The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1921-12-23
| IN THE WAKE
| OF THE NEWS
Wealthy Men Caught.


Something over year age We were
treated to many columns OF newspa.
per space on the fact that labor
leader in New York city had been
convicted Of illegal acts and SEN
fenced to prison. Now development
of much greater public significance
has occurred and our papers are 81
lent on the matter. In the present
case the culprits are prominent capt.
talists whose names are known
throughout the country. They have
practically confessed to prison Of
tense, and yet we hear no wailings in
the columns Of the kept press about
these evildoers.
Six directors of the Inter-Borough
company, one of New York City's
street car companies, refused to tes-
tify before state commission I'M
less they were first given an 'immu-
nifty bath" The immunity bath is a
simple device whereby malefactors Of
great wealth escape prosecution by
making few general statements and
otherwise concealing the truth before
q court or other public body.
Most of the time corporation law
yer with the aid of a friendly court
can pull his wealthy client out, but
when he is in too far, the client is
allowed to testify for the public with
the agreement that he shall not be
prosecuted for what the testimony re-
veals.
These men are charged with paying
dividends on borrowed money! pen
itentiary offense. It is said that by
reason OF these illegal dividends the
price of the company's stock was
sent up and down and the manipu
lators, having the inside information
were able to carry on very profitable
stock market operations.
Among those involved in this case
are:
August Belmont, Wall Street demo
crat and one of our best known CAPT
talists. He also has important con
nections with England's financiers
who operate in this country.
Daniel Reid, the man whip, will
Moore, wrecked the Rock Island rail
road at the last big wrecking Of tina
system.
Morgan ]. O'Brien, once membe
Of New York's supreme court and thu
kind Of Judge that Morgan likes t.
see on the bench.
Cornelius Vanderbilt, present hea'
Of the Millionaire family Of that name
T. Dewitt Cuyler, Morgan's specia
representative in handling railroa
matters. This man generally does tn
! talking for the railroad executive
when there is matter that must b.
talked about in public. One OF hi
/ Jobs is chairman of the executive con
mittee of the Pennsylvania railroad
| The transportation systems of Ne,
York have been so thoroughly loote
| by the men who manage them that
conservative state utility commissio
sees public ow s.ership as the only wa
out.
We cannot imagine men of sue
financial power going to prison !
1 America. We have not heard whet]
/ er the immunity bath has been gran
ed, but we feel absolutely confider
that means will be devised to saw
their skins. The kept press is doin
all that it can to protect their rep1
| tations with a vigorous censorship.
Farmers in Egypt.
All the great nations in the pa!
! that have gone to decay started G
d that road by giving the workers 9
5 the farm and in the city unwholesom
conditions of life.
!. When the farmers and worke1
i could not produce efficiently and ia
not the wherewithall to live health
J. normal lives, the jig was up for Il
rest Of the nation, too.
1 The history Of the decline Of Ron
4. : his%nrv ~ the encrna chm ant