Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-21

| are found in small numbers on the Pacific
coast and In the south and scarcely at all
! In the north.
Contrary to the reports of some others
VINO nave studied this question, l have
found no men of ability among the tramps.
certainly no college men, unless they were
there for the purpose of studying. The be-
lief that many college men become tramps
is sociological fallacy.
The tramps of this country are mostly
poor, ignorant and sensual men and boys.
What has sometimes passed muster for
education Is simply certain polish they
have obtained by constant and long con-
tact with men and women, which has
made them men of the world" in a GER
tain sense. Or in other words the ''edu-
Gated tramp" is in reality the tramp
'rounder' who knows all the ropes of his
profession thoroughly and can talk fiuently
of what he has seen in his wanderings.
A most interesting feature of the tramp
life of the United States is found in the
tramp organizations, brotherhoods or unions,
as one may please to call them, both local
and national in scope. My first experience
with this phase of the question was on the
Pacific coast. l learned by conclusive evil
dence that for small sum of money man
could purchase a ticket in San Francisco
that would entitle him to tramps trip
clear to New York. With the ticket would
go a chart pointing out where he might
find local headquarters and where the best
meals and beds might be obtained free of
charge.
A friend who was well acquainted with
the signs used by the tramps' organizations
proved their existence to me beyond doubt
by putting several of them on my gate post
and permitting me to watch the results.
1 soon found that plainly drawn square
In white chalk means square meal
hand roughly sketched, with fore finger
pointing indicates that hand out" may
be expected from this place. A circle with
two crossing diameters means cross dog.
long, narrow rectangle stands for bed
and triangle with small circle at the
upper angle for a head lets the weary
Willy" know that "a woman runs the
joint" and there is something doing in
the eating line. A plain. empty circle
means nothing doing
Strange as it may seem to the general
public, it is nevertheless fact that SO
well are the tramps organized that national
conventions are held and delegates sent
from distant parts of the country. AT these
gatherings they discuss ways and means
of lettering their organization OF main
tanning clear routes of travel and of enlist
ing the sympathy of the people. This last
question is a very important one, and has
often been discussed The chief means is
by feigning physical disability.
The transportation by rail Is another
feature of the question. Coal cars, box
classed respectively as smokers sleep.
ers - - observation cars and ''chalr cars
called "chuckers.'D
Tramps generally travel in colonies of
from five to twelve, and when they decide
to stop they usually make camp and
send out several of their number to work
the neighborhood. The workers, after they
get their own square meals, want mana
out" either of food or money. Wnen .he
collection is complete there is a grand feast
and perhaps a debauch on the proceeds. Inc
existence of tramp clubs in every important
center of population to which wanderers
can go prevents the police from making
many 'vagrancy arrests
Now what is the effect of this class OF
people the country at large! Plalniy,
in the first place, the organizations roster
human parasites Fully 10 per cent OF ene
tramps are no better than this. They have
absolutely no purpose but to live on their
fellows In the second place they depaSe
manhood to a maximum degree, particularly
demoralizing the youth of the land, who are
easily fascinated by the stories of travel;
In this connection it may be stated that 80
per cent are middle-aged men, and over 10
per cent are between the ages OF n1teen
men.
The third great evil in the tramp Ques-
ton is that it reduces the productive capac-
ity of the country, twenty tnousan nn men men
could do if they were made to work: Ihey
could dig the Panama canal probably IN
eight years. Finally, the effect on the boys
of the land has a tendency to NIL our re-
form schools and increase the pubic eX-
nenditure. The financial factor involved IN
the arrest and Incarceration or the oloer
man is also no small one.
The greatest question OF an IN the stIuy
of our tramps is now logically reached HOW
shall the country stamp them OUT as
class? 1t is this that 1 wish to answer
First let agitation Of the question bring
about system of uniform state
yagrancy laws. Vagrancy shouIo De ihaue
a misdemeanor, punishable by imprison-
ment in an Industrial home under an IN
determinate sentence. This would carry
with it the necessity of making number
Of cities centers for industrial homes
which should be located on the OUTSKIRTS
and provided with means for giving WORK
to unskilled laborers. ,
man who Is sent to one of these 1nsti-
tutIons should be questioned as 10 ms ma
tive place. If it is found by correspondence
that he really has a nome ne shouia pe
TRANSPORTED to that place in the hands OF
an official and given a start again. But II
1t is proved that he is a real tramp ne
should be kept in the home which first
receives him.
Nv following out this plan it would not be
long before all or practically all, or our
tramps would be no longer "on the road,
but helping to do the work of the land |
The present method simply takes them
into custody for a while and then lets |
them go again. The advantage OF the new
nIan presented here is very manifest
OF course 1t would necessitate ire
mendous outlay of money, but men of |
means might be found to give the move |
ment a start. Later 1t would more than
pay for itself in the money earned and
saved. |
laws. and most others have very lax ones.
The public should see the great evil which |
&c thus being contenanced, and should de- |
mand remedy that is adequate