The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-01-26
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CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.
Bus they will go into manufacturing
All that is Just what we want; then we
will have employment for our idle hands;
then the excuse for loafiug will be removed
and the number of tramps reduced, then
life and activity viii take the place of
stagnation, and our towns now devoid of
enterprise. will initiate the good example
set them by our noble little neigh boring
State OF Delaware. All that we seek to
accomplish in this direction is to make
every man contribute towards the support
of government in proportion to his means,
by making the holder of mortgage pay
the tax on the amount secured by it, and
deduct the mortgage from the present as
sessed value of the farm, thereby relieving
the overburthened land owner to that ex-
tent. And such usury law as | advocate
will eifectually prevent all evasion. 1t
really seems as though court houses as we'll
as shaving shops have depressing effect
upon all enterprise, and are calculated to
produce blight upon all neighborhoods in
which they are located. Instance any viii
lage inflicted with such an incubus, and
you will perceive lack of thrift and pre-
poudeTance of idleneSs. Ore of the by
laws of our Grange is:
having recourse to law,-when no serious
loss will result from delay,-submit their
disputes to arbitration of three members
of the Order, one of whom shall be select
ed by each of the disputants, and the
other by the W. NJ, and, although not pos
itively required, yet it is earnestly recon-
mended that their decision shall be final"
We have few laws of more Importance
than this one, and | counsel all of our
members to give good heed thereto avoid
law as much as possible and, if your attor-
ney counsel litigation, reflect whether the
advice is not prompted more by desire to
divide with you your possession than to
save it from your adversary.
A considerable portion of the time of
our Legislature will also be occupied i'll
the consideration of another subject which
is of scarcely less Importance than the one
Just referred to, and no less difficult of solu
ton, and which is not entirely disconnected
Herewith, viz 1.-The tramp" One Of the
chief impedimeDts in the way of legslat-
ing ont of existence this tTespasser upon
our time, patience and charity, is the
utter impossiblity OF properly defining his
starus, and if our representatives succeed
in satisfying the popular demand in their
attempts at bis suppression they W i'll deserve
aud receive our thanks. For my own part
| fluid it difficult to draw line of distinc-
ton between what is denominated the
tramp and the loafer. 1t is not easy to
determine the exact point at which the
loafing ends and the trampiug begins.
The transition state iuStt.~bee --sameMllea .tt
similar to that e. the tadpole into the frog:
and, even-eonSdered in a state of perfect
deyeHpment, it is an open question which
l..
as well as a sad spectacle to see party of
loafers comfortably seated upon store box
cast looks ofeiisdain upon a passing tramp.
Whilst they may regard his condition as
SO UNNECESSARILY beneath their own as to
preclude comparison, others form differ
ent impression and discern in the situa-
ton difference only of degree and not of
kind. 1t is only within the last few years
that the tramp has risen to prominence
Although a g0ung man, | can well remem
Der the time when a visit from one of these
wanderers was an occasion of Joy and
merrimeut to the Juveniles in a household
and was regarded even with feelings of
complacency by the mater familias. But
what change. | never perceive now any
of the Joy or merriment, and very seldom
any complacency. Yet still in the appear
ance Of the tramp there is novelty that
interposes little relief, and there is room
for surmsing concerning his antecedents,
his present. intentions and future prospects.
But in the case of the persistent loaier we
have no such - food for fancy to run riot
on We behold the same vacant gaze,
the same listless attitude, the same APP
parent resignation to a life of inaction
and nOnentlty, the same disregaTded of
public opinion, all of which Indicate that
society is never to receive any benefit from
his eXlStance.
i would urge all Patrons to strive to inculCate
in our chiluren an aversion to ldleneSs. Teach
them that il is better to do almost any thing
than nothing. If the habit of loatiDg once gets
fixed it will be difficult TO shake off, and time
only adds to the difficulty. The worst of crimi-
mails do not become so bad all at once; there
must be a starting point, and as the speed of Il
falling body is constantly augmented, so is the
tendency to idenesS and vice (Which are al
most Synonymous constantly on the increase,
ana unless arrested in the earlier stages seldom
fails to end in utter degradation. Loating is gen
orally the forerunner and commencement OF
tramping. II there had been none of The former
there would be but iittle of the latter. Bat
there may be. and doubtless are. cases of per-
sons who are tramps from compulSion-hone>t,
deserving men who are willing to work. but
have been thrown out OF employment, and il
Is amongst this class that may be found men
who have suffered from the avarice of the
u>tIrer. They may have been reduces to pow
eriy by borrowing money at rates of interest
SO high as not to be justified by any legitimate
business. OF tiltlr tt may lltlN t
been ruined i'll the same way, and hence their
enforced ideneSS.
would like to present some views for your
cOnSid .ratiCn i'll regard to the law relating to
the protection of sheep. but have already tres
passed too long on your patience, and Will
merely remark that il is not so much any adj
ditiOnal legislation that we need rs an honest
enforcement OF the present law. Our officers
are extremely negligent and inefficient in this
regard, and make no attempt at even assessing
the dogs. In our own district not one-iourth
on the books. and doubt if the assessor
gives the matter IA thOught-t!oCS not even visit
the houses of our taxpayers.
will c.osc 10y cNpreSSln The satisfaction We
have experienced ut seeing many OF our
friends. and even if we are indebted for their
presence To the little unconscious bivalV,S ST i'll
We are glad to meet them, and my only excuse
for giving you such Il long harangu" is that
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