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are they there？ What do they do？
In the first place； since the workers must compete for employment； it
inevitably follows that it is the fit and efficient who find employment。 The
skilled worker holds his place by virtue of his skill and efficiency。 Were he
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War of the Classes
less skilled； or were he unreliable or erratic； he would be swiftly replaced
by a stronger competitor。 The skilled and steady employments are not
cumbered with clowns and idiots。 A man finds his place according to his
ability and the needs of the system； and those without ability； or incapable
of satisfying the needs of the system； have no place。 Thus； the poor
telegrapher may develop into an excellent wood…chopper。 But if the poor
telegrapher cherishes the delusion that he is a good telegrapher； and at the
same time disdains all other employments； he will have no employment at
all； or he will be so poor at all other employments that he will work only
now and again in lieu of better men。 He will be among the first let off
when times are dull； and among the last taken on when times are good。 Or；
to the point； he will be a member of the surplus labor army。
So the conclusion is reached that the less fit and less efficient； or the
unfit and inefficient； compose the surplus labor army。 Here are to be found
the men who have tried and failed； the men who cannot hold jobs；the
plumber apprentice who could not become a journeyman； and the plumber
journeyman too clumsy and dull to retain employment； switchmen who
wreck trains； clerks who cannot balance books； blacksmiths who lame
horses； lawyers who cannot plead； in short； the failures of every trade and
profession； and failures； many of them； in divers trades and professions。
Failure is writ large； and in their wretchedness they bear the stamp of
social disapprobation。 Common work； any kind of work； wherever or
however they can obtain it； is their portion。
But these hereditary inefficients do not alone compose the surplus
labor army。 There are the skilled but unsteady and unreliable men； and the
old men； once skilled； but； with dwindling powers； no longer skilled。 ｛3｝
And there are good men； too； splendidly skilled and efficient； but thrust
out of the employment of dying or disaster… smitten industries。 In this
connection it is not out of place to note the misfortune of the workers in
the British iron trades； who are suffering because of American inroads。
And； last of all； are the unskilled laborers； the hewers of wood and drawers
of water； the ditch…diggers； the men of pick and shovel； the helpers；
lumpers； roustabouts。 If trade is slack on a seacoast of two thousand miles；
or the harvests are light in a great interior valley； myriads of these laborers
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War of the Classes
lie idle； or make life miserable for their fellows in kindred unskilled
employments。
A constant filtration goes on in the working world； and good material
is continually drawn from the surplus labor army。 Strikes and industrial
dislocations shake up the workers； bring good men to the surface and sink
men as good or not so good。 The hope of the skilled striker is in that the
scabs are less skilled； or less capable of becoming skilled； yet each strike
attests to the efficiency that lurks beneath。 After the Pullman strike； a few
thousand railroad men were chagrined to find the work they had flung
down taken up by men as good as themselves。
But one thing must be considered here。 Under the present system； if
the weakest and least fit were as strong and fit as the best； and the best
were correspondingly stronger and fitter； the same condition would obtain。
There would be the same army of employed labor； the same army of
surplus labor。 The whole thing is relative。 There is no absolute standard of
efficiency。
Comes now the tramp。 And all conclusions may be anticipated by
saying at once that he is a tramp because some one has to be a tramp。 If he
left the 〃road〃 and became a VERY efficient common laborer； some
ORDINARILY EFFICIENT common laborer would have to take to the
〃road。〃 The nooks and crannies are crowded by the surplus laborers； and
when the first snow flies； and the tramps are driven into the cities； things
become overcrowded and stringent police regulations are necessary。
The tramp is one of two kinds of men： he is either a discouraged
worker or a discouraged criminal。 Now a discouraged criminal； on
investigation； proves to be a discouraged worker； or the descendant of
discouraged workers； so that； in the last analysis； the tramp is a
discouraged worker。 Since there is not work for all； discouragement for
some is unavoidable。 How； then； does this process of discouragement
operate？
The lower the employment in the industrial scale； the harder the
conditions。 The finer； the more delicate； the more skilled the trade； the
higher is it lifted above the struggle。 There is less pressure； less sordidness；
less savagery。 There are fewer glass… blowers proportionate to the needs of
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War of the Classes
the glass…blowing industry than there are ditch…diggers proportionate to the
needs of the ditch…digging industry。 And not only this； for it requires a
glass… blower to take the place of a striking glass…blower； while any kind
of a striker or out…of…work can take the place of a ditch…digger。 So the
skilled trades are more independent； have more individuality and latitude。
They may confer with their masters； make demands； assert themselves。
The unskilled laborers； on the other hand； have no voice in their affairs。
The settlement of terms is none of their business。 〃Free contract〃 is all that
remains to them。 They may take what is offered； or leave it。 There are
plenty more of their kind。 They do not count。 They are members of the
surplus labor army； and must be content with a hand…to…mou