Year: 1877

What newspaper man is there in the
United Statos who has not had his joke
at the expense of the great army OF
tramps 7 Who has not written about the
men who arc always looking for work
and praying not to find itH As matter
of course all these knew all the time that
the evil was not all with thu unfortunates,
and that while there are few who could
not be hired to do any useful thing, there
are hundreds of others who are only too
anxious to be able to get something to do.
Every reader of this issue has personal
knowledge OF one or more people who
have for weeks been unsuccessfully try
ing TO get work. and still there are people
who insist upon saying shat the unem-
ployed men won't work-dont want to
work. The other day one of these ma
ligned class was standing at the corner
OF Fourth and streets listening to .
street preachers hsrangue. At the close
OF his discourse no stated that no couldn't
work in the harvest field of the Lord un-
less he was supported by his gleanings
and then passed around the hat, with \
fair degree of success. After the preach
or had vacated his dry goods box tramp,
wao had beer sttentlvey watching tho
proceedings, took the stand himself. lilo
recited his story in a very effective and
straightforward manner, telling how he
had established for himself comfortable
little business in the State of Wisconsin,
and was getting along nicely when mis-
fortunes overlook him, ono after the 9TH
or, until fnallya destructive fro swept
away everything that no possessed in tho
world. Then he was compelled to go to
work for living. As there was nothing
to do in his home it became necessary 10
60 elsewhere having no money when he
set out upon his journey he had to walk
instead Of taking tho cars as he would
certainly have preferred. Having heard
Aattering stories about tho Golden State
he set out on his journey to California
After arriving hero he soon found things
quito different from tho bright picture no
had mentally conjured up. At first he
was abIe to get IN odd days work, and
thus make both ends meet. Arter while
no became contont TO have them meet
half way, but lattorly they kept daily
drawing farther apart, and finally there
seemed no hope for food and shelter ex-
cept by conGscation. 1t was illegal for
him 10 60 upon the public street and ask
for assistance when no was in starving
condition, but no objection was ever made
to such people Us had just proceeded him
in making collections on the highways.
lie went on to speak about tho presence
of the Chinese on this coast and declared
that it was maddening for whito mon,
with families depending upon them for
bread, to go from place to place, and on
asking for work DO told there was mono
tor them, where several Chinese were on
tho premises, working for what thoy
would too gladly receive. His speech
gave token OF ano breeding. liberal ed
ucaton and wol-trained mind, and he
was frequently applauded. When he
had finished his address, well known
gentleman who had heard him through
took him by tho hand and procured board
for him for couple Of days at a neigh
boring hotel, and afterward helped him
to got a situation ut u small salary, for,
Of course, none other was 70 DO had
Sacramento Bee.