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15 Rules From the Hobo Ethical Code of 1889
Mental Floss ^ | 14SEP2015 | Staff Writer

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!"


TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: hobos
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

True. A great tune by Don McLean about this topic.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InxDB7PHykQ


61 posted on 11/28/2015 5:31:19 PM PST by Fungi
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To: Paladin2; trisham

Vanishing American Hobo, by Jack Kerouac

http://www.hermitary.com/lore/kerouac.html


62 posted on 11/28/2015 5:31:38 PM PST by ifinnegan
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To: Mr Rogers

Good story, thanks for sharing.


63 posted on 11/28/2015 5:32:58 PM PST by Rusty0604
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To: Smokin' Joe

True. A great tune by Don McLean about this topic.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InxDB7PHykQ


64 posted on 11/28/2015 5:34:06 PM PST by Fungi
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To: ETL

Probably no worse than my cat’s breath.


65 posted on 11/28/2015 5:39:12 PM PST by windcliff
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To: outofsalt

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.


66 posted on 11/28/2015 5:44:30 PM PST by Newtoidaho (Sprinkles are for winners.)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

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!!


67 posted on 11/28/2015 5:46:21 PM PST by wbill
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To: wbill

A True “American Hobo”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aND3fydxwjw


68 posted on 11/28/2015 5:52:55 PM PST by Jack Hydrazine (Pubbies = national collectivists; Dems = international collectivists; We need a second party!)
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To: Jack Hydrazine
Boxcar Willie: Freight Train Heart (CD) – jpc

Boxcar Willie, Boxcar Willie, UK, Deleted, vinyl LP album (LP record ...

69 posted on 11/28/2015 5:55:03 PM PST by ETL (Ted Cruz 2016!! -- For a better, safer America)
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To: ifinnegan

“Furthur”.....


70 posted on 11/28/2015 6:06:04 PM PST by Paladin2 (my non-desktop devices are no longer allowed to try to fix speling and punctuation, nor my gran-mah.)
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To: JoeProBono

Red Skelton was Freddie the Freeloader so not sure what category he fit in.


71 posted on 11/28/2015 6:41:40 PM PST by luvbach1 (We are finished. It will just take a while before everyone realizes it.)
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To: Tijeras_Slim

I have a real hobo nickel given to me long ago by my grandfather ...... hopefully he didn’t think I was a bum .....:o)


72 posted on 11/28/2015 6:44:10 PM PST by Squantos ( Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet ...)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

73 posted on 11/28/2015 6:45:08 PM PST by Carpe Cerevisi
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To: Jack Hydrazine

http://www.hobonickels.org


74 posted on 11/28/2015 6:56:16 PM PST by Squantos ( Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet ...)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

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.


75 posted on 11/28/2015 6:58:12 PM PST by Ouderkirk (To the left, everything must evidence that this or that strand of leftist theory is true)
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To: trisham

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.


76 posted on 11/28/2015 7:02:31 PM PST by MarchonDC09122009 (When is our next march on DC? When have we had enough?)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

Certainly very different from the behavior of our modern urban outdoorsmen.


77 posted on 11/28/2015 7:05:25 PM PST by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

Anyone who watched Mad Men would know ‘The Hobo Code’ was a huge influence on Don Draper.


78 posted on 11/28/2015 7:07:06 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: MarchonDC09122009

Perhaps, you have pronounced an obituary, a bit too soon. Let’s see...


79 posted on 11/28/2015 7:07:20 PM PST by RedHeeler
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To: dfwgator

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.


80 posted on 11/28/2015 7:17:57 PM PST by RedHeeler
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