The Irish standard., 1905-08-26
THE DEADBEAT
The Fountain Head of Corrup-
ti0n in Private and in
Public Business and DESTROYER
Of Honesty and Credit.

M. E. Walton, Of Huron, s. d., in q
recent communication to- the Chicago
Record-Herald, draws the following
faithful picture of the professional
dead beat:
The alarming prevalence of graft is
probably in a large measure due to
the tolerance of the deadbeat, and
seems to be direct outgrowth OF
deadbeatism. The deadbeat meth.
cd of getting something for moth.
ing with out much fear of Grim,
inal prosecution or the organized
resentment of society evidently has
led to widening of the field of opera.
tions of that despicable class who be,
come parasites on humanity.
There is, however, in the breast OF
the majority of our people a will to do
right, to spurn the deadbeat, and to
destroy the contemplate power of the
craft, which is the mother of all vices,
for out Of that Incidence and easy
living which generally goes hand in
glove with deadbeatism comes the
wish to get all things for nothing,
without effort. The things in this life
worth having are worth working for,
and one can readily see how robbery,
thieving, graft in all forms, and even
murder and the other vices, are
brought about through the influence
OF this most horrible of influences,
deadbeatism.
The dictionary characterizes the
deadbeat as "a worthless, lazy fellow,
one who sponges on Others" There
are also the "deadbeatesses." Every
profession, every trade, every avoca-
ton in life the world over, must con.
tend with these parasites of the
human race, the deadbeats. They
compose a class as distinctively relat.
ing unto themselves as those we call
thieves, lepers, murderers, etc.
Law does not recognize them except
as they happen to become enmeshed
through other criminal acts than the
practice of deadbeatism. The dead.
beat, without doubt, is the meanest
person living. He has vices peculiar
only to his following, and has many
of the vices of other callings. If ii
pleases him to De smooth he forthwith
becomes the beamiest of individuals
He is as untiring as the eagle and is
just as liable to swoop down upon one
when least expected.
He has always one weapon; it is
proof against any counter-attack, is
unfailing in it's purpose, and is called
nerve. The deadbeat is generally well
dressed, has the appearance Of being
we'll fed, and is often fair to look
upon, especially if Of the female cult
He is usually good judge of liquor
but is seldom known to pay for a
drink; he may even be wealthy, anf
often is, and ought, then, to be known
as the plutocratic deadbeat.
The games he works to avail him
self of particular thing he want:
are legion, and he can invent new
one upon moments notice. He
teigns any illness, runs any gantlet
stands any amount of criticism, and i:
invulnerabie to any attack. The Law
cannot reach him, for he has nothing
If he has anything, it is in his wife,
name. Talk does not affect him, TO
he has no feeling. You could not hir
him to stand and fight, yet you ALLOW
him in your presence. He is to b.
found in every town and is general
well known, yet tolerated.
In the city he is called BY othe
names, though seldom ever punished
He can attend any function graft!
where honest men pay to enter, an
he even goes to church, though he ha
no use for the collection box. He doe
not recognize the sin of lying, an
sneers at the sacred injunction.
The deadbeat is destroyer {
credit. Credit is nothing but the e:
pectation of money within some lin
tied time. He makes honest me
doubt humanity; takes advantage OF
charitable disposition. He has a d
cided dislike for such traits as belle
faith, trust, reliance, confidence, ett
and does not make them part of b
existence. He is to be found in evel
lodge in every society, and in a
churches, and he invariably mutilatt
his own word and sets at naught OBJ
cations. Often he gets the handsor
est girl in the community for his wife
+ sometimes takes away a good livir
she has been enjoying, and makes h
companion for himself to the disgu
| honest people bear him.
? He looks his victim in the face upt
: the street, with no signs of co
science. He wonders why the grocer
3 man, the druggist, the doctor, tt
hardware man, the shoe man, Il
y dentist, the artisan, the jeweler, tt
contractor, the hotel-keeper, Il
butcher and others send him bill
which he never pays. Even the bank
q and the LAWYER. whom he least affec