East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-03-08
AMUSING THE PEOPLE.

Editor East Oregonian:
You can not pick up daily paper
these days without being confronted
with some kind of an Indictment. 1t
would seem that indicting trust mag
mates is rapidly becoming one of the
great national indoor sports in Am
erica 1t is as harmless as an air pis-
tol. as exciting as croquet and as ex-
pensive as polo, while it is almost as
interesting to the spectators as base
ball. With all these recommendation
| feel it will have a great run this
summer. 1t is being conducted on
the old old principle upon which the
Romans depended for so many years.
That of keeping the audience amused
while it was being robbed. 1t is said
the Roman rulers used bread and cir
cuses for that purpose. Our Ameri-
can Yankee capitalist has learned
how to dispense with the bread while
still providing the circus. The first
important exhibition along this line
was furnished by that famous $29.-
100000 fine. That drew immense
crowds. kept the spectators reused to
the highest pitch of interest. which
prevented them from noticing the
pickpockets that were swiping their
valuables. That immunity both af-
forded the very necessary variety that
prevented any sign OF ennui. 1t in
troduced a new element of excitement
by showing how many different ways
there are for the magnates to get
away. At the present moment a half
dozen states as well as the national
government are staging teams playing
the game to very large and apprecia-
tive audiences. The drawing powers
of the act do not seem to be impair
ed in the least by the regular escape
of the supposed victims.
The entire audience seems to be in
much the same state of blissful ig-
! norance as that shown by the visitor
| from John Day who was seen in the
same seat in the Pastime picture show
night after night. The scene thrown
| fairs where the innocent husband ar
rived home shortly after the lover has
departed. Noting his regular attend
ance. Mr.. Matlock of the Pastime, in
quired concerning the features that
held his attention. Some night that
husband will get home before that
other fellow gets away and l want to
be here to see the fight" was his re-
ply. The American public is hoping
against hope that some day a trust
magnate will not get away, and they
| want to be on hand to see the fight.
They do not realize how the piece
is staged any more than that innocent
chap from John Day. So you see the
grand juries go on indicting and the
courts keep up their farce of prose-
cutting and the trusts keep on flour
ishing and growing.
Like many other games this one
seems to be most dangerous to the
innocent bystander. One Of the anti
trust guns was pointed at the Hatters
labor union the other day and when
it went off was found to be loaded
with real ammunition. Yes. rea
powder and shot. Yet it was the same
old gun with which the trusts have
been shot every day for a decade
without the least injury And wha
; are you going to do about it,
We socialists have discovered the
hl6Sci III WOOu piiN anu hhoN
very well his name, which is Profit
Not until he is routed out as the in
centive for all business transaction!
will we have or can we expect eco
nomic justice To illustrate: doc
tor, a lawyer and a preacher all wen
fishing one day. 1t was poor da!
5 for fish and they fell into converse
ton. How do you regulate your
charges?" asked the preacher of tn
pill man. l"Oh," replied the doctor
'T usually make a mental list of tn,
9 patients taxable property and thei
: charge according to his ability to pay
"And how with you, brother" salt
the preacher to the lawyer. "Me?'
exclaimed the lawyer, why 1 size III
g my clients pile and include it in m.
= fee. To be a successful lawyer" n
. continued, "one must be able to esti
mate how much a client will give vi
without pulling his gum" "Ah, me,
n sighed the preacher, "and 1 get what
g left. Respectfully,
]. B. DESPAIR,
: Pendleton, Oregon, March 8.