The record-union., 1893-02-01
Anti-Tramp Law Needed.

EDS. RECoRD-UNIoN: Among the
multitude of bills introduced at every
session of the Legislature l have yet to
see the first reference to anything like
tramp law. To anyone living in country
places each day brings evidence that this
State is sadly i'll need of some such a law
to protect the people, particularly farm
ers, against the army of tramps who
travel this State from one end to the
other through the winter season, seeking
what they may devour.
Some of the older States have tramp
laws, where man must earn what he
eats, and II is quite time California also
had some such law. Owing to our mild
climate this State is a paradise for
tramps, SO they multiply, wax lat and
saucy. They seem to have been unusually
numerous this winter. Sometimes as
many as a dozen a day have passed the
residence of the writer. Often there are
two, three, and sometimes four together.
1t seems hard and understandable to
refuse a man who comes to your door
and asks, "Can L have bite of some
thing to eat?" but to give to everyone
who asks would be equal to keeping a
free hotel; TO feed two or three in success
sion is torerunner of twice as many
more, for there is no doubt they have a
well-recognized system of signs by which
they know where to get meal.
The family of well-known citizen of
this county, who resides just outside the
city, is noted for its generous treatment
OF tramps, and man who has been work.
ing in the vicinity was heard to say that
he had heard Of the place when in Texas.
For every ten who tramp the road,
there may be one to whom it would be
true charity to give a meal. Occasion
ally notwithstanding man comes
along, who does not have the appearance
of regular tramp, but, as a rule, they
are a rough-looking, unwashed, I'M
kempt crew; and even when they have
the grace (Which very few of them do to
offer to do little work, they are nui-
sance.
Farmers, as a general thing, have
plenty Of help for all there is to do dur
ing the winter season, but if a man comes
along and does work enough to earn
meal, 1t seems no more than right to give
him warm one, which is great deal of
trouble, and beside there are but few
people who would like to admit into their
houses such rough-looking specimens of
humanity as the genus tramp generally
is.
But they are human beings, and though
they may work through the summer,
spending their money as fast as they earn
II, with not thong ht OF the winter, and
whether these poor, homeless vagabonds
are to blame for their condition or not, it
would seem that some provision might
be made-some place provided in each
county where tramps could be sent, and
for given amount of work could earn
meal and a little better shelter than
straW-sta
In Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, l
think it is, all Migrants and beggars are
put to work breaking stones On the roads,
and in the latter state when the weather
is too severe for outdoor work they are
set to cutting wood in a large cellar, and
they have to work to keep warm.
There is plenty of room for improve
ment in California roads, and tramps
might be made useful in that way. Some
thing will have to be done for farmers. in
order to protect themselves, will not
always feed trampS, nor allow them to
sleep i'll their barns, as in years past.
Not only should something be done to
dispose of the tramp nuisance, as it ex-
lists at the present time, but there ought
to be such stringent laws, and so strictly
enforced, as would tend TO discourage all
tramping in the future.
One move in the right direction would
be high, very high, liquor license
Those who are aspiring TO office at the
next city election might do well to con-
slider subject which would be such a
benefit to Sacramento County. Il will
venture to affirm there are but few tramps
in Suffer County, Here is also an op-
portunity for the new Supervisors to dis
tinguish themselves, and if the prohibit
tionists and those in favor of high license
would lay aside their little differences
and unite their forces against the COM
mon enemy, then might Sacramento
County obtain the one thing desirable-a
high license law.
Among the fruit ranchers along the
Costumes River it is not uncommon for
the white help to be unable to work on
Monday mornings, and presume there
are plenty of other places in the State
that could tell the same story. These are
the men who tramp and reYile those
who employ Chinese labor. Surely,
California does need a universal tramp
and high license law. Z. P. d.
Sacramento, January 80, 1898.