New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-11-18
crave and not till then win they get except from those
who wish 10 them as tools: ESskA'
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. IA, 1873
A PLEA FOR THE TRAMP.

n
KIND TREATMENT ALWAYS APPREcIATED-rHE PRO-
PORTION OF MEN REALLY SEEKING WORK LARGE
PROPER FOOD TO GIVE THEM.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: Who and what are Cramps" and how
shall we treat them TO be questions that trouble
some of your correspondents greatly Certainly wDoie
sale denunciaton TO be the mode IN taking OF
them aud some the given for their existence
in such numbers are unique If not philosophical Some
of the modes OF treatment suggested are more Nhdlce
than they are charitable The genuine tramps the In
yeterae footpads who meaDder tine lanes III SUMNER
and winter in county amslouscs form but small pro
portion OF the unhappy wanderers VINO nave Deeh
doomed by exactng circumstances TOT the past tnree
years 20 take road But few OF earths fortunate
ones lifted up their voices to demand justice Ior
these fororn Bound to by ties or race many OF
them by the superior OF educat and even refine
ment they are alas rebued in every quarter Legsia-
lures nave enacted harsh laws against them, county
commissioners have added TO the laws local DOgDerres
have executed them until the poor fellows may well cry
out: "What evil times have we fallen upon when II is
crime to be unfortunatcT
Now have these men "drffted down from the war
shftless and ncapable very few may have done 80,
but surely remember the triumphant tones of the jour-
nails ten years ago. boastg OF the quiet absorb
ton into the channels OF industry Of the huge human
material OF the late war Are the crimes laid indscrm-
natey their door the work of these unhappy wander
Villains ingratcf Certainly OF tDe noh
who under any circumstances would have been crimi-
nails. Have not the million Of unemployed
anxious, drifting in this community been most
patient under their CALLING BURDEN Are These
and unthnklng would lay their misfortunes upon
3" rum" Thousands Of them are perfectly sober men
In three years not drunken man TO my knowledge
has asked Tor relief at my door. Habltua drunkars
rarely wander they are incapable oil 50 dong tney
in the country between two roads and have the soeaed
tramps" to III by twos and tlrees 1t Is almost
sec drunk1rd The majority of them look piiiabe and
detected They Of all ages, from the young man Jist
attaining majority to the old and ay-headed Incy IN
varibly ask for food, seldom for money ana very sci
for shelter. They seem to understand their equiv
ocai position have known them TINS Summer 10 sleep
on the ground In the open fields In groups Lave
allowed thea to be Snubbcd and have made II o
faint. detected man is the least palatable OF morses
few baked apples little pudding with yegetaDl,s thar
ALWAYS usuflfu ia Che country with mk, tea. OF
coffee. according the time Of their calling is given
them Where marks Oh nare ee p IT,, ~, %
nlents with furnished them Never out once nave
known piece of food be east away, and never have
had AN article stolen. been thanked III te gra
cious terms that belong 10 gentleman ana WIN cue
youbiiity Of Irish peasant. Few have turned away
inGuircs as 10 nationality bave disclosed Germans
IrisLnen Trcnchmcn, SWISS, and Americans. For two
years the major part Of them have been Amerlcans
fDuudcry men, ilachnlsts, wofKcfs III sh .uS' 90
They are generally intelligent, have been soldiers some
of laem ignores snainoD, searching, everlasnsB
searching, Tor WORK. one had walked RON fitIs-
burgh Baltimore, IRON thence 10 Tue IIoh
fouiIderies OF Virginia, back to Wilmington, Del
aware ana was on the way 10 BaldWlns
In Philadelphia when he stopped 10 ask for food lie
was Ia handsome and looked every men man though
Ills coat was IN rags. Wnen cOmmSerated with uron s
condition, hc answered, When remember IN. misery
saw among innocent women and children III virginia,
count IN, self Fortunate He had been solder ana ad
visited his Old battncids in his tramplngs, but certainly
had not lost ms humanity. =" Madln,' ne sald on ue-
partug sin the hast three months have walked over
1000 miles trying To get work, For weeks my money
mas been gone forcing me 10 sleep III founderies anu
workshops for tie have always tried To snow me
chance. have had to beg my food day aitef Day Out
YOU are the FIRST VINO has treated me as
man and a human being" My face burned with
shame for my sex. | know that many women,
thrJJgh foolish fear, drive them away with denial,
Tut the woman who cannot, with q Mite pans,
eurn 10 lei. A Tucraiy honest from a villain needs
car-iker herself and she who deliberately refuses
hcp through contempt ~ IN worse moral cohutloh
Than be VINO Reluctantly asks for IL. j.
PhiaieLphtd, Nov. -, 1876.