Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-07-01
CHANGERS DEPARTMENT.
TRAMP, TRAMP, TRAMP.

the tramp of to-day is treated like the
English vagabond, But the magni-
tude of the evil is what paralyzes &C
ton. To the residents of remote
country villages this may seem trifing
subject, but to persons residing on main
thoroughfares, particularly between
large cities or manufacturing points,
the evil assumes very serious charac-
ter. Just imagine $4,000 tramps ar
rested in the little State of Connecticut
during part of the winter. Now, TINS
has been going on ever since the panic
of 1878, and hourly increasing IN iorce'
Bu. the question arises, who are those
,ramps? The newspapers are 100 aP'
TO treat the subject lightly, or pass
sentence on the tramps III general
way. and attribute all the crime COM
mitted TO them, and thus awaken
feeling of hostility to them. But let
ms see who those tramps are? You
pick up newspaper and read the
following notice: Messrs. Smith, Brown
& Cooper suspended business to-day,
throwing ont of employment over 600
operatives. Last week another large
manufacturing firm in the same town
suspended, causing the stoppage OF the
mills. Now, here is where the tramp
generally starts from. Ihave seen New
England villages where the whole
population, not excepting over dozen,
were al engaged in one vast factory.
Just imagine such factory stopping,
and all the heads of the families thrown
out of employment, many of them with
large families to support The best and
most energetic Of The men start out to
to seek employment in neighborlng
city, where they learn that there is
plenty Of work to be obtaiued. When
they get there they find every place
flied, but hear of another place where
there is a good deal Of business going
on, and they push on, to meet fresh
disappointment The man may be
the iather of family, of good standing
in society, and good member OF the
church, and what is of greatest signiti-
canoe. good, specimen Of the hmeri-
can citizen, with rights that should be
held as sacred as those OF the President.
1.-THE poor man had means when start
iug ont they are soon exhausted, and
ne dcgcncrates down TO the common
tramp. The newspapers warn commu-
ni,v against him, and the legal gentle
,ncn that make our laws, and the learned
iudges who administer them, seeing no
profit TO he gained from such class.
make laws to suppress them, and
Denounced them as thieves and plum
derers. Yet we must not lose sight OF
the fact that each of those trampS
carries a ballot in his hand, and his
vote counts as much us that OF the
President. But what cause is there for
this nuisance! There is neither peStl-
lpnce nor famine abroad in the land.
We never were more prosperous as
producing nation, with every element
Of wealth, good crops all over the
nation, q large surplus Tor sale that
meets a ready market i'll Europe, the
richest mines in the world, the ore and
coal to work them cropping out OF the
surface. mountains of iron and copper,
cold in our streams, silver in such great
abundance that it threatens to make
the metal comparatively WORTHLESS, oil
flowing like water, the finest appliances
10 promote the industrial productions OF
the people, and the most intelligent,
plucky, enterprising people in the world,
and one Of the richest agricultural
countries to develop. In the name OF
all that man holds sacred, what is the
meaning of such state OF affairs! Is
there any Just cause for it, and when
and where is it TO end! | am fearful
that we are preparing a fearful harvest
of Communism and Agrarianism in the
future. And here is where the farmers
interest steps in. No class of society
have mote to stake than the farmers
They, as 4 class, are more deeply in-
terested in Z good, s'nbIe government
tLan any other class, and in case Of an
arrarian outbreak they would be the
iifst and worst sufferers. 1t is worse
than idle 10 shut your eyes to the fast
coming events. You may call this
croakinc, but that won: prevent the
inevitable consequences that must fol-
low if there is net some speedy remedy
found for this fearful evil, and the
grievous wrong those poor wanderers
have sustained at the hands of society.
How many that will read this article
have sons, brothers, fathers, friends,
amongst this vast army of tramps, that
are denounced and held as criminals
for wandering forth to seek employ
mentl The statesman must be blind
indeed, who cannot see that this course
of affairs, if persisted in, is sure to lead
to the overthrow of our instructions,
and loss of the best republic the world
las ever seen. But why are the Patrons
of Husbandry, the Soverei gns of Indus
try, the brotherhood Of the Union, and
ali other kindred associations, standing
idly by and looking on while this fear
ful wrong is perpetrated upon their
follows? They are masters of the
situation. The industrial classes must
ante to secure their rights IL is
uorse than idie, ii is criminal to post
poue action any longer. Let there be
one grand rally to save the nation, ere
it is too late. Cast your eyes over the
situation to-day, and what do You lind!
On the eve of q Presidential election,
we find the same old parties, with the
same old traps, baitcd with the same
old promises, that have been broken
Il IL i Il.