San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-03-06
THE PROFESSIONAL TRAMP.
A Professional Tramp Will Remain So
Regardless of Consequence,

hegdrul6SS OF OOnstquouCo'
To the Daily LIGHT:
The prevalence Of hard times In
the country is in no wise RESPONSE
BILE for the existence OF the profess
sional tramp. Nor Is it true that
the unequal distribution OF prop
erty has produced the growing evil
of professional tramps. i am aware
that this is the solution insisted
on by socialists and the follow
ers of Henry George, but 1t
is wholly unfonuded, in fact
and truth. There nevor has been
a day since this union was estab.
'lished, that property has not been
unequally distributed among our
population, yet tramps were I'M
known prior to 1860. Men having
a grain of common sense and a
mite of knowledge of human
nature know that IL all the property,
real, personal and mixed, now in
this country was divided prorata
among our population, ten days
would not elapse before millions
Of the population would not
have cent left in their pockets.
They would squander it In riotous
living and drunkenness. gambling
and wild speculstions, and then
clamor for a new division. In
dustry and frdgality combined,
will enable any man to
amass a competency; while
laziness and prodigality will keep
men who would poor or squander a
princely fortune in few years.
This rule is invariable. 1t has ex-
listed in all ages and among all
nations and people, and it will
continue to exist while time en-
dures. Solomon calls attention,
repeatedly in his proverbs to the
different effects of diligence and of
laziness. Thus "the hand of the
dilligent shall bear rule, but the
slothful shall be under tribute"
And she that tilleth his land shall
have plenty Of bread; but he that
followeth after vain persons, shall
have poverty enough" "The hand
of the diligent maketh rich"
"Slothfulness casteth into a deep
sleep, and an idle soul shall suffer
hunger"
Socialism and communism are
but the vagaries of distempered
imaginations, as they ignore the
difference between industry and
idleness-between frugality and
prodigality.
The tramp is a bird of passage
wintering in the south and sum-
mering in the north; he has
neither a fixed abode nor any ties
of family. He loves idleness and
hates work. He is without am
bition and prefers begging for
living to earning his daily bread
by the sweat Of his face. Constitu-
tional laziness and unconquerable
hatred of toll are the causes OF
trampism. Tramps would be
tramps, were business fourishing
and wages high, for they prefer
anything to work. Work houses
are demanded for the eradication
OF the evil Of trampism. So long as
people will give victuals to tramps,
there will be tramps.
Working men who are unable to
obtain employment on account of
the hard times, are deserving Of
compassion and sympathy, and
must not be confounded with the
professional tramp who prefers
mendicsncy to honest toll, from
constitutional laziness. Laboring
men cannot expect to escape the
uniform effects of season of gen.
eral business stagnation and de-
preston. They must learn to
clay up something for a
rainy day." by spending less
than they earn, when times are
good and business is flourishing.
Frugality and sobriety will benefit
laboring men much more than
swallowing the clap trap OF pro-
fessional agitators and dema-
gogues. l am for all men preserv-
ing the individuality with which
God has endowed them and OPP.
posed to men, who squander their
earnings, laying the blame for
their being poor on the unequal
distribution of property, or the hos
tility of the rich to the poor. II a
man wastes his income he should
blame his own folly and practice
frugality in future. HUMANUs.
><>
q n n :, d