When hobos found a welcoming home in Southwest Nebraska

The onlyinyourstate.com website cited some history about Oxford, Neb., that is shared by many towns along the railroad and contrasts with today's conditions.

Once a division point for the old CB&Q Railroad, Oxford had a large roundhouse and, nearby, a high river bank that quickly became a "hobo haven" for men who were down on their luck.

According to the story cited by the website, hobos weren't simple bums or tramps, but hardy men willing to work when given the chance.

Hopping off railcars, they would use caverns in the river bank for shelter, washing their clothes and bathing in the Republican River before venturing forth in search of work.

In those days, the people of small towns like Oxford were willing to trade a meal, clothing or temporary shelter to transients willing to put in a few hours' work on a farm or shop in town.

A recent book about that same period reinforces the work ethic that existed in America during the early 20th century.

"The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown relates how team members overcame grinding poverty and abandonment to work their way to international glory through hard work and determination.

Alas, by the Depression years of the 1930s, many Americans were on the cusp of poverty themselves, and small towns became less welcoming and tolerant to transients.

Add to that fallout from LBJ's Great Society programs of the 1960s and the current entitlement atmosphere and we have reason to fear for the future of the U.S. economy.