Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-12-16
lrasaps.


Among other consequences Of a national debt
whose interest is many millions yearly, is the
TRAMP" He is the American Salamandcr, bred
from a seven years fire; cross between the
Arabian Bedouin and the Italian Lazaron. These
are beggars and outlaws seemingly because of the
needlessncss of labor; the Tramp from the want OF
labof His name is Characteristic and his temper
ament peculiarly -tme:ic2n--vcntulcso mc and H.
genious.
The doors of legal renumerative labor being
shut upon him, and the necessity of gaining a
livelihood being vital one he turns to illegal, re-
numeratve effort, and so leads a precarious
existence almost within the clutches of the
law. There are various shades and varieties OF
the Tramp, but the Tramp proper" SO to speak,
is an outgrowth of the present hard times, and II
society would take the trouble to ana.yle him e
little, it would soon discern his general makeup,
his origin, progress and contamination, and dis
Germ also that society Itself is largely answcrable
and responsible for him.
Take single case, for instance, among the hun
dreds and thousands Of employees in the various
industrial corporations, trades, and departments OF
business, who have within the past few years been
dischar ged from their situations. Not that those
employees were not competent, prompt, and faith
full in their services, but because of mistaken pol
lev of retrenchmcnt, or the old, old story Of capita
versus labor.
The young or middle-aged man, weighted by
debt iii health, dependent family, or all these
combined. is suddenly Informed by bis employers
that his services are no longer required.
Past faithfulness, present necessity, avail
nothing. He is discharged and that is all there is
to it. Experience has taught him that he has
nothing to expect from the world beyond that for
which he can offer an equivalent; and the less he
has to offer, the more exactng does the world be-
come, the exaction increasing in exactly the same
ratio as does his inability to meet it. lie makes
the most frantic efforts to procure employment.
lie is willing TO toll for dear life" alone, but he
meets everywhere with the ore invariable re-
Spouse eve cannot employ YOU Meanwhile
his garments grow thrcadbare, and existence itself
becomes his fercest ormcntor, for its claims do not
pause even though that upon which it subsistcd Is
removed this is fact, incredible as II may seem.
In this condition, our Tramp learns several i'm
portant lessons one of which is, thai honor and
fame never rise except from certain conditions OF
prosperity, position, influential friends, or good
clothes.
Another lesson, il. that there is sense of guilt
allied to poverty. 1t may be the guilt of having
suffered much, but it is dealt with as gut, all the
same
Society freezes before him as he approaches
His i'll condition, his misery, his rage. instead OF
being passport to the charity of employers, shut
and bolt him from their kindly consideration as eff
fectualy as if he were not one of the human race
By aud by sullen and defiant, he ycrges toward
that lstlessness and recklessness Of purpose that
characterize the tramp. Society, that has viz
tually taken from him the right to live, must now
provide him living perforce. For life, he now
risks life. As society has been obliyious to hi:
needs, he will now be ohlivious 10 its laws. Jcar
Ingelow says:
eve are much bound to them that do succeed,
But in a more pathetic sense are bound
To such fail
A pretty concet. One need not do more thar
read it as one sits before his glowing CRATE 1t is
well to read such thoughts occasionally. 1t gives
one a pensiye cast. But what shall we do about
it? The evil glares, while the remedy seems in
visible Tramps invade our borders like wolves
| from the mountains, tanned by cold, and desperate
| from starvation. Oar ease and Indifference in
furiate them, and organized, they would come re-
lcntlessly upon and force an equal division Of
worldly comforts. Corporations, manufacturers
capitalists, through greed have ground the faces OF
those in their employ, and, licensed as soullesS
have like the rat in the fable, making IL ieint OF
dividing the cheese. nbhled at salaries till they
are quite devoured, and the only alternative lef
to the poor workman, is TO die to slow music
which il he is unwise enough not to do, he mus
convince the world of his individualright to exist
Foohardy q this attempt is. many have under
taken il, ana it would be well to encourage then
with at least friendly word before they degener
ate into Tiamps LAIL.