The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1904-06-10
AMERICAN TRAMP HAVEN.
Mexico Is a Country Where the Ma
tives Are Liberal and Charity
Is Broad.

As far as immunity from arrest is con-
cerned, the American tramp in Mexico
enjoys a paradise which his brother in
the United States might well envy.
Vagrancy is not the crime in the land OF
manana that in the popular mind it has
become in the greater and progressive
republic of the north, says the Mexican
Herald. Not many miles from the Mex
lean border the tramp comes into con-
flict with severe statutory laws that
have been enacted for the suppression
of one of the growing evils Of modern
civilization. There are several town:
n Texas where the hobo is given scam
courtesy and his departure requested
with little ceremony.
There is town in Arizona that adopt
I'd a plan Of Kidding itself of the tramp
nuisance a few years ago which, while
lacking in the principle of humanity
was successful in effectually disposins
Of the itinerant beggar.
The plan was this: AS soon as
tramp was spotted, even before any
overt act of begging or other .misde-
meanor was committed, he was escorted
to the city hall by a policeman, where
he was closely examined by the mayor
who took pains to find out if the mar
was really professional tramp or not
His hands were examined, and if they
showed horns he was given the benefit
of doubt and told to leave town, which
he generally did; but if his hands bore
| no evidence of labor recently performed
| and the mayor was satisfied that he wa.
| a genuine tramp, the enemy of soap was
confined in the city Jail, where he was
| given diet of bread and water and left
| to sleep the following night on the bare
| floor
The next morning he was put to work
| on the streets, where he had to toll all
| day, his food being bread and water. He
passed a second night in the city Jail and
| next morning was escorted to the eGge
of the town, where he was told to ''hit
the trail' and never show his face in the
place again. 1t was not very long be-
fore Blue Gulch, although this is not its
real name, enjoyed an odious reputation
among the Inhabitants of trampdom
and the result was that the town was
| blotted from their list of snaps" and
more lenient places were selected for the
levy of food required by the gentlemen
| of the road during their annual touI
through the country. 49,
| AS soon as the American tramp finds
himself in Mexico he Immediately adapts
| himself to it's customs, for he knows he
is in a land where he has little to feal
| from officious policemen with penchani
for asking questions about his financial
condition, and where the poorest peor
will divide half his tortilla with him il
told that he is hungry. He soon real.
ICES that charity in Mexico is universe.
and that it is a religious mandate, which
has been preached into the very marrow
of the peoples bones. This is usually
the tramps' first Introduction to the Mex
lean paradise, but after awhile he layi
for bigger game than poems and re-
ligiously inclined senoras. and he begins
to tackle the tourists from his own coun-
.ry.
His method of procedure is we'll known
to most Americans He is unerring il
spotting his countrymen, and is always
certain to address himself to the gen.
erously disposed. On account of his sue
cess in avoiding a stingy man, the Amer.
lean tramp is nearly always sure to OBJ
tain some money from his fellow citi.
zens. He has hard luck story, of course
which he uses so frequently that in g
short time he becomes extremely pro.
ficient in the art of spinning it out Sc
that it will awaken the most sympathy
The sympathetic tourists, who have
read so much about the hard side OF
Mexico, are more than half willing to
help a poor stranded countryman out
and the American tramp leaves the hote
patio, where his studied talk was made
| with enough United States currency to
see him through week spree. A pc
culiar thing about the American tramp
Is that so far none of the tribe has ever
been known to be in sympathy with the
temperance movement.
One of the most prominent traits OF
his character is his undaunted nerve A
well-known resident of this city was
walking along San Francisco street rot
very long ago, when he was accosted by
one of these gentry, who was fairly well
dressed. Stepping up boldly to the gen.
tleman in question, with the air of 9
brisk business man, he said quickly:
"Just one moment, mister. Through
unavoidable circumstances my funds
have become depleted, and, as you are a
countryman of mine. respectfully re-
quest the loan of dollar" The well.
known resident saw the humor of the
case and handed him quarter.
The common hobo who begs for the
price of a meal is of course familiar tc
every one He is about the same in
Mexico as he is the states, his habits be-
ing somewhat modified by his easieI
mode of life in this enjoyable climate