The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1893-12-09
rlsn TRAMP QUESTION.


Ing with vnErpncy.
Two Eopgfnrrs haY- reeeatiy made
very strong pleas for the tramp, and en-
| tered a protest against the State and mus
nicipal laws winch declare mGn out
Of work Or OH Of money criminal.
when tTexas was invaded by an army
Of unemployed vorlzingmen from the Pa
elite slope, aia nssgcAl 4D-sAoglAes AZ
San Antonio and elsewhere besanf arreskl
ing them and locking them up as tramps,
1oytriler 55tE ,utsTgensd sath q veto,
whetaln he declared that he nad yet to
learn tiat It wes came 70 be out OK
employment or to so to another city to
look for It.
Governor LewellIng has followed closely
IN MS brother executives footsteps, lco-
ing perhaps a little further IN HIS defense
o. the so-called tramp, in circdlAr which
he has addressed TO the boards OF police
commissioners throughout Kansas. These
boards, like the local authorities in Texas,
nave Deen arresting ali persons without
money OF work as traIips or dang rops
ana suspicious characters Like Co ernor
ftoRs, Governor Lewelling interyenes to
protest against this course, and to Say
a WORT NJ IAser OF tne screamed tramps.
he protestS agAinpt the 4mprisonnent
OF men cut OF work as criminals. IL is
publishing them for being Victims OF con-
aitiens Tor which they are n no wise
Responsible. Ae does not think that
Hsl9epiug In q box car IL a heinous Of
Tense, as the police claim; nor that Il IS q
crime 10 so from place to place In search
OF employment, and laws und cgliuances
IKE our famous 50i6 he considers not only
an Outrage but q Migrant vioi2tlon OF the
constitution, which does not permit im-
priAontnent because OF poverty.
While there " much truth in what
both Governors Hogs and Lewcilng say
on this subject. they do not 30 TO the
bottom oi the tramp nuisance. Even ~
IL Is admitted Chat there ought not TO he
Interference With those Gus Of employ
mont and wandering from place to place,
1t must be recognized mat the protes.
sional tramp II dgugerrus He viii not
work and Is therefore a burden on the
community. lie IS more frequently than
not, "A crlmlnsl-that is. awaiting favora-
bic opportuntty 70 commit > crime. HIS
yctims are dcfenfeiess perEonet and he
keeps the country threngh which he tray
els ia state OF terror. His connection
with crime Is clearly proved by the TACT
that a tramp Invasion INTO any city Is
always and IT once followed BY a great
increase in the number 81 crimes, al Tor
inBtauce. at New Orleans during the win
ter, when so many tiHmps come mere.
As long az these conditions prevail, II
Is impossible % expect the iOoal Ruihori-
Ties 10 look a. the tramp questlun 10 cz-
sctiy the same light AZ the governors Of
Kansas and Texas. 4 IL abseluteiy necas-
undesirable element. or at least 20 have
some control oyer OF hold on n. II Is here
that the diificDlty presents itself-to dis
unguish between the deserving ard urde-
ser1irf. aud the police and local aufhori-
tics seldom 10 this, Al nioneyiess men Az
tranpa IL their eyes, tneretcre crminnAi
and therefore to Re arrested While this
rule generally works wen IN ordinary
years q IS complete fHllufe IN q period
uf depress sion Ike the present, when 80
many factories have shnt down and 10
mnny persons are thrown cut Of employ
neiit
4,ae consequence has been innumerahie
mistakes inlslaises which heva called
forth protests ayninst The acton d tirr
police frem tho Young Men & Christian az
Sopisficn 81 ms city and from the gov
urnnfB o. ct least TWO Statcs. III n quite
evident chat tie old system will mot do
~ times like the present and even In or
binary eeaSon4 : ~ more or less cruel
and un1uHt n the authorities couid dis
tinsuish between the genuine tranp. al
wAys Ole senerally q crlininpl and the
man out pl employment and searching
fer work the difficulty wdnld De largetv
oYcrcnr1e. The tramp and the warrant
ordinances ccild then he oyerhhnled ara
mn1e less severe ana far reaching we
hafe iilfea with the tramp question TOO
innF aed me consequence Is that ti1f
Evil has only grown wnrse The nrcsenf
year, which hes brought such a large in-
crcHeq % the iinemplpyed class, has proved
lhla Hnt fhe ne ,ssity Of our taking some
action. As pceeble 10 greatly reduce
The number Of trur7rs but this II nol
IKE HoiG