The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-03-28
TRAMPS.
How Stranded Graduates Live
Without Money.
Sketches from the Frontier-'.tEive Me
Two Bits"-Progress and Poverty
Horace Greeley's Motto
Want of Capital.

beg your pardon, sir, can you let
me have two bits? l want to get a
nights lodging"
1t was outside the door of brightly
lighted all-night saloon on San Antonio
Street that your correspondent was
stopped by this abrupt salutation. The
moonlight effulgence of the numerous
electric lights would have made pin
on the sidewalk visible, and gave him
ample time tostalle stock of the suppli-
cant A slightly built man of about
thirty, dressed in an old and glossy suit
of black, that, to use the commonplace,
had ''seen better days" A face that
spoke of culture and refinement albeit
.brutalized by piggish bristles and rem
idered coarse by over-indulgence in
strong drink. The old black diagonal
coat was buttoned up close to the chin,
as though to hide the dirty linen be-
meath, and worn SLOUGH hat formed
his headgear. 1t was in such state of
dilapidation as to recall the ballad of
Paddy McFadden, who was
'-greasy and fat,
And the hair of his head
1t stuck out through his hat"
Such was the ensemble of the man who
came West to the boundary of two re-
publics, to hold out his hand to the pass
ing stranger and bee two bits for his
night lodging. Drowning men, who
have been rescued tell us that in the
few moments that elapse between sur
cease of pain and absolute oblivion,
their whole lives seem to pass in review
before them, and as my fingers sought
the coveted twenty-five cents, so seemed
to pass through my mind sad thoughts
'Ot the increase of misery and poverty
the wide world over.
Poverty, think, is the greatest cos
mopolite. l have seen it chased as
crime from the streets of our great
cities in the United States; | have seen
1T selling its miserable match boxes
Containing matches that never would
or could ignite), as an excuse to escape
police persecution in the London streets:
1 have seen it picking up the garbage
around the HalIes Central in Paris, sun
ming its brass badge on the Piazza de
ISpagna at Rome, and yet more recently
blocking the entrance to the Cathedral
lof Chihuahua. But surely, thought,
this Southwest that is always asking for
Immigrants ought not to have healthy
men round the streets of her town ask
ing for aims. In this connection |
should remark that this application for
i''two bits was only one of dozen TO
which the visitor to Ell Paso is subjected
nightly. and that the only cure the au-
thOrities seem to have for the evil is to
round up the poor devils like cattle and
drive them out of town with force of
mounted officers.
thought would interview the man
who wanted two bits for bed, and so
dropping half a dollar into his out
stretched palm | asked him to take
drink. Seated beside warm stove and
under the influence Of "hot Scotch,
any tramp became quite communicative
and required little urging on the part of
the interviewer to unlimber his tongue.
81 suppose you're going to commence
with the usual cant about why don't
go to work and the rest of it, g." he COM
menced. ITO hear you fellows talk
about industry and energy, one would
Imagine that all fellow had to do was
to 90 right into the first store and ask
for job to get it. Well, you Just try
lit and you'll find tat your industry is
not wanted and your energy is wasted
on the desert air"
"But I'd imagine" broke in your cor
respondent, that man with some Gull
ture, education and address would
sooner or later drop into something good
and keep it, without much trouble. You
seem to be that kind of a man."
''Well, sir, if instead of being col
lege graduate l had been graduate
from carpenters bench or a black
smiths shop, | would not have been
Begging from you tonight. The only
man who has any solid guarantee against
starvation to-day is the mechanic. The
land is overcrowded with colleges and
universities of all kinds graduating
young men who are absolutely worthless
at best and precious little use
anywhere. There are 50 many
young men who can do nothing but
clerk that there are five hundred for
every one vacancy. and wages have
sunk to starvation point In mining
districts the business Of assayer used to
be a good one. Now every State Uni
versity is turning out things by the
hundred that pass as mining engineers
and assayers, and their pay is less than
any ordinary good miner can earn.
This holds true of professions generally,
all of which are full to OVERLOOKING.
About two years ago had good situa-
tion in store in Tucson, but owing to
dull times | got let out. i hadn't much
money, but l started for Silver City,
but found nothing. 1 tried Deming
with the same result, and then Lake
Valley, My money had given out and