The Washington herald., 1908-03-09

stead OF sending them on 70 the next
come
Los Angeles, Cal, and Yuma, Ariz-. IN
a recent crusade against tramps. found
notices very helpful They put up post
ers which read: ''Hoboes. keep moving.
Rent is high and food is scarce Tax
payers viii not support you. Long sen
fences in the chain gang given here.
Sixty to ninety days our specially.
The most interesting writings on tramp
life in America are from the pens OF
Jack London and the late Josiah Flynt-"
Both men wrote from inside knowledge
F'lynt declared that the average hobo
likes good literature; that Dickens and
Thackeray are favorites with those who
frequent Cooper Union Library in the
winter For many years Bryan's First
Battle was a favorite piece Of literature
with them. and was most frequently dis
Cussed in their hanE-Out conferences
Some years ago two 1ramps were impris-
oned In a Michigan town for vagrancy
firing OF confinement, they decided to
toss a coin 20 determine whether they
should write a story or plan an escape.
Heads was to denote that they should
write a story. Heads won. The sheriff
weeks on that story. One of them said
that he squeezed MS brain until Il
was tired The story was finally con-
cluded. and the sheriff again came 10 the
rescue and gave money for postage In
due time a letter came back from the
New York publisher containing a check
for SO. The two paid their fines and got
out the same day. In a single twenty
four hours all evidence Of their literary
success had disappeared and they we're
riding a freight train TO a more hos
pitable climate
Another instance showing that the
tramp is not without literary tastes was
an experience Of Josiah Flynt's He
wrote an article for the Century on the
hobo. and got letters from tramps from
all over the country he says the best
criticism on his article came from a hobo
In Texas.
Perhaps the most interesting study Of
the tramp world is the freemasonry OF
the road. There are signs TO be seen here
and there. meaningless TO the ordinary
citizen, but full Of significance to the
tramp They tell OF a hostile town. or of
q friendly farm house, and other such
vital things, and no matter where a
tramp comes from, he does not fail 70
read them Alright
The average tramp has an aversion to
work that is really surprising. There is
in Philadelphia a Wayfarers' Lodge.
whose table is as good in its way as
Delmonico's and Sherry's are in theirs
Money is not needed 10 purchase the
comforts of this well-provided place. They
may be had for only few hours work
at saving wood. But the place is not at
all popular with the vagrant class. It is
the saving wood that makes 1t unpopular
as a stopping place The University of
Pennsylvania has been assisting in some
work in the study OF tramp life at the
Wayfarers' Lodge and elsewhere in PhiIa-
delPhia. One Of the things that is de-
sired in this connection is a census Of the
tramps Of the country.
II Is to be said that the great body Of
the tramp population is not truly criminal
The ''yeggman" constitute the really
criminal class OF the genus hobo Every
crime in the category has been committed
by them. their favorite work being the rob
bling OF railroad Offices and post-offices.
Recently the rObberies OF pOst-oflces
grew so serious that the Post-office De-
partment had to make friends with some
Of these ''yeggmen" and pay them hand
somely for information that would help
the government to bring the offenders 10
book Congress is not disposed TO look
favorably on the proposition TO pay these
people for information.
The tramp has many names. All Of
those in America are familiar, though
none OF them are synonymous 20 the In
ftated- IN England he is the sturdy
beggar." In France he Is the 'vaga-
bond" In Germany he is known as the
Seegrabentapirirer. But where
ever he is. he is a burden on society. and
indiscriminate giving Is said by all who
have studied the matter well. 70 be more
than any other one thing responsible for
his existence. He is afflicted with the
''wanderlust." He usually acquires Il in
youth. Child labor Is claimed by many
10 be responsible for the unconquerable
dislike for work with which thousands of
hobos are afflicted. They claim that the
endless grind Of their factory days has
made Migrants for life OF thousands
To-morrOW-COnKre OF MOfhera