Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1895-11-21
ERAMP'S OPINION.
A KNIGHT OF THE ROAD WHO
Is AN AGITATOR.
He Says: "A Thief or Cut-ThrOat Is
More Highly Respected by Society than
a Cringing MendIcant"-HOw win 1t
End? Win the People Gave Themselves?


week, while waiting for car on the
Public Square, the editor Of this paper
was approached by man Of respectable
appearance, as the world looks at it
and solicited for a contribution with
which to pay for something to eat. I'm
doubtedly nine men out Of ten would
say that such an occurrence Is moi
worth noticing. And they are right, fol
the streets of this city swarm with
beggars after nightfall, and every citi'
zen is accosted for aid on every hand
But this particular beggar was an ex-
ception to the general run. He was
philosopher, a fine conversatlonalist
and man who, under ordinary cOndi-
lions, would command respectful atten-
ton anywhere.
1T Is not a pleasant task" said he,
"for me to solicit aid from strangers.
My soul reVolts against it; but an hon
est mans natural pride is unable to
Withstand the horrors Of hunger. l real
ize that am beggar; social Outcast;
i - SAsS AVA NhO AAuACulC1 luO ohNSA . AAe
the abuse Of those who never knew the
meaning Of an actual want. It is a
bitter pill to swallow, but 1t must be
forced down. Sometimes, when look
back over my past life, and when l
think Of the happiness of others who
are no more honest than am, become
desperate enough to commit any crime;
and let me tell you that do not intend
to follow the life that am now leading
much longer. A thief or a cut-throat
is more highly respected by society
than a cringing mendicant.
"a dozen years back" said the out
cast, in answer to question, Il owned
a small business in a town in South
ern Ohio. I am ropemaker and had
good trade. But the cordage trust
was organized and very soon the weak
lings, as the newspapers and big cap
italists call the smaller concerns, were
driven to the wall, and among the rest.
We simply could not compete with the
trust, with it's very latest improved ma
chinery and abundance of working cap
ital. Well, to make long story short,
I quit, scraped few dollars together
and landed in Chicago, where, as rec
ommendation that have will show, l
worked over six years as a collector.
But / could not get ahead of necessary
expenses, and two years ago the firm
worked for failed. Since then have
been knocking about from place to
place, working day here and day
there, starving, begging and freezing in
turns. Would you believe it, walked
almost the length Of your Euclid avenue
Offering to work for my board and
couldn't get a job! The rich won't hire
anybody that they don't want. They
are even more economical in that re-
spect than the poor.
Now, why is it that those who are
willing to work for their living are pre-
vented from doing so? and what is all
this coming to? These are the questions
that I think about and PROFOUND to
everyone I meet. You say the reason
men are deprived of the opportunity to
make an honest living is because Of
monopoly. That is true. 1 don't pre-
tend to be well up in economics, but l
know that those who enjoy special priv
ileges, such as bankers, railroaders,
landlords and those who hold securities
prosper while the common people suf-
fer.
How will it end? Stranger go down
along your docks; go down into your
slum districts; go into the poorer To-
calities; talk with the idlers upon the
streets; talk with the poorly-paid labor
ers who are but one degree removed
from homeless, hopeless wanderers,
and talk with the Migrants and tramps
who are chased from place to place like
wild beasts and who are thrown into
prisons because they will not sit down
and starve-men for all that, made
after the image of their God-talk to
these people, who are being hemmed in
on every side by laws, passed by
damned ignorant and corrupt legisla-
tors, restraining their liberties and
driving them to commit all the crimes
in the catalogue-talk to these people,
say, and you will find that there is
growing a sullen, deep-rooted hatred for
all law and for the rich. Can you con-
ceive Of natural, human or divine law
that decreed that the many should suf-
fer while few rot in luxury? No, sir
Such a condition cannot last long, and
especially in this enlightened ago. No
doubt you have read of popular upris-
ings in the past, and you are far-seeing
enough to understand that clouds are
gathering for another storm. The vio-
lence Of mind will be met and overcome
by the violence OF muscle, be cause tai
ent has been used selishly, to do injury
rather than justice.
"You talk of educating the Masses"
concluded the wanderer. Your time is
too short. Men are grown children.
They would rather play than learn les
sons, and trust to luck to adjust matters.
Besides, who is to educate the people
upon the science of government and
right living? Your schools don't do 1t;
they teach fables and fiction, to large
extent ignore sound principles, and turn
out educated but dissatisfied men and
women. The preachers don't educate;
they are afraid to speak out They talk