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UBiATY
UtlCOLN. NEBRASKA
Hesperian Studeni
UYIJ"EHSIT OF JTEnnlSKl.
Vol. IX.
Lincoln, Neb., May 15. 1880.
No. 0.
HOTELS.
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ittnri.
TUB TRAMP.
q V is often said that never before, sine
TM the beginning of history, have
tramps been so numerous and so threaten
ing to the peace and prosperity of society
as at present. But a careful examination
will show that this is an error; a thorough
study of history will prove that the unpro.
ductivc or tramp class, was never less than
at picscnt. The name deceives us; we do
not take into consideration the fact that
the class we now call tramp?, was former,
ly known under dillerent names, and em.
braced many which at first thought, one
would not think of including with the
tramps of to-day. Some of those that I
shall attempt to prove to belong to the
non-productive class arc known in history
under titles ot honor and respectability.
But do they deserve the place they occu.
py?" If the woru tliev have done lor soci
ety be but cooly estimated, it will be
found that they have been only an encum
brance tn the onward match of society.
But to show that the tramp is no modern
growth, wo need only ryfer to. the "La.zaU,
roni" of ancient Rome. They were per
haps of the lowest kind, dependent upon
the hounty of the state for their food. An
element ever ready to be bought and sold,
ever ready to be made tools of by designing
demagogues. They worn the supporters
of Nero in his reign of blood; and finally
even the tyrant himself, had to make his
acts conform to their will and pleasure.
They had no houses, neither did they pro
tend to do any work for their own support.
They were ignorant, idle and vicious;
ready for carnuge, murder and blood at
the slightest provocation, or without any
provocation. The cause of their existence
will be found about the same as that of the
tramps now. But before at ompting to
give any reason for tho existence of the
great evil, I wish to notice some other
classes which I will place in the same lis
with the trumps though they ma' have
degenerated so low in honor and cliarac
ter. Nay, some of them may even be men
of noble personal character, and yet only
worthy to he clat-hed with those ho hin
dor progress. First among these 1 shall
mention the ancient army. This view
does not necessarily include all soldiers;
but must include all thouo who made a
business of war and travelled from one
country to another, teady to sell their sor
vIcch to any prince who had a real or fan
cied grievance to redress, or who wished
to extend his power, Some may say that
they are not to be named in the sumo class
as the tramp. But have they not the
same characteristics, the same distinctive
influences upon society? Neither have
any high morals, any lofty ideals. Neitli
er do anything to advance tho world, or
themselves in Intel'ectual or material
prosperity. The one may be more rag
ged, dirty and debased; but tho other is
more bloody and destructive. There is
nothing connected witli the hired soldier
which is in any sense, ennobling or ele
vating. Every attribute, every feature of
ills character is calculated to degiade. If
this view be correct (and is it not?) what
are mercenaries but a mighty travelling
army of tramps? Tho soldier of to-day
stands upon a different plane. He em.
ploys only a small portion of his time in
the active duties of war; most of his time
is spent in useful labor. Yet oven now,
the 1- rge standing armies of Europe par
take more or less of the attributes of tho
tramp. Their existence cannot be de
fended upon any reasonable grounds. To
leave this class, and cast our eyes along
the ages of the past, wo see thousands, yes
pei Imps millions of men, many of them
noble in some senses of the word, yet all
having tho one great stamp which marks
the tramp, the stamp of idleness, and non
productiveness. Europe during some of
these years has fairly teemed with this
class which may well be considered
with the tramp of to.day. 1 refer to the
monks, withdrawn from tho world, crowd
ed in'o monasteries, doing almost nothing
for themselves and even less for humanity,
where can you place them, if not with the
tramp class? What name will you give
them if not tho name of tramp. This
statement must not be understood to in
clude all monks, for there are those among
them who left nothing undone to relieve
the suffering, and distresses ot humanity
But many so many did not. Oil, if they
hud only turned their whole mind and
strength to the upbuilding of society, in
education, in wealth, in morals, how
much further advanced in all these ic
specls might we not be at the present?
These are some of the most prominent
classes that belong to the tramp element,
not all by any means, but enough to show
that we aro advancing, to prove that our
civilization, though cursed witli much that
is bad, witli a largo element that does
nothing whatever to aid in the progress of
mankind, is jirmcr, and is built upon a
surer basis than any that has proceeded
it Bullet us consider briefly the causes
that lend to the production of the tram),
two causes, it seems to mo will account
for all the classes I have mentioned ox.
copt one. That one, the monk class arose
from an abnormal condition of religious
ociely during tho dark ages: and our civ
way; hut tho light Is breaking and in one
or two generations more, these men will
coaso to withdraw themselves iroin the
world. They will stay with it and help
llgnt tho battles which humanity demands
at our hands. With (hit one exception,
it will be found that two great causes con
tinually operate to produce the tramp-
The first is the personal habits of tho indi
vidunl man. The votaries of idlness will
soon find themselves carried along in the
sluggish stream leading lo a wandeiing
homeless life, to poverty and death, to
death without a companion or a friend.
Dissatisfaction with present circumstan
ccs, an uncontrolled desire lor change,
a longing aHcr fame and wealth without
making the required exertion, are ele
ments of character which lead one direct
ly, and unless curbed, into the ranks or the
tramp. The social evils, intemperance
with all lis destructive powers help swell
the tide that is now hearing so threatening
ly upon our shores. But the second and
the greatest cause which nourishes the
tramp is one of society, and of nations.
An evil that is more common and more
widespread in its effects than any other.
War, even the most just is demoralizing
and degrading. The evils resulting from
itieacli out in all directions, embrance
all employments and all classes. Now
some one may say, true, war is a terrible
misfortune to befall a nation and a peo
ple; but Is It not a mere fancy that it tends
to the production of tramps? No, for
does not almost ovury eflect ilowing from
it, tend lo their production ? As we have
seen an army itself parlaUes somewhat of
tho elements which make the trump. But
to sum up rapidly, wo find Unit war breaks
ui all settled habits of life; takes men
from their ordinary employments; intro
duces a desire for speculation; brings
great wealth into tho hands of i fow, ami
thus has a tendency to produce a tramp
class. During its continuance fortunes
aro easily made, hence at its close, when
life has settled into its normal condition,
men aro unwilling to work without war
profits. They form a habit of wandering
from place to place with the object of
getting work; such a life is only a pre
lude to the Hie of a tramp. A heavy debt
Is contracted; hence taxes weigh burden.
somoly upon all classes; bti as the poor
feel It most thoy become restless and dis
satisfied, and attempt by continual change
to better their condition. Tho currency
becomes debased; and hero again the
poor have to sutler most, since they can
not take advautago of circumstances like
the rich. Thus every thing connected
witli war tends to tho concentration of
wealth in the IiiwkIh of a fow, hence to tho
production of two classes the rich and
the poor followed immediately by tho
tramp. An indirect proof that the tramp
is tho outgrowth of wai is this; tho tramp
was not found in this country before the
war. What other cause can bo assigned
for his sudden appearance. If it is true
that the war was the direct cause of them
in this country, why will not the same
cause account for their existence in Eu
rope, both past and present? To con
clude, If wo find tho tramp In the arm,