The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-09
Nv EITRL ORDINARY DOCUMENT


Message About Tre"ps.
~ Al Baard, u PoHas Cor'n'"io"s,' ,,-,.
r. On. rsIen OF Elizabeth the highways
were filled with throngs OF the unemrloyeu
poor. who we're made to move on anu anu VIZ VIZ
sometimes brutally whipped. sometimes sum
marily hanged. rs sturdy Migrants ...
eibIs yneabonds." In France just previous 70
,ha sornInt,on. the punishment Of being poor
and out OF work was, for the first offence
term OF years in the galleys; for the seconu
orrence. the Rnlleys for life. In this country.
tho monopoly OF labor-savlng machinery ana
its devotion to selfish instead OF socIh use.
have rendered more and more human oelnss
superfluous, until we have standing army OF
the unemployed numbering even In the most
prosperous times not less than l.OOOVOO "p'e-
bodied men; yet. until recently II was inc pro.
vailng notion as 1t is yet the potion OF all put
the work people them selves and those OF other
classcs given to thinking. that whosoovcr'
being able bodied and willing TO work, can al
ways find work TO do; and section bil o. o., tn n
general statutes o; lSs%' qisg,TS e. been
our treatment OF the most unhappy OF our
human brothers --,,-t -
this legislation, clnssed with confidence
men. Under this statute and city ordinances
OF similar imrort thousands OF men. guilty OF
no crime but poverty. intent upon NO crime
but that OF seeking employment nave IAN
EMissSd IN tas iisy p III os rock pies
municipal slaves, because Ignorance Of eco
nomic conditions had made us cruel The ne
victims have been the poor and humble, Tor
whom police courts are courts OF last resort
they car not give bond aud appeal They have
been unheeded and uncared tor by the busy
world, which wastes no time visiting prisoners
in jails. They have been too poor TO ltlRnte
this underworld Of human woe has ever
reached the ear Of an Appellate Court, because
1t was nobody's busip sss to De MS brother
but those who sit in the seats Of power are
bound by the highest obligation to especia,y
regard the cause OF the oppressed and helpless
poor. The first duty OF government Is to tho
weak. Power becomes flendsh 4 It be not the
to whose complaints all other ears are dull! II
is my duty to see that the laws are faithfully
stitut onal provision that no instrumentality
OF the state shall deny TO any person WITHIN
Who ins sqqa 10 e Sa at
protection OF the laws does not prevail where
this inhuman yHgr,anCy s,ynd y enforce, sr
entiated rs those who are penniless and those
who are not, and declares the former Grim
inals. Only the latter are entitled to the liber-
ty guaranteed. by the Constitution. To bs
found in n city without visible means Of sup
Voluntary condition OF some millions at this
moment. and under the law we proceed to
which we, as people. have forced upon them.
! have noticed in police court reports that
Ia box Sr % H sso sne soms
Police Judges have usurped sovereign power
not permitted tho highest iuncttonaries OF tho
State or OF the nation. and victims Of Industrial
conditions have been peremptorily ordered TO
leave town"
The right to go freely from place to place in
search OF employment, or even Obedience to
mere whim il part OF that personal liberty
guaranteed by the Constitution OF the United
states to every human being on American soil
Even voluntary idleness Is not forbidden. IL n
Uiogenes prefer poverty; II a Columbus choose
than seek personal comfort by engaging In
some legitimate business" am aware OF no
power In the Legislature or In city Councils to
deny him the right to seek happiness In his
own way SO long as lie harms no other person.
II men commit offences. let them be ar
rested and punished. whether rich or poor. but
let simple poverty cease to be n crime
In some cities 1t is provided by ordinance
that II police court fines are not paid or Sc
cured the culprit shall he compelled to work
Out the amount as a municipal slave. and rock
piles and bull pens are provided for the en-
forcement OF these ordinances. And so 1t APP
pears that this slavery Ia not imposed as u
punishment. but solely as means Of collect
Ing debt.
Such city ordinances are in fragrant VIOLA
tion OF constitutional prohibitions The rock
pile and the bull rem should never have been
used in defrauding the friendless and poor.
Let those twin relics OF the departed auction
sas. And let the dawn Of Christmas Day find
the rock pile, the " bull pen" and the crime
OF heing homeless and poor obsolete In all the
cities OF Kansas governed by the Metropolitan
Police act.
II IL confidently expected that their own
human impulses will induce Police Com mis-
siuners to carry out tho spirit well as the
letter OF the foregoing suggestions
l. ID. LEwELLIN0, Governor