Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-07-17
LITTLE CRIMINALS
AND BIG ONES.
Rev. Thos. B. Gregory, in Chicago American,

Boston justice did graceful thing one day
recently
One William Fl. Jones, convicted of one of
the meanest crimes that man was ever guilty
of, was duly sentenced to long sojourn in the
penitentiary.
Last winter, in the midst OF the coal famine,
Jones represented to the poor people of Boston
that he was the agent of three or four philan-
lhropisis who through him, would let the
people have coal at $40 ton, the market price
being several dollars higher than that figure.
The saving of two or three dollars ton on
their coal meant great deal to the poor folks
of the Club, and the orders, accompanied by
the cash, began to pour in upon Jones at
great rate
The agent informed those sending the
orders that there might be'a delay Of few
days, but that the cargo was the way, and
that the coal would soon be ready for delivery.
The cargo" did not arrive, and the scoun-
drelly "agent" ran off with the poor peoples
money.
But, fortunately, the rascal was caught, tried
ana convicted, and, to the supreme satisfaction
OF all honest people, is now reaping the reward
Of his ,neanness.
1t is we'll. TO rob the poor, to steal the
money that was meant to buy coal to keep
them warm, is one of the most infamous things
that one could do.
Jones will get no sympathy from any one.
His crime removes him from tbs pale of pity,
and every will rejoice that he is now orna-
ineuting the Massachusetts penitentiary.
But let MS be consistent and ask why it is
that we do not get after all of those who are
doing the kind of thing that Jones was en-
gagged in.
Jones stole few thousand dollars from the
poor people of Boston; and what are others
doing but stealing millions from the poor peo-
pie all over the United States?
The magnates of the oil trust, the sugar
trust, the beef trust the cof-e trust, the flour
trust and every other trust that has to do with
the necessares of life-what are they all doing,
every day in the week, but stealing from the
pocr in the name of he law?
ZONES steals few thousand dollars from the
poor of Boston, and Justice, burning with hot
test indignation, calls him villain aud pun
ishes him to the utmost limits of the law; but
of the great thieves and robbers, who are run
ming away each year with hundreds of mil ions
OF the peoples money, they take no notice
whatever!
N sbody calls them villains. Justice remains
calm aud cool, and the colossal robbery go.s on
unrebuked!
We have already said, and we here repeat it,
that Jones was mean man, and, deserves all
the odium that can be cast upon him; but just
one little word about Jones: Might he not
have reasoned about like this-"If the big fel-
L,ws can steal from and rob the people, and
sill stand just as we'll in the eyes Of the COM
mnnity as though they had not done so, what
is to hinder my doing little something along
the same line?"
And what answer can we make to such prop
osition? Is there any answer?-except to
blush aud hide our head!
Get after the big scoundrels, and rest not un-
iii they are where Jones is-in the penitentiary.
That is where they belong, and not until
Justice is dealt out to them in full can we be-
cleared of the charge of hypocrisy,