The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-08-11
STRETCHING A POINT,
The yagrant Law ana the Manner OF
It's Enforcement by The
Police Force.

The effort now beng made by the
municipal authorities to rid the city of
certain disreputable characters will
have the hearty endorsement OF every
good citizen. That Dallas is no longer
to be harb0r Of refuge Tor loaIers Is Il
comfortable thought, and II the police
force succeeds III The cndeayor TO make
these members OF the dangerous classes
"show up" 40 one whose opin-
ion IL worth II snuff will
be found to say that the work was not
worth the time spent upon ii. But IL
would DO well in this, rs in all things
else, to follow the mode prescribed by
law. The end can he accomplished
just MS soon, and more thoroughly, by
II legitimate procedure than by IL cru
SADIE, the moving sentiment of which
is personal spite and prejudice. The
ordinance Geclaring who shall be
considered Migrants, while some
what lame, is sufficient for the
evil, and only requires le-
gal construction and enforcement to
do all that isnecessary in the promises
A man may 'loat" may loiter about
the streets, may frequent saloons, may
patrouize variety shows, may even in
dulge in n free lunch, aud yet do all
these with money honestly and hardly
earned, and without violation of any
law. A mechanic may work year,
save the proceeds of his labor, and, if
he please, devote the next six months
II his money last 50 long-to taking
his ease in his inn or, happy, his COM
fort in beer shop. Yet, while spend
ing this money honestly earned and
committing no olen5e known to the
statutes, he can DO arrested and fined
rs q vagrant, according TO the Ordi-
nances of this city. The asses
ment Off fine against yagrant serves
no good end, for Migrants proper are
not going about paying fines. If he
have money, he is not yagrant. III
he stole that money, he is thief IL
he won it at play, he is gam bier; if
he obtained it in any Illegal manner,
the law provides punishment for tho
crime, but does not commence the trial
by calling him yagrant. A case in
point: Monday morning man
was arraigned before the Mayor,
charged with vagrancy. 1t was put
in evidence by the city that he spent
his time lettering about Main street
that some Of his acquaintances were
disrcputable characters that he had
no visible means of support
in fact, that he was "tough
citizen" The defendant proved
that he had a clearinghouse; u party
appeared In the court and swore that the
defendant would not become u charge
upon public charity; that he would be
supported until he could obtain work.
Defendant proved that he had worked
wherever he could find work to do--in
fact, that he was no vagrant, according
to the correct definition of the word.
Yet he was fined five dollars and costs.
While the man may be amenable To Che
charge of being an dangerous and sus-
picious character" (Which we do not
undertake to dispute) and one whose
presence the city were well rid of, vet
he could hardly be called vagrant.
The law MS 1t goes against fakirs, bun
ko-ropers, confidence men, and sharp
ers of whatever degree, is well enough.
but for the cake of Noah Webster's
revcred memory, do not call safe
blower, or Il garroter, or a three-card
monte dealer, II vagrant. Watch fell
lows of this kidney closely, and when
they violate the law make them pay the
penalty, but keep the law in view. A
violation of the statutes IL no more to
be excused in magistrate than In
sneak,thief.
=
District Criminal Court.