The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-09-02
THE TRAMP QUESTION.
An Attempt to Ansiyse II from q socio-
logical Standpoint

and abroad, are studying the tramp
problem. One OF the latest writer's
on the subject Is Professor ]. j. Nc
Cook, who has flooded the country
with circulars and accumulated
mass OF statistics that will be OF
value when the next Legislature un-
dertakes 10 control tramps. From
the Professors Investigations ii ap-
pears that there are As, s45 men in
this country east OF the Rocky Mount
aims who are professional tramps,
have no regular calling or resting
place, and live as they may without
work. or these $4,000, eleven
twelfths are under so; tlve-sixths are
In perfect health; nine-tenths can
read and write; and three -flfths have
learned a trade requiring skill IL
may thus be said that the tramp, as
rule is perfectly able to support
himself, and resorts TO vagabondage
from choice.
How these tramps became tramps
Is a question which was not easily
answered. 1t appeared that sixty-two
Per cent. Of the whole led intemper-
ate lives; which would account for a
considerable portion Of the whole.
or the aggregate, sixty-nine per
cent had been in hospitals. When
they were discharged, they were gen
orally without resources, and IL the
weather was fine, some OF them would
naturally become trampS According
to their own account, eighty-two per
cent took 70 the road and stayed on
IL, because they were out of work and
money This statement does not
quite harmonic with the notorious
fact that tramps will not work, ex-
cept for meal when they are hun
gry, but 1t Is explained by the. work
ing of Iabor-unionS In most cities
tramps are supplied with lodgings at
the station houses, but the captains
and sergeants In charge report that
they hardly ever knew tramp TO ac-
cept steady job Of work. A rowing
! disposition Is common to all.
A large proportion OF those who
become regular tramps were once me-
chanics and had steady jobs. They
were ordered out on strike by some
union, and the strik shutting them
out from regular d ployment, they
took the opportunit or seeing the
country" When ltrike throws o
few thousand men 1T OF work, the
union can do no mo- than look after
the married men; ngle men must
look out for them ives They are
forbidden by their union to seek the
only work they can get; no wonder
they become travellers and wander.
ers. Their lot Is not, after all, so
very arduous. They can get shelter
in staton-houses, alms-houses, mis-
sion-houses; In box-cars, barns aboard
ships; In mills or outhouses; and, IL
the worst comes TO the worst, they
can camp 'out under the lee Of fence.
They must be in hard luck II they
can not pick up a meal or two in the
course of days peregrinations They
are careful not TO overhead their
blood by long Journeys; few miles
a day is as much as they reckon to
cover, and this is rather agreeable
than Otherwise gentle walk assists
digestion and promotes health. On
their walk they have an eye to what
Coquelin called lie Cdsuel; portable
property, especially II 1t be salable or
take the shape Of clothes, always
handy. But to the genuine tramp,
the proceeds of theft are by-product
Of his industry.
Looking at the tramp nuisance
from the standpoint OF society at
large, II costs Just what the tramps
consume plus what As. 900 men would
have produced II they had been en-
gagged In active industry. Professor
McCook estimates the total amount
at something under ten millions a
year. AS his researches do not seem
to have extended to this coast, we
may assume that fhis basis of calcu-
lation is accurate, the real cost Of the
tramps to the country Is over ten
millions year. This Is smaller
sum than the country loses by strikes
In six years according TO the United
States Department OF Labor, labor
strikes cost sos, 544, ,391, OF which
s64, 379,47 was borne by labor and
s34, 1o4, Ola by capital; that is TO say,
an average OF sl6, 425, 085 per annum
say six millions more per year than
the outlay which is chargeable TO the
tramp nuisance. or course the labor
unions will claim that they went TO
this expense for the maintenance OF
wages while the tramps have no Off
set against their cost. The walking
delegates are entitled to the benefit
Of their contention, such as II is. In
cases like the Homestead strike, IL
does not amount TO much. That
enterprise costs directly something
over $3.50, 900, and, so far from help
ing wages, it completely broke down
the union of the Amalgamated Steel
and IRON Workers But that Is an
other story.