Another element of this problem, seldom considered, is described also in this folder--the vagrants, who constitute a large and growing class deserving the attention of both city and citizen. "Three classes of persons, who add little to the general circulation, while detracting much from the tone of the business and working a real injury to themselves, are engaged in selling newspapers; these are the small boy, the semi-vagrant boy, and the young girl. The business of selling newspapers in Chicago is so systematized that the 'vagrant' cannot prosper, and yet the 'vagrant' is in our midst. He can be found on State Street at 11 o'clock on a Saturday night with one newspaper under his arm--not attempting to sell it, but using it as a bait to beg from the passers-by. He can be found in the _American_ news alley, sometimes fifty, sometimes a hundred strong, sleeping on bags, under boxes, or on the floor of the newspaper restaurant. With this boy, and with all those who are obviously too young to be permitted to engage in street trading, it is our duty to deal if we are to preserve the attitude the American city takes toward the dependent child." NATIONALITIES OF BOSTON CHILD STREET TRADERS ====================================+======+========== PLACE OF BIRTH |NUMBER|PERCENTAGE ------------------------------------+------+---------- { Boston 1,556 | | America { Elsewhere in Mass. 171 | 1860 | 70. { Other states 133 | | Russia | 473 | 17.5 Italy | 161 | 6. Other foreign countries | 162 | 6. Not given | 8 | .5 |----- | ------ | 2664 | 100.0 ====================================+======+========== _Boston_ In Boston, during the year 1910, there were issued to newsboys, peddlers and bootblacks from eleven to thirteen years of age inclusive, 2664 licenses. Of these nearly all (2525) were issued to newsboys, while 114 were issued to bootblacks and 25 to peddlers. Of these license holders 904 were eleven years old, 900 were twelve years old, and 860 were thirteen years old. It is interesting to note that nearly three fourths of these children were born in the United States; the table on page 33 shows their distribution among nationalities. _New York City_