The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-06-21

Chicago, June 21.-Reports from every
section OF the country show that there is
now vast army OF tramps spread over the
United States, In almost every instance
theincrcasein the number ofwandercrs has
been due entirely TO the non-appea rance OF
McKinley's promised prosperity.
The total number of tran.ps at present
in the United states. according TO the most
$50. or these by far ;hc larger portion
are men honestly looking for work The
greater number would seem TO center about
Illinois
THAT tramps are unusually numerous
this year is the direct re suit of the pro-
teCtiye tariff system So long al this Coun-
try fosters unhealthy Oyerproduction by
means of the tariff we Will have the tramp
issue in eyer-increasing force To wTestle
with"
This is the explanation given 10y Joseph
Greenhut, city statisucian Of Chicago.
for the remarkable army Of tramps that
is sweeping over the Western country this
year. Mr.. Greenhut went on to partiCu-
iarize as follows:
Factory hands and mechanics must face
a now established Condi ton OF affairs which
is well understood by all thinkers who
have studied the situation. Under p pro
tectiye tariff factories and other places
where labor is employed have been in
creased in number until their product is
larger than the demand. The result is
these workshops cannot be kept running
on fun time. Hours are shortened, and in
many places CmpIo ynent is given for only
seven or eight months In the year
Those Who are providcnt may be able to
tide themselves over this idle season. Those
who are not must get out and seek new
fields OF labor. Thus We have the tramp
not the chronic, tdling vagabond, but hon
est mechanics on the hunt for work. These
are unusually numerous this year from the
cause given, and the conditions Will grow
worse instead of better. until a radical
remedy is applied. This remedy. 1 think,
lies in free trade and the mario wing OF pro
duCtOn to meet actual demands
Our workers must reJrrange their
methods of Life TO meet existing conditions.
Until they DO this the tramp question will
continue to increase in Importance. They
must not expect steady work where there
Is none ana from lue yer nature OF lnuSS
cannot be any.
1T would be "a sensible thing for the
Federal Government TO collect labor Stats
tics, and send out weekly or monthly bulle-
tins telling where men are needed and
where there is surplus In this way much
OF the evils Of tramping could be avoided
foT men would only so where there WIS
labor fer them"
railroad detective, whose business
keeps hiin on the road between Chicago and
Cleveland a large part of the time, said to-
Gay that the number of tramps exceeded
anything in his recollection.
There are thousands OF thein," he
added, "and the majority appear to he
mechanics and Iaborers out OF employment
The percentage of genuine tramps is small,
but as an Indication OF the straits to W hiCh
the latter men are reduced, only last week
four tramps, armed with revolyers, held
up q box car filled with other tranps near
Butler, Ind, and robbed them Of what
little money they had. No one ever heard
Of such q thing before.
81 counted 1877 of them ON one freight
train that left Grand Crossing last Tues
day night. The average is nearly that
high. All the twenty-four roads centering
in Chicago have nearly an equal number Of
tramps to contend with daily. With an
allowance of three freight trains in both
directions on each road the daily exodus
will average over 10 900, and the influx is
about the same number. 1t is probable
that in the state at present there are fully
80, 900 tramps.''