Sunday morning globe., 1901-12-08
EdLla, nhh.


The statue of Freedom on the domc of
the Capitol of the great American Repubic
looks out upon an army Of municipal slaves
During the year 1000, 2 100 persons were
according 10 the police reports, arrested for
vagrancy, for begging in the streets of
Washington Behold that old man. with a
sad yet kind and beniguant expression uu.
formed IN stripes AS a criminal and work.
ing with criminals iu the chain gang DO
YOU ask iu the words of Whittier
"What has the grcy.haircd prisoner done
Has murder stained the old man hands
with gore
Not SO his crimc a f0uicrouc.
God made the old man poor
For this he shares D lclon's CELL
The fuest earthly type ofheu."
The good Old poet aud reformcr wrote
these lines years ago against AN old M1ssa.
chusctts law long since repealed which
imprisoned men for debt But even then
the hungry might ask for bread with tm.
punity This new law which says. 81 me
asks for bread give him "a stone ,topouud| is
one of the new commandments of our pres
eut civilization Zoo these days when we seek
Co transplant oui laws and Christian cus-
toms across the seas and infusc into tho
minds OF other races a desire to cmuIat.
our Christian virtues
These men. workiugls criminals with the
street gang for a less oFeusc than that
which grieyed the noble Whittier. and dee
privcd of their liberty aud made To- work as
galley slaves by the suspension of one of
the bulw3rks of Anglo-SaSon civilization.
the right of the trial by Jury and one of the
Z. o.. H."
guaranteed by thc constitution. but which
the courts of the District of Columbia have
abrogated and Set aside. convicted 100 many
cases upon the himsy evidence of the police.
man, with no lawyer to defend them and
wholly unable by reason of deprivation
and distress of defending themselves.
These men do much of the work upon the
new streets of Washington for which the
city pays nothing thus depriviug other
men Of a chance TO do the same work for
pay, and hence making more vagrauts. re.
endorsements for the chain gang that be-
comes depleted by discharge. death or total
collapse Many of these laborers who
are not worthy of their hire. another new
commandment, after being turned loose at
the end OF their 90, % or $50 days without
money. unlike penitentiary couvicts who
are given money la most states when let
out, are forced TO beg or starve and hence
are again arrested necessary rc-eulorce
ments for The street gang iu making new
streets through the new real estate addi-
tous of wealthy spectators, while the
rich largely escape taxation iu the District
of Columbia
go ring tine bells and fire the gums.
And fling the starry banner out.
Shout Freedom tIll your lisping ones
Give back their cradle shout
Let boastful oloqugnce declaim
OF honor liberty and fame
Let the daily press and corporation or
glns still continue tp sing their pe7us of
prosperity
Let us sulsboast of the big surplus In the
Treasury while poor men. arrested TO do
the work in the District sleep Zoo uusauitary
dgns, according To- a recent report of the
Board of Charities. and get not n cent from
the biggest pile of money ever gathered to-
gethcr since Mamm0n became the god of
the hosts of greed
Let the walls of the high priests of pes
simism be confined TO their caves of gloom.
Let the Lamentations of Jeremiah be cN-
plunged from Holy Writ and the optimistic
philosophy of the new journalism be sub
sututed therefor Let Emerson be rele-
gated 90 the catalogue of crauks for saying
There is a divine dscoutent that ever
spurs us Oh and ON 90 greater cudcavor and
achievement" Let the present session of
Congress be devoted 90 the suppression of
The utteauccs of agitalors, while tho in-
Justices off government and IFS cesspools of
corruption make ore anarchists chan an
the writer's ever inspired by the hosts Of
HE'LL T.. N. BRANN.