The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-06
How 20 Treat Trazaps.
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how TO deal with the tramps. hardly
nv masses that we do not lear ri outrages |
cinnitted by some Of this roaniug mendi-
ant fraternity, who Seem to have become
mboldened By their Immunity from labor |
nd punishment. IN New Hampshire the
itizens, justly dissatisfied with the way IN
which the criD,.s of tramps are inpHa'sneo,
ave armed themselves for protection against
hem. Wien people not only put tnetI
money ip banks or other safe places, but DAY
rgeqr.antities OF firearms for fear OF tramps,
here 10 reason for thoughtful consideration
md action by the authorities. While az as
~ mption, BY private citizens, Of the province
If those whose duty it Is to execute the Jaws
Is ALWAYS to be deprecated, yet the faet tnat
ne,nle have been forced ~ protect tnem-
selves In this way is warning OF INC aeIects
of the legislative or executive mfcnlnery,
wbjch should be every where needed. Ex-
nerienca proyes that there is APPOINT at WHICH
Tho ;naden,racy Of criminal law Is sure to De
snnnjemented by the law of self'TeserVation.
IF as occurred few days ago In THIS neign'
horhood. stramps fire on peaceaDle cltfzens
nrenaratory TO pfuudering them, no one
wo,,ld COMPLAIN If these rufiiens'of the road
sbould he shet down by them intended VIC
tins. Aud although if the tramps skouid
subsequently be run down and captured 1t
wonld he desirable to have them punished
according to law, yet if they 60 free 1t is not
tn he wondered at that they should get rude
h,t substantia Justice in an unauthorized
way.
It is certainly high time that there should
no come definite and uniform system OF deal
ing with tramps in order to prevent both
city and country from being subject TO their
denreda,iops. Just now the rural districts
have 10 bear the iufiction Of these pests,
but a. soon as the warm weather IS over
thew will swarm 10 the cities and burden
orr station-bouses and public ana private
charities. From robbiDg farm.yards and
farm.bouses they will easily turn to doing
;obs in the sneak thief line 10 toWp, ano,
by the contagion of their presence ana eX-
annie do much to demoralIze the CON-
munity. II Is these impudeut impostors who
make it so bard for the really deserving
moor 10 have their claims allowed. Respect
able poverty aaturally saripks from tue con-
termination of these dirty, braZsn pretend
ers. who befoui everything they come IN
contact with. 1t is the tramps, lazy ana dis
soIute. who give TO station-houses whatever
evil reputation they may have for unclean'
ness and it is the tIamps whose disgusting
nresence at the places where soup IS u.s.
nenspd keeps away the neat and honest poor.
in every ASPECT of the question the tramp IS
q blot and eXcrescence on our social system !;
he not only produces nothing aud is burden
on the whole community, but Dis haoits anu
cxsmpc tend constantly to the increase OF
crime among that large class Of people who
are growing up without any fixed princl.
piles, and who naturally drift into what
seems to them the easiest mode Of making a
living.
There have been attempts to invest the
tramp with poetlcal interest, and we be-
Iieye Mr. Lowell has said some pretty things
about bis honest independence and manly
contempt tor routine ways. But the being
whom the poet had in mlnd-soDe molten
sive wanderer, whom love of nature led to
rowing life, and who repaid the kindness
done to him 10 the coinage of rough wit and
CHEEKY sympathy-is quite another person
from the modern tramp, the of.scour-
ing Of large towns or cites-an 1sh-
maiite with bis hand against every one,
and naturally bringing down every
mans hand against him. These are the
men who help to fill our Stare prisons and
who shrink from no crime which will help to
enable them TO live without working. There
is no danger OF confouDdlnS Inc tramp VINO
will not labor if be can help it with the hon.
est man who is out Of work; Tor the former
bears in his whole aspect the stamp OF the
vagahond. In Europe there are rigld laws
against these pests; they are made liable to
arrest and then obliged TO work out their
term of imprisonment, certain share of the
proceeds of their labor being given them as
stimulus to exertion on their discharge.
A similar system should be introduced
here, aud wherever food or shelter is given
to the able-bodied by city or town authorities
a consideration in work should be rlSldly
eyacted from them. This, in connection with
registration and surveillance of tramps,
with prompt punishment for their crimes,
would be an efficient meaus of doing away
with an evil which, in the present dizziness in
the labor market, is in danger Of assuming
alarming proportions unless speedily and
vigorously checked.