The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-11-22
WINTER PLANS.

WINTER PLANS.
Those of us who live IN what is the
country, compared to the great metro
politan towns of New York and Chi
cago, can hardly realize what the COM
ing on of winter means to thousands
and thousands of fellow creatures.
Now is the time of year when the ho-
DO, that curious product Of society,
does his best to be arrested and be
given lots of time so as to pass the
winter months in comfort 1t is true
that by applying to the proper author
tiles he might be given place to sleep
and work for his board in one of those
asylums for the poor which have late
1y sprung up. But the "Bo' wants
none of this. There are too many
questions asked; the work is hard; and
there are too many baths and neces-
sary Accomplishments OF things right
even smash windows and bum din
ner OF a restaurant with impunity at
this time of year for the police are
wary about finding winter nest for
the tramp.
Those of the upper classes of the
proletariat are still hanging around
the bulletin boards of the great met
ropolitan papers with that look Of de-
SPAR which is only a preliminary to
crime and worse. The writer not long
ago saw thousands of such men in
languid hopeless attitudes waiting for
the afternoon edition of great paper
In Chicago. These were men who
were about down and out. Most of
them were Of the type which is becom-
Ing more and more prevalent in this
country. They are city bred men who
had learned to do only one thing and
who, lacking employment in that one
specially, are utterly incapable of do
ing anything else to support them
selves.
Then, there are those who are used
to the life in the cities and who can
subsist very comfortably on a few
cents day. Indeed five cents will go
q very long way toward keeping man
alive in great city and, provided he
knows the ropes, he can sleep comfort
able in the packing cases back of bus
iness establishments. Those who
have decried the saloon in the large
city, are doubtless right, but they fail
to realize that the saloon as run for
the Submerged fifth" in the cities,
ing a large mug of beer, which Is not
to be despised. In the absence of any
other place where equal facilities for
comfort and social life. which is not
condescending and cherries. it is
the most popular place in the squalid
life Of these people. Here it is indeed
that the first news of work comes to
the ear that has been strained to hear
that word. The cheap saloon is as
full of news to the underworld as are
the bazaars of the orient Long be.
fore any of the benevolent employment
bureaus have news of good thing
these nerve centers have the news and
eager men who do care to work are on
the spot. OF course the "Bo" sleeps
on. He is past working. -.a
And thus it is that just at the begin
ming of winter the city-that is. the
real city, begins to lay its plans for the
on coming season when sleeping in the
open will be source of discomfort
and the snow and rain will beat in
through tattered garments.
The hollow-eyed men are still stand.
ing hopelessly at the newspaper bull
aetin boards incapable of doing work
If they could get it. The Underworld
Is making its winter plans in much
: the same way that the Upperworld is
planning a season in Palm Beach or
other winter resorts.
And we in the country and the coun-
try towns are beginning to think OF
those two great festivals of American
life. Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Let us give thanks.
II Is not pretty picture is it?