Glacier County Chief

NEW YORK.-One of this department's favorite monarchs has long been Jeff Davis, king of the hoboes of America, who now leads his following of nearly 1,000,000 in a plan to erect a national memorial Bard of Home to John Howard Payne, "author of 'Home, Sweet Home.'"

There is perhaps a bit of personal pride involved, as your correspondent helped establish the dynasty. That was many years ago, when a series of hobo stories in the Chicago Tribune elevated Dr. Ben Reitman to the kingship. Dr. Reitman, however, was a backslider, turning at first furtively and then brazenly, to regular work, went into politics in Chicago and became a cautious and solvent citizen, too fat to ride the rods.

I saw him last at the house of the late Jack London, in Sonoma county, Calif., and, if I remember correctly, Mr. London reproached him as one recreant to his ideals and in danger of succumbing to industry and ambition.

Until a few years ago, I used to get letters from the hoboes of America, on letter-heads like those of any national bank, carrying the names of the "jungle judges," "shacks" (organizers) and "track walkers" and "supreme knights of the road."

...understanding the organization over the lingering sovereignty of Dr. Reitman, but that is all cleared up now. Elected to the job for life, Mr. Davis

Mr. Davis, now fifty-three years old, has covered his first 1,000,000 miles on the road, and plans to start his second million on an organizing trip in Europe early this year.

His father, James Davis, who died in Cincinnati a year ago at the age of ninety, had been vaguely identified as a newspaper man.

Young Jeff, born in Cincinnati, started rambling when he was thirteen and now fetches up with a round forty years on the road. Bald and genial, working harder at the hobo trade than do most men on their regular jobs, he campaigns for better migrating and loafing conditions for his subjects.

He wants the railroads to establish a one-cent-a-mile rate for box car passengers. He says the plan has worked fine in France.