Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-10-09
THE TRAMP QUESTION.
An Attempt to Analyxe 1t from = Socio-
logical Standpoint.

An Attempt to Analyse 1t from . Socio-
logical Standpoint.
Sociologists, both in this country
and abroad, are studying the tramp
problem. One OF the latest writer's
on the subject is Professor j. ]. Nc
Cook, who has flooded the country
with circulars and accumulated
mass OF statistics that will be OF
value when the next LEGISLATURE un.
dertakes to control tramps. From
the Professors investigations it ap.
pears that there are As, S45 men in
this country east Of the Rocky Mount
aims who are professional tramps,
have no regular calling or resting.
place, and live as they may without
work. or these $4,000, eleven.
twelfths are under so; tlve-sixths are
In perfect health; nine-tenths can
read and write; and three flfths have
learned a trade requiring skill. 1t
may thus be said that the tramp, as
a rule. is perfectly able to support
himself, and resorts to vagabondagc
from choice.
How these tramps became tramps
Is question which was not easily
answered. 1t appeared that sixty-twO
per cent of the whele led intemper.
ate lives; which would account for a
considerable portion Of the whole.
or the aggregate. sixty-nine per
cent had been in hospitals. When
they were discharged, they were gen.
orally without resources. and IL the
weather was fine, some OF them would
naturally become tramp. According
to their own account, eighty-two per
cent took to the road and stayed on
1T, because they were out of work and
money. Thi, statement does not
quite harmonic with the notorious
fact that tramps will not work, ex-
cept for a meal when they are hun
grv, but it is explained by the work
ing of IabOr-unionS In most cities
tramps are supplied with lodgings at
the station-hOuses but the captains
and sergeants in charge report that
they hardly ever knew a tramp to &C
cept steady job Of work. A rowing
disposition Is common to all.
A large proportion OF those who
become regular tramps were once me-
chanics and had steady jobs They
were ordered out on strike by some
union, and the strike shutting them
out from regular employment, they
took the opportunity of ''seetng the
country" When strike throws
few thousand men out Of work, the
union can do no more than look after
the married men; single men must
look out for themselves They are
forbidden by their union to seek the
only work they can get; no wonder
they become travellers and wander.
ers. Their lot is not, after all, so
very arduous. They can get shelter
in station-houses, aim s-houses, mis-
sion-hOuses; in box-cars, barns, aboard
ships; in mills or OuJhouses; and, if
the worst comes to the worst, they
can camp out under the lee of fence.
They must he in hard luck if they
can not pick up meal or two in the
course of days peregrinations They
are careful not to overhead their
blood by long journeys; a few miles
day Is as much as they reckon to
cover, and this is rather agreeable
than otherwise-a gentle walk assists
digestion and promotes health. On
their walk they have an eye to what
COQuelin called LIE Cdsuel; portable
property, especially if it be saiable or
take the shape of clothes, always
handy. But to the genuine tramp,
the proceeds Of theft are a by-product
OF his industry.
Looking at the tramp nuisance
from the standpoint OF society at
large, it costs just what the trampi
consume plus what As. 900 men would
have produced if they had been en-
gagged in active industry Professor
McCOok estimates the total amount
at something under ten millions a
year. AS his researches do not seem
to have extended to this coast we
may assume that, If his basis of calcu-
lation is accurate, the real cost of the
tramps to the country is over ten
millions year. This is smaller
sum than the country loses by strikes
In six years, according to the United
States Department of Labor, labor
strikes cost 500. 544, 1871, of which
$64, $40. AT was borne by labor and
$34, 1854, 9l4 by capital; that is to say,
an average Of $l6, 424, 065 per annum
say six millions more per year than
the outlay which is chargeable to the
tramp nuisance. or course the labor
unions will claim that they went to
this expense for the maintenance of
wages while the tramps have no off
set against their cost. The walking
delegates are entitled to the benefit
of their contention, such as it is. In
cases like the Homestead strike, it
does not amount to much. That
enterprise costs directly something
over $3.50, 900, and, so far from help
ing wages, it completely broke down
the union Of the Amalgamated Steel
and Iron Workers But that is an
other story.
About Undershirts.
INST nOw fhoro ic n vorv otrcnn nm