The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-02-01
BEGGING.
The Tramp Nuisance Should
be Abated.
SCOUTS" IMPRESSIONS
The Business of Soliciting Aims
= Should be Suppressed by
Law.
For the SUNDAY HERALD. {

For the SUNDAY HERALD.f
One of the many conundrums daily
presenting itself is the abolition OF the
mendicant system SO extensively prac-
tised the world over. 1t must be pro-
fession, only to be acquired by the ex-
tremely indolent. Tramps, or those
strolling tourists, as some choose to call
them, are dependent strictly on their
wits for a subsistence They can be
found lettering around our cities, some
decently clad, whilst an overwhelming
majority are in tatters. From house to
house they ply their vocation, always
with the 80 Beg pardon, have not had a
bite to eat for days" and if the lady of
the house refuses, then they begin ma
ligning her-some extort money, clothes
and food by threats. They ride
from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
in empty freight cars, some of the more
passenger coaches and many under
meath on the car trucks. We once heard
of party of these lazy fellows, to whom
work of any character is burdensome,
discuss the situation. One said such a
town or city was good to live in, whilst
all concurred that persistency would
cloth and feed them wherever they may
roam. Frequent thefts of a. petty char
acter can be traced to tramp, whilst
not few fires originated through their
carelessness. This class cannot be
strictly denominated professional
beggaTs. 1t may be now and then, some
good, onestfellow has been compelled
to tramp and beg. but those instances
are rare. In many of our principal
cities, notably those on the seaboard,
are rendezvous for these people. At
these low boarding houses are they
taught the art OF begging.
Last fall we read an article on this
subject which induces the present short
communication. From saloon TO saloon,
restaurant to restaurant house TO house,
these people wend their way and some
have acquired wealth thereby. In New
York City there is a society which looks
after the deserving poor, and only a
small per cent. is found of that
class. Every State should pass laws to
meet this system, which, if the press
reports be correct, is growing to quite
an alarming extent, New Orleans is
now the objective point for the rowing,
begging Fl aternity. 1t is not at all i'm
probable, but that much pillaging is 60
ing on there just now and that the half
clad beggar of day time is the daring
burglar of the night. Let farms and
other places be fitted up for their
reception, and make them earn their
clothes and food, until they are satisfied
to quit their vagabond ways.
During the summer months, the
north and south suffer; whilst winter
compels these knights of the buster to
seek warmer chimes. The professions
are all to be found among them, They
count as members of their order,
physicians, lawyers, printers, clerks,
machinists, eX-merchants, and such.
They care not to soil their hands and
turn up their noses at honest labor.
When Texas was on boom, in an emf
grafton point of view, a tramp boom
was notable also. We have no doubt
were one of them to give his history
since he left his home, it would be very
romantic. If we cross the Pond, u
what find we. in Merrie .Englande ~?
We have resided there and have wit
messed the doings of the clan in that
country. You may be on your way to
your place of business, when you are
accosted and you are subjected to a
most pitiable story, if you pay the least
to pay for lodging. That
tale is told many times during the
evening and is most profitable or
at least seemingly so, for at one time we
saw as much as four shillings given
at public house. They sing, dance and
give Rotations, complain of no work
and all generally, having a trade, i'm
pose upon their more. fortunate trades.
men. A law in England to rid the peo-
pie of this nuisance, is enforced to the
letter. If they are caught asking aims
by an officer, they are duly arraigned
and if proven guilty are always sen
fenced some to two, three and six
months hard labor. So to evade the
law they get out huekster license fol-
five or ten shillings and then beg tc
their hearts content. If thus appre.
hended, they claim they were selling
some wares and produce a license. One
time fellow approached us there anC
tried to sell a few religious tracts. He
said he was in straitened circumstances
S etc.Itwas anewdodge in the begging line
] Not alone is England thus infected, bu
! gay PARIS, nay entire France IS swarm
!. ing with them; whilst every country
mas luOIc t1dl llS snare. Iucy dGII1Dul'
e to great extent their downfall t.
!, drink, yet they will sell their clothe
4 aud go half naked, rather than qui
e that debasing habit The Blue Ribbon
t movement and Young Mems Christian
Associations in England are doing nobf
work for those drunken beggars
! Through this good influence many ar
: reclaimed, yet vast majority are not
One of the most effective ruses we eve
heard of was played on friend of ours
!. man OF wealth and a pure, goo
. Christian. He took in to meeting Q
q the Christian Association, a ragge
: man; he talked of his future-the ma
promised reform. He was provide
with clothes and means to live fo
e a while until work could be had for hin
Thus fitted out, no more was ever see
OF him. They play the penitent on a
the religlously inclined, more especial
st to members of the Salvation Arm!
and nearly always with degree of SUI
cess. Let something be speedily don
to put quietus on this movement.
IS detrimental to progress, and man
has been the deserving man or Woma