New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-11-28

PLAYING FIFTH FIFE.
From ali parts Of the country come complaints
Of the increase of idleness, beggary and crime.
The country is overrun with vagabond tramps
and sturdy bcggars, who neither have nor seek
any permanent means of support but prefer to
lead nomadic lives, taking the chances OF pre-
caTious subsistence upon the proceeds OF men
delaney. varied by the excitementS of outrage
and robbery. In some parts OF Pennsylvania
we read that they have ORGANIZED predatory
camps. from which they sally forth and raid
neiQhboring communities, levying tribute upon
farms and gardens, bans and poultry yards.
and in some cases throwing railroad trains
from the track to plumber the wreck. In
stances have occurred within the past few
weeks in which these bands Of vagabOnds
have felt themselves strong enough 10 make
organized and armed resistance to officers OF
the law attempting to arrest and bring them
TO justice. All over the country, and partic-
ularly in farming ncighb0rhOods and rural
districts. complaint is made that these outlaws
are creating something like a genuine
reign of terror among the women ana children,
and establishing q condition of affairs in
which neither property nor person is secure.
They are able-bodied, lazy, insolent and law
less and the proportion OF really unfortunate
persons among them who deserve charity is
not more than one in thousand. They are
at this moment the most dangerous class in
society. Their one aim in life is 10 obtain
the means of living without work. and
of vicious indulgence without punish
ment. Every reader of The Tribune is
familiar with the individual specimens as they
go from door to door, sometimes cringng for
charity, but Oftenor demanding money or
"sauaie meal" What they are and what mis-
chief they are capable OF, when banded to-
gether, we had an opportunity of learning last
July during Che labor riots, and residents in
the ncighborhood of their camps in Pennsyi-
yania and elsewhere are still finding out ut
painful cost.
Let us make 10 mistake about these tramps
and yagabonds. We have been treating
them heretofore as merely dependents on
publc charity; the wards OF society; the
factor of mcndicancy in the social problem
and 80 have turned them over to be discussed
by boards of charities, benevolent Organi-
zations relief associations, and such. But
they arc something more. We can
net shut our eyes to tho fact that
rolitical power The demagogues who are
ever on the alert for opportunities 10 catch
votes by the herd through appeals to prcju-
dice and passion, were quick to see mass of
voters to be won when tramps began to
swarm. They scented very early the new
faint in the atmosphere-the faint of
idleness, vice, reckless disregard of law,
and contempt for social order. Instead
of an element of danger, they saw in the in
creasng procession of idlers and vagabonds
marching up and down the country only the
tools available for their own purp0se-a pur-
pose not dissimilar from the tramps-to live
without work and ut the public cost. The alb
stract idea of which the tramp is the con-
crete embodiment is, that honesty, indus
try and frugaity are mean weaknesses
rather than virtues, and that the true idea of
success and happiness is to avoid work, pay
mo debts steal when you have a chance. and
compel the meanly industrious and frugal to
slpport the reckless vagabOnd and loafer. The
tram;'s war is with honest labor, and nothing
else 4; though it suits his lying purpose h.
pretend 10 be a representative Of oppressed
and down-troddcn workingmen, Just rs it suits
the purpose of his co-lahorer, the dcma-
gogue, TO recognize HIM III that character and
secure his support by pandering to his vices.
The result is that in the politics of the conn
try the workingmen are represented rs having
the aims and purposes of the tramp, and dem
agogues are addressing them accordingly.
The speeches of the Democratic Members of
Congress during the present session upon the
Silver Bill and the Resumption Repeal have
been filed with the sort of stuff and nonsense
,rLioh No honest man In hi. eober sensas ,v,uII
ever think of addressing 10 honest men. The
appeal has been constantly to the love Of
idleness, the aversion to paying honest
debts, the sharp practice which looks only
for The main chance; to the ruling sphit
and governing motive of the tramp and the
vagahond, rather than to the honest purpose
Of the real worlungman. One .blatherskite
even went 30 far in the discussion Of the Army
Appropriation Bill as to describe the roughs