New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-28
IR1MPING DEFINED.

last week in Baltimore most respectfully pre-
sided over by the Hon. Montgomery Blair;
and very properly, the first question which it
undertook to settle was: What is a Framp2"
The conclusion arrived at was: "A tramp
sis person who wanders from place TO
"placc, having no permanent home, and
"lodges in barns, 0uthOuses or in the open
air, and has no visible means of support
"and begs for a living" To this might have
been added something about the tlamps pro-
Density to rob hen-rOOsts to set fire to
buildings, to steal rides on railways,
ami to frighten the women of house, when
the men happen to be absent. Each State, we
suppose, must take care OF itself; that Is all
which the Maryland Convention proposed TO
do, and it asked the Legislature to help it to
do this thoroughly. Laws are TO be petitiOned
for, by virtue of which tramps may be arrested
and imprisoned for a specified time at labor,
on the roads or other public works. A private
and particular house of correction for tramps
Is suggested with no more lodging of
these disreputable wanderers in jails and
alms-houses. District work houses are also to be
prayed for. The tramp, like any other pris
oner is to be instructed and reformed, if pos
slble. If he would eat, he must work, and so
pay for his diet. There is nothing very novel
in these suggestions. A vagabond at common
law is a quasi-criminal, and has been for cen
turtles. Local authorities have always had the
right to set him to work. The proposed legis-
lation in Maryland has already been adopted
in several States with results more or less salts
foctorv. That conventions like that in Baltimore
should be held that new and more stringent
laws should be demanded, only proves that
the evil has become intolerable, so that more
vorl,-houses, a larger cOnstabulary, severer
statutory provisions, are demanded. The nat
ural effect of this increased severity will be TO
drive the wanderers out Of Maryland, and into
some other State where they will be in less
danger of restraint. When all the States have
united in some common measures for the sup
preston of the NUISANCE, we may hope to see
it more nearly abated.
1t is questionable whether anything consid-
cradle can be done in the way of reforming
the finished and complete tramp. He is in
love with beggary. He has a well defined
passion for wandering, and shrinks from life
which is not squaldly nomadic. He loves no
labor except that of drawing one lazy leg al
ter another. He prefers to be full, but he is
accustomed to be empty. Anything resem-
bling n regular existence Is disasteful to
whatever soul he may have left He
is not ashamed of raggedness, and he
does not dislike dirt. He values the privilege of
crawling from town to town. Mendicancy is his
vocation, and he is as proud of 1t as he can
be of anything. Now we need not say that
this is difficult sort of character to deal with.
He has no self-respect left. There is little or
nothing in his nature to appeal to. He must
be put to work, and kept at work, for his food
and shelter and clothes. AS a rule, the con-
frmed tramp IS incOrrlgibe. The advantage
of treating him as IA criminal u.s. that it makes
his mmethodical method of life disreputable
and may thus keep the yet uncontaminated
from embracing 1t.
We have, from time to time, received letters
complaining that THE TRIBUNE has been I'M
kind and inordinatcly severe in its remarks
upon tramps. We haze been asked, not very
clyilly, if we had no pity for wcll-meanng un-
fortunate men who were wandering about III
search of employment. We have answered
that employment appeared to be the last thing
which these vagabonds desired. Moreover,
man is quite az likely to find something to
do by remaining steadily in ono place,
or within a limited area, as by walk
ing from Baltimore to NewYork and
then walking back again. The effect Of
this Grant existence upon those not already
spoiled, is disastrous-they get careless and
into bad company, and they contract habits
Of idleness which are soon confirmed. We do
not mean to say that the strict discipline pro-
posed might not, in some exceptional cases,
work hardship but no really deserving per-
son in this country will be in much danger of
injustice. Tramping, in itself, is such social