Daily Republican., 1883-08-29
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 70. Iss:
TrsmpS and At, eei Work.

or anywhere else, 81 hey should be put to
work, but here are great many diff
culties surrounding the question that
unfortunately are not taken into con-
sideration by those who think the Street
Commits Toner should just 60 to work
and put the tramps to work scrapine
streets and digging sand and water
trenches
In the first place these tramps are
lazy anyhow and will not work, or else
they never would have been tramps.
Bring out gang Of half a dozen OF
them and what will you do with them ?
Put them to work of course we think
we hear you say. That is very likely
what the most would say who have not
given the question proper thought Sup
pose they decline going to work what is
to be done? Starve them into work
would you? Where is your humanity?
Is there any law that authorizes the
Street Comm issioner to stand by with a
loaded cane or cato -nine tails to
make these men work? Suppose he
were to strike one of them with any
kind ola whip or implement of punish
ment, would he not be liable to be ar
rested and punished for assault and bat
terry ? " Horses can be led to the water
but they cannot be made to drink" is
an old and true saying.
Then again, suppose tlese tramps
when they are brought over from jail
should condescend to work, what would
naturally he the result? You put picks
and shovels into their hands and they
are set to work Numbers have been
thieves and are thieves still. Unless
the overseer in charge OF them kept
them closely in hand unless he stood
by them and watched every movement
he would soon find some tramps miss
ing, ard in all probability he would
find the picks and shoves with which
they worked, in some junk shop.
But there are other difficulties in the
way. They would have to be fed
They are tramps to be sure but nobody
for this reason would think of working
them without feeding them. Either
the city or county authorities would
have to open up some kind Of hoarl'
ing place for them to get their dinner,
The overseer would have to go with
their wherever they went. The
city, of course, would have to pay for
their board. But who is to bring them
from New Castle every morning after
ing before supper? The city or the
county? No matter who doe, il, it
will cost something, and it is a question
whether Sheriff Martin would, good
natured as he is, BE- willing to get up
every morning at five O'Clock and get
them their breakfasts, that they may
get to work against seven, and stay up
and work at night until nine O'Clock
that they may have their supper after
they return. We are inclined to think
the '5Aerit # won d want additional pay
for 50 much additional trouble
Then, again, who would undertake.
to hail these tra,nps TO and from New
Castle . We have some Stal war
hackmen and carriers, hnt W" doubt
very much whether they would care
about testing their strength alone and
i'll "A wagon in some lonely part of the
roa with Il half-dozeu able bod ie,l
'tramps' who might take notion to
direct the wagon in some other direc-
ton than to and from jail.
Clearly then these trampS every
morning and evenin. would have TO
be put in irons and transported to
and from the jail like calves for mar
ket
BIT the diitirGltir' are not all sum
med up yet, though we have norr'
enough to show the inpractlcablIlty o.
working trampS upon tie streets Oh
county roa Is without more law on
the su' ect and better arrangements
The greatest objection to employing
trampS upon the street would nat
urally.COmr from the present stree,
workers and their friends. Thr'
would have IT, take the place Of some.
body if they were pJt 10 work. The
Street Commits, >iourr would hay" n
need for 50 much al itional help to
what he has already rmrloych Clear
ly then If ' 'IanlF' were employer
the pre-"l trrre wol.d have TO retire
The city appropriation viii not prru.i
Of the e'np.uym".t' 1t an additional
force. Her" al Important question
arises. Who compose the urr-ru
street for,r" Look At them. viii
scraper, shovel, broom and hoe in hand
Old men, bat nevertheless respected
citizens, hum pba"ked stoop sh9uideI
ed and crooked with years Of manI
toll.
TIL So men have families to prpvd
for. Though they may not have bee,
80 fortunate in acquiring a good Twin
like others, yet they have been hon~s
and industrious, and perhaps b"""o,
they have been so is one reason the ar
not bet cr off. But says som body IT,,
men are not worth much, 'U"v cam.
dc mrch work. Let youn I"r men TAX
the broom and srraprr ia ha,a Az
work by their side day N and day o.
and see whether they do anything"r no
Il 4, la