Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-02-08
"GL0RIOUSLARCENY"
William Jennings Bryan at
New York Civic Forum.
SPEAKS THOU SHALT NOT STEAL"
strongly Denounces Wall street GAM
bling In All Its Branches-Scorcs
Rich MOnopoIiSts rs "Le-
gall Thieves.

Rich MOnODolists rs "Le-
gal" Thieves.
NEW YORK, Feb. 5.-Taking the
Eighth Commandment as his text. VII
liam ]. cyan pointed out to the Civic
Forum last night the possibilities OF
larceny in violation OF the law-what
he said was of still greater importance
larceny through the operation Of the
law.
Mr. Bry declared that. while the
law recognized two general forms OF
larceny. petit larceny and grand lar
ceny, there had been 4 disposition re
Gently TO subdivide the greater crime
80 now" he added. 1--WE are inclined
to think of stealing as petit larceny
grand larceny and glorious larceny"
SO great had become the tendency 10
overlook rascality in amazement at the
genius OF the man who had stolen a
million that Il had been suggested. he
said. that the commandment be amend
ed TO read Thou shalt not steal on
small scale"
Larceny through operation OF the
law was possible. he said. II the laws
were unjust or permitted an unfair
advantage TO any class Of citizens
Watered stocks and fictitious capitali-
cations were placed by the speaker as
among the forms OF polite larceny.
Carnegie hail. as usual at gatherings
OF the Civic Forum. was flled 10y an
audience representative OF business
ana the professions and In which was
reflected the various shades OF public
opinion. Edward NJ. Shepherd intro
duced Mr.. Bryan. who was received
with spirited handclapping. the ap-
plause being frequently renewed dur
ing the course OF his address. Mr..
Bryan said:
III a man picks your pocket or
enters your house in the dark or ac-
costs you upon the highway and takea
from YOU few dollars, you regard
him as vulgar thief. No one can
have respect FOR such a person. and
the puulshments OF the law are In
such cases swift and sure II the Of
fender is caught. Even I'm the case OF
grand larceny II the amount taken Is
not very great the thief finds Il din.
cult 10 escape. for he has no influential
friends. and he cannot hire sklllful
lawyers 10 present technicalitics In his
defense. II. however. he steals a large
sum. IL becomes quite n different mat
ter. and the sum may be so large that
we overlook the mans rascality In our
amaZemcnt at the genius which he has
displayed. AS n rule. the man who
steals a million dollars has better
chance OF escape than the man who
steals a thousand. SO true Is this that
II has been suggested that we amend
the commandment 10 read. Thou shalt
not steal on n small scale
Judge Jerry Black. the celebrated
Pennsylvania lawyer, I'm his argument
In the Credit MObiller case quoted a
man Of affairs as saying that TO rob an
individual was criminal: TO rob cor
poration was reprehenslble: to rob a
municipality was matter of doubtful
morality; TO rob n state was merltori-
Gus, but 10 rob the United States was
the highest achievement OF human viz
tue
But my object tonight is rather 10
draw your attention 10 the various
ways in which larceny may be commit
ted. There is a distinction that can be
drawn between direct and indirect lar
ceny-that is, between the one who
does the stealing himself and the one
who does il through another. and this
IS a larger subject than at first ap-
pears, for those who produce condi-
lions which result in such gross in
Justice that the victims OF the injustice
are driven TO destitution, to despair.
TO desperation and finally 20 theft
rn.r. rear
not entirely guiltless.
inequality in taxation is merely a
form Of larceny. II two men live side
by side and one contributes I'm taxa
ton $40 when his just share is only
50 and the other pays 50 when he
ought 10 pay $40, one loses s. that he
ought 20 keep. while the other keeps
s. that he ought to give to the govern
ment
And now, at the risk OF being ac-
cused OF sacrilege, / venture to intro
duce to the Stock Exchange the COM
mandment which we have been consld-
ering. l am aware that here in New
York the Stock Exchange is regarded
with certain amount Of veneration
and that many who vehemenuy de-
nOunce gambling in back room where
winnings and losses are small remain
strangely silent in the presence Of the
enormous games that are played upon
the stock market often with loaded
dice. Gambling is one OF the worst OF
vices. and gambling In stocks and In
farm products is the most destructive
form in which the vice appears. Meas
ured by the number OF suicides caused
by the New York Stock Exchange, .
Monte Carlo Is an innocent pleasure
resort by comparison. Measured by
the amount of money changing hands.
the contrast is still greater in favor Of
Monte Carlo. and measured by the In
huence upon those who do not gamble
the evils OF Monte Carlo are insignif-
cant when compared with the evils Of
New FORKS commercial gambling
hnucac The Naxv Xo~lx Cto.l-