was much wealth among
the members of their own illustrious
fraternity, he moved that commission
be appointed to go to Europe and nego-
tiate marriages between these scions of
nobility and their own fair daughters.
Immense cheering.) These unions, he
said, would restore new vigor to the eff
fete aristocracy which was in danger
OF extinction from hamilton; and as the
ancestors of the ancient families were
originally great robbers of the produc-
ers, until the French Revolution some
what interrupted the business, it might
be expected that the proposed marriages
would create new breed of men and
women, with all the virtues of the royal
and noble families of the past" (Great
applause.)
Evolution must evolute. AS the hon
est men are trampled into the earth.
dishonesty must rise in dignity, until it
eventually becomes respectable, and
leads the state and nation 1t has pretty
nearly reached that pass now.
So, you ragged toiler, step aside and
take of your battered old hat to the
rogue in broadcloth. IN
A BAD OLD MAN.