Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-11-23
BLAST FOR CAPITALISTS
Rich Are Real Anarchists, ,
 Says ]. M. Patterson.
DECLARES THEY ARE ABOVE LAW

As Chicago's Commissioner of Public
 Works, He Finds That Millions of
 Dollars Worth of City Property Is
 Illegally Occupied by Certain
 Wealthy Men Without Payment of
 Compensation.
 Certain capitalists of Chicago are anarchists. I say they are, and with emphasis. believe men are anar- chists, no matter how big their bank accounts, who take the attitude that law does not exist for them and that they are exempt from obeying it.
 Millions of dollars worth of prop erty is illegally occupied at the present moment in Chicago by rich individuals and corporations who have not a ves- tige of right to 1t, and many of whom give arrogant defiance to the law. If that is not anarchy, what isg ? .t tr
 This was the reply of Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Medill Patter- son of Chicago when questioned con corning a speech made by him the other day in the University of Chi cago. when be put the real anar- chists" in the ranks of the wealthy, says a Chicago dispatch. MT. Patter- son amplified his views then expressed and said some very strong things about his experiences since assuming office with wealthy anarchists and their representatives Since I have been trying to make people obey the laws" said the commissioner, "and trying to get them to do the legal, the right and the fair thing, I have been brought in contact with brazen de fiance of the law in this city which is amazing.
 Why, it Is an absolute fact that many-I do not say all, by any means, but many-of the wealthy men and firms of the city actually believe they are above the law. The law may ex- ist, but it certainly does not exist for them. That is their position. They defy the law, ignore the law, laugh at the law, all with an arrogance that makes my blood boil.
 Wealthy firms occupy city land both on sidewalks and underneath side walks without paying cent of com pensation and without an atom of title. They do not pay taxes on the land thus illegally occupied. Again, land belong. ing to the city in the shape of stub ] ends of streets abutting on the river is occupied by business men without compensation, title or right. Yet, again, made land is grabbed by private per : sons who have no title to it. They give , no consideration to laws
 "StllI again wealthy firms in this city are in habit of stealing water-it is stealing and nothing else. The water costs the city pumping and labor, and 1 that these firms take outright Some times they steal the water by means of their own pipes and sometimes by . changing the meters. i q am now trying to insist that such firms as we have found acting in this : way shall pay the city what Is due. l have told some of these firms that ex- posture will certainly follow their fur ther refusal to settle. At present will not mention names. Two of the com panies, however. who have been steal 1 ing water are large brewing companies. ' Still, again. I may mention the rail- roads which refuse to install gates at grade crossings. The law says they shall install such gates. but they do not care what the law says"
 1 What is the value of all the prop erty which is illegally grabbed in one way or anotherT' Mir. Patterson was ! asked
 ] Tt is very difficult to make a close estimate" he answered, but the sum : will certainly run well up in the mil lions. In the loop alone. for instance, ] 100000 square feet of property is H. legally occupied by bay windows and other sidewalk encroachments and in other ways. Two hundred thousand dollars should come to the city In the way of compensation each year
 These men, who are acting Illegally. are preventing the people from having the amount in their public treasury that should be there. Proper compen- sstion paid to the city for it's property which Is being illegally used means to the city and It's people more police, bet ter fire protection and generally more money for crying civic needs"