The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-05-05
A TALE OF TWO COPS.

Once upon time there a mayor of a town who
appointed chief of police whom he called Jim" The
chief appointed chap called Dick to be roundsman
One day the mayor called the chief into the Office and
SAID: Jim there has been lot of stealing of valuable
packages from the public warehouse You better put
man on there every night and pinch anybody you see
hanging around"
SO Chief Jim called in Roundsman Dick, who had the
warehouse beat and told him to watch the warehouse.
Roundsman Dick replied: How do know the pack
ages valuable!, How do know who owns em
What's the of watching all night! If anything is
stolen and it's of value we can get it back can't we?'
but those fellows wise enough to steal only valu
able packages, said Chief JIM 1--WE can't be of
recovering the stuff if IS stolen. The old says the
way to be to watch the stuff first and find out after
ward who owns it and how valuable it isl
The roundsman who knew the warehouse gang and
had some friends among its members, grumbed Indeed
he grumbled much that Chief Jim and the mayor
quite stirred up-but the mayors order enforced in
spite of Roundsman Dicks dsapproval, and the ware
house gang was chased away.
An election held The mayor wanted to 90 to Asia
to make collection of butterflies and of his friends
was elected mayor in his place Among the things agreed
upon by the old mayor the mayor and the people Of
town that the warehouse gang should continue to
"get the boot"
AS Mayor Bill in he accepted Chief
Jims resignation and made Roundsman Dick chief of
police.
The chief at once Withdrew the watch from the
warehouse. He said eff the city council passes some
laws and if that stuff belongs somebody and if it's
stolen and II worth anything this police department
will get busy
The warehouse gang heard of the order and soon
began to loaf around the warehouse of yore
Mayor Bill heard of it and asked about it. but the
chief said there wasn't enough law and don't know
about the value of the stuff etc, ETC.
And Mayor Bill said that of course, chief of police
had to be mighty careful not to get mixed up in legal
,teclnicates.
And the people who had stored in that warehouse valu
ables belonging to themselves and their children and
grandchildren began to a worried look
President Roosevelt appointed James r. Garfield sec
rotary of the interior, to watch the public domain
Richard A. Ballnger commissioner of the land Office
having custody of the public lands
Roosevelt told Garfield that land thieves were getting
away with water powers coal land Ignite phosphate
Garfield told Bainger.
Balnger objected that the law did not warrant such
action f the land is frauduently taken and valuable
we can sue to get it back said he.
But T. r. and Garfield thought that to hang on to the
land for the people first and have the lawsuits afterwards
was better business.
Roosevelt wanted to hunt African lions Taft was elect
ed president Garfield got out; Banger got his job Bal
nger orders that land need not be protected from
land thieves. If is stolen and is valuable we can sue to
get it back And anyhow congress ought to pass some
laws
And the heritage of the future gentle reader YOUR herr
age and the heritage of your children is in those public
lands Lands that the great thieves cOve and expect to-
get
In the packing house rebate cases. Wckersam Taft
new attorney general says No public service rendered
by Furnishing past Transactions
I'm the land cases Ballnger Tafts secretary of the in
terror says Wait till the crime has been committed be-
fore you do anything
Fine for the warehouse gang!
Now is the time for the newspaper that happened to be
nm fhn MIN, do 10 I'D