Posted on 11/28/2015 3:57:04 PM PST by Jack Hydrazine
At the 1889 National Hobo Convention in St. Louis, a strict ethical code was established for all hobos to follow. Here are some tips we could all use, no matter what you carry in your rucksack.
1. YOU DO YOU.
"Decide your own life, don't let another person run or rule you."
2. SHOW SOME RESPECT.
"When in town, always respect the local law and officials, and try to be a gentleman at all times."
3. DON'T BE AN OPPORTUNIST.
"Don't take advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation, locals or other hobos."
4. GET A JOB.
"Always try to find work, even if temporary, and always seek out jobs nobody wants. By doing so you not only help a business along, but ensure employment should you return to that town again."
5. BE A SELF-STARTER.
"When no employment is available, make your own work by using your added talents at crafts."
6. SET A GOOD EXAMPLE.
"Do not allow yourself to become a stupid drunk and set a bad example for locals' treatment of other hobos."
7. BE MINDFUL OF OTHERS.
"When jungling in town, respect handouts, do not wear them out, another hobo will be coming along who will need them as badly, if not worse than you."
8. DON'T LITTER.
"Always respect nature, do not leave garbage where you are jungling."
9. LEND A HAND.
"If in a community jungle, always pitch in and help."
10. PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE.
"Try to stay clean, and boil up wherever possible."
11. BE COURTEOUS WHEN YOU'RE RIDING THE RAILS ...
"When traveling, ride your train respectfully, take no personal chances, cause no problems with the operating crew or host railroad, act like an extra crew member."
12. ... AND WHEN YOU'RE NOT.
"Do not cause problems in a train yard, another hobo will be coming along who will need passage through that yard."
13. HELP OUT THE KIDS.
"Help all runaway children, and try to induce them to return home."
14. SAME GOES FOR HOBOS.
"Help your fellow hobos whenever and wherever needed, you may need their help someday."
15. LEND YOUR VOICE.
"If present at a hobo court and you have testimony, give it. Whether for or against the accused, your voice counts!"
True. A great tune by Don McLean about this topic.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InxDB7PHykQ
Good story, thanks for sharing.
True. A great tune by Don McLean about this topic.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InxDB7PHykQ
Probably no worse than my cat’s breath.
In the recent movie “Wild” with Reece Witherspoon, this publication has a scene. She is hiking the Pacific Crest Trail and is resting along the side of the road. Guy pulls up in his car and stops. Identifies as a writer for the hobo times and gets her picture. She keeps telling him she’s not a hobo but keeps calling her one. Gives her a hobo care package a drives away.
My grandfather often used hobos to work around his store. There was always something to be painted, a mop to be swung, and so on. Not a whole lot different from a temp. They’d trade an afternoon’s work for money or dinner.
The smart ones worked for food. My grandmother was an incredible cook!!
A True “American Hobo”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aND3fydxwjw
“Furthur”.....
Red Skelton was Freddie the Freeloader so not sure what category he fit in.
I have a real hobo nickel given to me long ago by my grandfather ...... hopefully he didn’t think I was a bum .....:o)
I always told my kids “Big Rock Candy Mountain” was a democRAT song. It was part an parcel of the demcoRAT philosophy of utopia and freeloading. From the Cigarette Trees to the everything else....the singer didn’t earn any of it.
Beatnik’s were mere pop culture posers of 50’s liberal beat generation advant garde cool, pre-cursors to the filthy socialist bum hippies.
Both social curses were encouraged by ample KGB support on college campuses, media and arts.
We’re screwed now that beatnik and hippy social refuse run gov’t, education, media, and arts.
The USSR won just as Kruschev warned.
Certainly very different from the behavior of our modern urban outdoorsmen.
Anyone who watched Mad Men would know ‘The Hobo Code’ was a huge influence on Don Draper.
Perhaps, you have pronounced an obituary, a bit too soon. Let’s see...
A tv show, on an imaginary “real-ographic” ad-man, Donnie Draper? Whew... the reality, you decoded, can only be a “wonderful largeness of character,” by the phuckin’ Hollywood qwueer media. Good grief.
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