Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-12-21
Tranps.

A State convention, called by the prison
ers' Aid Society" of Baltimore, to consider and
agree upon the best practical method OF rlddloe
the State of the many tramps and VagabondS
in the various counties and cities. assembled 10
that city yesterday. About one hundred dele
gates, consisting Of many prominent and inHu'
entail gentlemen, we're present. Hon. Mont
gomery Blair was chosen president. The con-
vention will also consider the Jail and aims
house system Of the State, and will be 10 ses-
sion two days.
Among the speakers yesterday was DR.. e..
w. Chancellor, formerly OF this city, who took
the view that the tramp nuisance was the OFT
spring of idleness and dissoluto habits Tramps
are DOT recent institution, but have been
moving over the world for all time-wanderlDg
mendicants existed under the theocracy Of the
Jews; Persia, Babylon and ancient Rome we're
all troubled with them. 10 Egypt they were put
to death if they perslstently refused to work,
and it is probable that the Egyptian pyramids
are the work of such men forced to labor. The
modern tramp is professional Vagraut, has q
regular beat 10 summer, and spends his winters
10 the most comfortable jals and almshouses
be can fnd. The severity exercised against
them 10 the Northern States has driven them
South, and they are remarkable for their un-
The worthy poor should be provided with
work at fair wages, but another class is tramp.
ing the country, migratory depredators aud
vagabonds, declining work, and upon them tho
depressing hand of the law should be laid. Ia
the first place, warehouses should be established
10 connection with district almshouses, where
tramps can be forced to work. Those who re-
fuse to work should be summary punished.
10 the second place, an efficient police force
should be established A police force for the
whole State, we'll appointed and we'll trained,
would promote feeling of security, free the
country from vagrancy, protect the iaborer, and
prevent riotous disturbances of the peace.
Mr. Francis Miller, also formerly Of Alex
andria, suggested some difficulty in compelling
tramps to labor on the public roads in all por.
tons of county, and of securing them at night.
He thought law could be passed providing
for their being put to work 10 the discretion OF
the courts as to the kind of labor He did not
believe the General Government was RESPONSE
Bile for the evil. The action of no government
could produce such result. We are living
under a false system. 1t is the old question
underlying capital and labor. 10 which some
where or other there was somstbiog wrong. a
statement made by MIR. Blair that the wealth
of one man 10 California was equal to the labor
yf 10000 men proved this to be true, and until
this problem is solved we will have strikes and
tramps. There should be some way to in
crease the wages of the laboring man and to
cut down the rich mans profits. How to
remedy these underlying evils be could not
tell. He did not believe with other law
yers that personal liberty would be cndau-
gered by the passage Of laws to suppress the
tramp evil. The great question is to protect the
advocated smaller political subdivisions of the
counties, so that We might have better local
self government.