Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-02-25
A Tramp on i" Results" :"
Detroit Free Press.

oTeu lew, OF pro bono puOllcO.
Thus said visitor to the Detroi
Free Press editorial rooms. He wa
eaunt and hungry looking; he wa
ragged and apparently hard up; Ii,
was unwashed IN unkept; but h
read the papers.
Ever since lection" he went on
as he pushed off his hat and took (
chair, 81 have read of Vanderbilt
on the Result Jay Gould on thu
Result 'Beecher ON the Result,
and score of Others on the result
That's all right, but the poor maj
wants to be heard on the result, too
Now, then, I'm regular built tramp
I'm shot proof, non-freezable, ant
have the cheek of a whole session o
Congress. represent one hundred
thousand men. l beg; l pick uE
things; but I'm a representative of (
party. We have no name, and We
don't vote, but there's an army OF u.
just the same, and we want to bt
heard from on the result.
"Well, you can state your opin.
ion"
Thanks. Now then, to begin
with, the Democratic party had nc
new issues. They had n good can.
didate, but they could not convince
the country that there was need of a
change. We fellers realized this
sooner than you did, and we talked
it over under hay stacks and upon
hay mows. Lots of wheat, plenty
of fruit, big crop Of turnips-we've
just grown fat this year. We let
well enough alone, and it's the same
with other classes"
eco on"
"Now, as to results. There won't
be any more or any less trampsQ It's
become regular business, same as
any other, and the ranks will keep
about so full The number of shot,
guns held in reserve for our class
will diminish; good crops and good
times make people more free-hearted.
/ haven't been shot at but three times
this whole year"
That's falling off.
"Guess it is! There won't be
much falling off in the number of
watch dogs, but more Of them will
be tied up in the daytime. l esti-
mate that $4,000 additional dogs
will be tied up during 1881, aud this
will afford us great relief. l think
I've seen a change in the last two
weeks."
Quite likely
"Im sure | have. Thirteen of us
had sort of convention ont in the
suburbs yesterday, and we agreed
that 1881 would be the best year yet
for old clothes-that is, the public
will pursue more liberal policy
toward our class. During the last
campaign when the election was in
doubt, it was the hardest work in
the world to get an old coat or a
used-up hat. In the last two weeks
I've got almost enough old duds TO
carry me through the winter"
That's encouraging"
Isn't it though! l think the
number of women who slam doors
in our faces will drop nearly fifty
per cent. before the close of another
year. A change is already here.
This afternoon l called at nine diff
ferent houses and had the doors of
only three slammed on my toes. A
month ago eight doors would have
hit me with bang and tho ninth
would have opened to let man out
to kick me through the gate"
" You must feel thankful"
"Well, yes; though 1 have always
contented that perseverance would
make our business q success. Anoth-
er result of the election is better
food for us. Two months ago I was
glad enough to get bone and a
piece of dry bread. Now We get
about the same as the eats"
"Have you been kicked this
week?"
"That's another result I want to
speak of. 1 was in Detroit for q
week in September, and I was kicked
off of thirteen yards. I've been here
just a week to-day, coming from Ip-
diana, and not a boot has touched
me. The Republicans feel too good
to kicl. me, and tho Democrats feel
too proud to vent their disappoint-
nent by kicking a ragged tramp.
My fiscal year ends November lst
of each year. From November J.,
1878, to November 1880, I was
kicked 1873 times. I've got days and
dates right here to show you. TAX
ing the past two weeks as basis, /
estimate that I shall not receive
over sixty kicks the coming year
perhaps not over thirty. Now, then,
have you got it all DOWN."
"Yes."
Well, that's about all. We
tramps feel in tiptop spirits, and