The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-04
aHoBoEs AND TRAMps.y
An Interesting Article by Mr.. Bailey in
the October Forum.

the OCTOBER t0rum.
The October Forum just received, con
tains an interesting article entitled
."Tramps and Hoboes" and written by
Mr.. e. Lamar Bailey, of this city.
Mr.. Bailey seeks to correct some erro-
neous impressions in regard TO tramps
and tramp life and at the same time
makes a strong appeal in their behalf.
Having been a tramp myself" he be
gins his paper, Having been much IN
company with tramps; having reyelled
with them and suffered with them on
trains. on foot, in barns, under shelter of
haystacks, beneath the stars Of heaven,
in lock-ups and in city parks, know
whereof ] speak"
Discussing what is commonly known as
the Tramp Problem, Mr. Bailey says:
1.-THE genuine tramp bears the world
no ill-wil. He has chosen his pursuit,
and he proposes to follow IT. He asks
for meal but never demands it; for he
knows quite well that if one good house
wife fail him another will not. But the
criminal on the road temporarily, the va
grant driven out of the city, and their
like, make the Tramp Problem serious.
The genuine tramp is harmless. But for
the Migrants, professional criminals
burglars &c, who are considered with
tramps, the problem would not be serious
enough to excite interest. The world
does not bother about idle men; it be-
comes concerned when it hears of dan
gerous men"
"a tramp" Mr. Bailey defines as "a
man of such mental makeup that he has
no higher aim than to exist and have
a little fun occasionally, avoiding re-
sponsibility and restraint and all man
ner of mental concentration. He Will
walk only when he cannot ride, and will
work himself tired going from house to
house rather than accept a job on the
promise of a meal"
''The hobo is a better sort Of man than
tramp, he has more self-respect, is
usually young, and may, / believe, be
called a tramp in the first stage. Many
hoboes are merely men out of work
who were forced to the road by cir
cumstances which they could not con-
troll
"A vagrant loafs around a town as long
as he can. He does not jump trains-he
lacks the spirit to do that-but he may
sneag into box-car.'
Touching the solution of the Tramp
Problem Mr.. Bailey makes the following
observations and suggestions:
81 would advise that the genuine
tramp be given up as a hopeless sub
ject; that he be regarded as harmless
at worst: that he be helped or turned
away according to the impulse of those
to whom he applies.
1.-THE hobo may be saved. He is young;
he can work; he is inclined to work. He
simply lacks brother If the individual
or community will give him an opportu-
nifty, there are ten chances to one that
the world will gain man."
"Hoboes are products of industrial con-
ditions and of the attitude of society
toward unfortunate, able-bodied men. 1t
would be interesting to inquire how
many hoboes drifted into our regular
army and made good soldiers, and how
many responded TO the Presidents call
for volunteers.
IF young man. who gets into bad
way, loses his job and goes forth despair
ing into the streets to beg. though the
humiliation burn him to the soul, be
taken by every sensible person for an
idle. lazy vagabond and quasi-criminal,
he will speedily become one. Tt is easy
at best to roll down hill; and when every
sensible person kicks you, it requires a
lions heart and n hero's faith 10 keep
from going to the dogs at tremendous
rate. The fatal mistake of our time is
the failure of otherwise sensible people
to act upon the principle, that all men
are brothers and may become brotherly"
Mr. Bailey is the youngest son of the
late Rev. DR. G. T. Bailey, editor Of the
Biblical Recorder He is twenty-five
years old. He was educated in the city
schools, ut the Raleigh Male Academy
and the North Carolina College of Agri-
culture and Mechanic Arts. He left the
last-named institution in the second year,
of his own accord, and set out for the
Worlds Fair without days provision.
After "A journey of sixty days he reached
his destination, only to be apprehended
at the gates Of the White City and or
dered to leave Chicago. He returned
home ''tramping it," In the three years
that followed he travelled throughout the
United States east of the Mississippi,
after the manner of a tramp. In 1896
he entered the Bliss School of Electricity
at Washington, from which he received,a
certificate of graduation last year. by
profession he is an electrician.