The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-11-13
REPORT FOR CLASS f.

fOHtlcal ECONOMY Is uenneQ as the science
which deals with social phenomena from the eco
nomic standpoint
subject can always be more clearly explained
by illustration than by abstract reasoning; and it
is also the that it is much easier for us to ex-
plain things by SMILES. comparisons than abb
stractly. So in dealing briefly with the subject of
Political Economy. will take up a class of society
and endeavor to show its economic relation to
economic society in general.
We will consider the tramp. The tramp, like
the cockleburr is product Of nature and like
the cockleburr he is most found where he is least
wanted and can do the greatest harm; but he
lacks one characteristic of the rr-"sticktoitive-
ness" That is the tramp's weakest point and the
burr's strongest point. The burr absorbs the rich
ness of the soil and produces nothing of utility
the tramp absorbs the fruits of other mems labor
and produces graybacks and nothing more.
Yes, he does produce something more; in fact
he produces much more. He creates considerable
in chicken coops, scarcity of cold victuals,
demand for watchdogs, calabooses, shotguns, etc
But the tramp produces nothing but what society
would be better off without Anything to have a
value must be of utility to mankind it must sat
isfy some necessity, or taste or vanity of man.
otherwise it is obstacle in the way of his prog
ress. The tramp is burden on society, not
simply because he is not producer of utilities
but because he is a consumer and menace to it's
peace, prosperity and happiness.
But the tramp is not all of his class-he is only
one OF the genera which includes all non-produc.
ing consumers such gamblers. thieves and
bawds of either This class add nothing to the
real wealth of country. Although they may en-
ploy labor to build fine mansions, carriages, etc.,
and pay servants to wait upon them, and buy the
enrich honest individuals, they are still a drain
upon the country's wealth. The reason issthis
Whatever wealth they possess, had first been Gre
ated by the labor of others. and consequently was
part of the country's wealth. To show how this
class becomes drain upon the country's wealth.
we can compare it to family of ten persons on a
large farm While all the members do equal
and reasonable shares of the work on the farm the
family will ordinarily grow rich; but if one men,
Der steps work the farm becomes one-tenth less
productive; yet there still the ten mouths to
be fed and ten backs to be clothed. In time say
five of the family quit work, and the results
become clearly apparent. The five workers can
not make the farm produce much as the ten
workers did formerly, consequently the family be-
comes poverty stricken. Those who do the labor
have no time to do else than struggle for the ne
cessites of life therefor the improvements about
the farm all go to wrack, the machinery wears
out and there is no money with which to replace
it; and finally the creditors forclose the old
home and the family is turned adrft: the mem
bers become servants for other families; and.
may be, some become thieves and some tramps,
and others. perchance go away and establish new
families.
1t is just the same with naton-its prosperity
and political integrity depends. not so much upon
the fertility of its SOIL the richness of its mines
and other natural resources, upon the virtue,
honesty, industry and economy of its people.
The downfall of all the great nations of the past
was brought about, not by the expressions of
other nations, but by their internal rotten
ness. or in other words. by the weakening process
of the many trying to live on the industry of the
few. Itwas the downfall of Greece and of Rome
and it is the danger that threatens the great and
prosperous nations of to-day. 1t is the danger
that threatens our own United States. We see
even now, at this early day in its existence, a
class growing up who hold themselves aloof from
social contact with those who earn their living in
the sweat of their face; and they are not the
tramps who ride in box and sleep in hay
stacks and scratch themselves by the depot stove,
or on the sunny side of coal sheds-these are only
scavengers. They are the arstocracy, not the
arstocracy of brains and noble manhood, but the
aristocracy of drones who fatten upon the coupons
clipped from bonds earned by the industry of hon
est ancestors perhaps stolen by dishonest fore
fathers.
&c. putting two and two together, we see. that
unless man is a producer, he is burden, a par
asite upon the body polite. There are thousands,
of course, who are not responsible for being bur-
dens, as, for instance. the insane and those who