The herald., 1898-12-17
A Plea for the "Hoboes"

To the Editor of the Los Angeles Herald:
I see that certain California papers recon.
mend drastic measures for the army OF poor
("hoboes" they are caled) who are reach
ing this southland.
Why! Is it crime to be poor? Should
a man be consigned to the ''rock pile simply
because in his suffering he seeks cline
where the snow shall not be filtered through
the rents in his rags!
Why is it that the very persons who most
batantly uphold the conditions which have
made it possible for thousands OF honest
men to be reduced to beggary are the loud
est in calling for the ''rock pile for these
unfortunate victims.
1t would appear that such could afford to
give to these unfortunate beggars chance
to enjoy our sunshine, or to rest in the shade
of our willows.
That there are criminals among this class
of poor no one would deny; that there are
those equally base even among the elite his
tory proves.
1t is not impossible, aye not improbable,
that beneath some tattered coat beats just
as honest heart as might be found beneath
the cloth and amid the surroundings of the
political sanctun.
The daily items of the news tell the tale.
Five hundred poor laborers line the street
in Now York city, waiting patiently while
the biting wind plays pranks with their
tattered clothing until o'clock in the morn
ing for the dole of bread and coffee which a
| charitable baker is wont to give. Suddenly
the blue-coated representative of the law
swoops down upon them. Why? A saloon
1-n tba,. 1lr b. in,
front of his "pace of business" Aye! Aye!
FivA hundred penniess men are truly not
the throng for which the heart of the saloon
keeper burns. They have no nickels for
| his schooners of beer
A few hundred men in distress make their
way to this golden shore, where it would
seem that God would vouchsafe to them the
warmth of southern sun, albeit they
should suffer hunger; and an arrant editor
would cry, away with them to the crock
ple!"
Why? They are a menace to our peace,
and they have no nickel for the morning ed-
ton nor coin to SECURE fusome praise.
There are criminals among the very poor
and unless the treatment of these people be
changed, where now there is one, the brutal
ity of the ''rock pile" will make hundred;
and unless some means be afforded whereby
the honest poor can be separated from the
vicious and given an opportunity to eat
honest bread they will certainly be forced
to the level of the vile, for humanity in most
cases will steal rather than starve.
If the more fortunate citizens and the
commonwealth fails to meet in kindness
the importantly of the suffering poor, then,
unless history lies, there comes time when
they shall meet frenzied mob whom Meth
er bluecoat nor gatling guns can control
Happy indeed would be this land of ours
! if its official machinery and edit
ors could take time from extend
ing corporate powers over the commodities
| of life, or the upbuilding of policy of polit-
ical expansion, or the building of warship
canals, to cast about and devise some means
whereby the suffering about our own doors
| could carve out for themselves an honest
| living.
! Perhaps it is too much to hope that such
attention should be given our own poor Just
now, while we are caring for, or, rather,
subjugatng those of the islands of the seas.
Why! There are not SO many business op-
| portuntles' nor so many ''offices" lying in
that direction; but there is more RESPONSE
bility, and God will one day have reckon
ing, for the cry of the despairing shall not
| always ascend unheeding.
H. CLAY NEEDHAM.
Los Angeles Dec II 1909