The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-08
POLITICS OF TRAMPS.
Gentry of the Road Are Unanimously
for Bryan.
| Flynt. in Harper.s Weekly.

Josiah Flynt, in Harper's Weekly.
1t came as a surprise 10 me, when hrst
getting acquainted with tramps. TO find
that they were such grumblers and critics
such "Norger," as Kaiser Wilhelm says.
had pictured them as a class which man
aged TO live more or less successfully,
whether any one else got or not, and had
imagined that they were, comparatively
speaking. at peace with the world. That
they troubled themselves with public ques-
tons and political problems was thought
that had not occurred TO me. The fact Is,
however, that they are as fierce political
partisans as the country contains. and In
talking with them one must be careful not
TO let an argument go beyond what in po-
lite society would be considered rather mar
row bounds. They are quick to resort to
fists in all discussions, and in my inter-
course with them it has paid best to let
them do most of the talking when politics
has been the topic of conversation.
1t would take a book, and large one at
that, to report all the evidence that they
advance at "hang-out'' conferences in sup
port of their statements concerning the
evils from which they believe the country
| is now suffering, but no account of their
| political notions, no matter how short
| should fail to take note of their rantings
| against capital and what they consider the
| political corruption of the country. Nearly
| every conversation they have on politics be-
| gins with some wild assertion In regard 10
one or the other of these topics, ana MI, MI;
| the discussion. They believe that he hates
| the man who has saved money and under
| stands how to make it earn more, quite as
| much as they do and they will be very
| much disappointed in him, in case he is ever
elected President. If he does not suggest
| made ito shell out his COIN On no subject
do the tramps use such violent language as
| or this one of the capitalist. They think
that it is he who mas imported all the for
| eign labor in the country-another eyesore:
In their opinion;. who has made England
| Atlantic notion which they claim to have
dug out of Mr.. Bryan's speeches; who has
an 5de d c1s of
to take away from them what
privileges. They hold him answerabe also
| for the trusts and syndicates. agitation
| against which they require from any politi-
cal party in which they have an interest.
! They have thought seriously over these
| matters about az much as a ten-year.old
child has, but that does not matter. They
do not propose to think hard about any
| thing. Mr.. Bryan is for the present doing
, all the thinking which they consider neces-
sary, and they are content merely TO- re-
peat in their own jargon statements which
| he has made. which they think he has
| made. He has become for them an infalli-
| bic oracle, who understands them and their
position, and whom they understand. In
| the bottom of their hearts they know that
| they are deserving Of precious little cham
| pionship, that they lead despicable lives and
commit some very reprehensible deeds; but
| it is consolation to them, which they can
not let 60. TO think that Mr.; Bryan includes
them in his classification of victims of the
| "gold-bugs," and so they try to make pro-
paganda for him. The time was when many
| of them shouted for Henry George and
4 "Ceperal' VOCferOnSlV thew
| now shout for Bryan. They expected from
both George and Coxey the same overthrow
| upheaval of things that they now look for
ward to from Mr.. Bryan They were once
| also enamored of Mr.. Blaine. but for a
| different reason. They admired the way he
| championed the cause of Americans who got
| into trouble in foreign parts. When he was
secretary Of state 1t was temporary fad
| among them to scold about the way Ameri-
| cans were treated abroad, and on one oc-
casion, the details of which have forgot
| ten. Mr.. Blaine pleased them immensely by
insisting on the release of an American who
had been falsely arrested In some foreign
port.
| alive and critical; some of it is also posi-
| tive and constructive. They think that they
know what they want in the way of govern
| ment, as well as what they do not want.
| Speaking generally, they favor a kind of
state socialism, to be prefaced. however. by
a general cataclysm, in which existing So
| cia conditions are TO be entirely revolu-
| tioniZed, and out of which the poor, and
| mere particularly the outcast are to come
| victorious. They make no attempt TO elab-
| orate in conversation the details either of
| the CONFUSION or of the new order of things
| which is to follow; generalities alone inter-
| est them, and they scorn inquiries as to how
their theories are to be put into practice.
That Mr. Bryan is In sympathy with their
notion Of the extensive powers that the
government ought to have is proved for
them by the fact that he believes that sill
Yer can be given its rightfu place in our
monetary system merely by an enactment of
or hNr <1rl6 of he F1nrat
| they recognize no laws in politics other
| than those which man makes. That there
| are natural laws and economic facts over
which man has no control is matter which
they have never taken into consideration.
l refer to the rank and file of the tramp
not subscribe to what ! have given as the
political philosophy Of the majority of the
tramps-men. indeed. who laugh at the
thought of tramp having any political no.
tons at all--but they are exceptions. The
average roadster considers himself as jus
titled in stating his political opinions. and
working for them If he Is so inclined. as
does the working man-even more. because
he thinks that he has the time to formulate
his ideas. whereas the working man is kept
busy merely earning his bread
1t would be unjust to Mr.. Bryan to say
that the tramps have got this notion from
breaches from texts so easily misunderstood
by the class of people to which tramps and
criminals belong that he does great deal OF
his own cause Not only the tramp III but
thousands of worhingmen expect of him i'm
case he Is successful in his ambition. things
which he can no more give them than can
the humbleSt OF his admirers: yet both the
tramp and workingman believe that they
have promises from him which justify them
! in expecting what they do. He is a victim
OF his own gift of gab.' as the tramp du5s
his oratory: He has talked much and so
| loosely that the tramps have read into his
| words assurance of changes which he can
never bring about: OF course it is not to
| be expected that he or any other man in
his position should put much store by what
such a constituency as the tramps think of
him. but the tramp's exaggerated notion of
his policy are symptomatc OF the mans in