Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-25

law WAS Designed 10 pIOVluc euCA TER
rors, in the way of good healthy work. for
our county jails as would induce the mem
bers of the tramp fraternity to seek other
fields. 1t was entitled "An act to
provide for the employment of per-
sons convicted of being tramps," and was
offered as amendment. to section ID, chapter
IS of the Revised Statutes defining the
powers and duties of county commissioners.
1t was made imperative upon such COM
missioners to provide sat the expense of
their several counties, unless county work
shops are therein established, some suitable
place, materials and implements for the
breaking of stone into suitable condition
for the building and repsiring of high
ways, ard shall cause all persons
1trampsl sentenced under the provisions of
section II of chapter 1928, to labor at bresk-
ing stone.' 1t was further provided by this
act that all tramps should be sentenced for
not less than sixty days, tina they should be
made to work at hard labor ten hours each
day, and, refusing to do this, shoull be
provided with no food, except bread and
water, until they should be willing to per.
form the required work. This was wise
law, and had its requirements been fol-
lowed the taxpayers of number of Maine
counties would not be burdened today with
the support of a large army of professional
dead beats. There is one defect in the law.
The sentence Of tramp should in no case
be less than 90 days, and it might be made
to extend pretty we'll through the summer
heats with, in the long run, gratifying re-
suits. Knox county has lived up TO the
spirit and the letter of this law with re.
suits that we stated to our readers in re-
cent issue. At last accounts there were
only two tramps in its Jail and they
were anxiousIy awaiting the opportunity to
leave it never to return again.
1t would probably amaze the taxpayers of
the State if they knew how few of the pro-
fessional buns that come to Maine to enjoy
life in its county jails during the winter sea-
son, are sentenced under the tramp
law" They are dealt with as Migrants
under section A. chapter al of the Revised
Statutes. which provides that "a municipal
or police court, or trial justice in his
county on complaint or oath, may commit
to said house for term not exceeding Mir-
ty days, all rogues, vagabonds and idle per-
sons, going about in any town in the coun-
ty begging" The italics are ours. 1t would
be interesting to great many taxpayers of
Maine to know why municipal judges and
trial justices prefer to sentence dead
beats as Migrants rather than as tramps.
Is it because such course in
creases their fees? There appears some
reason for believing so. Certainly
any intelligent man who does professional
tramp the kindness to sentence him as
vagrant. must know full well that he is do
ing him kindness at the ultimate expense
Of the county taxpayers. He is doing his
best to perpetuate and enlarge the evil that
all good citizens are anxious to remove.
Short Jail sentences are what tramps see in
their rosiest dreams of paradise. 1t i, to
the liberality of Maine judges and justices
in passing out these sixty day lid bits
that the alarming growth of the
tramp evil is most largely due. We
shall always believe that the State
prison is the proper place for profess
sional tramps. If it be found, impossible
however, as has been asserted, to secure
jury convictions in such cases, then let the
minimum sentence that judges and justices
can impose upon tramps be made ninety
days. and the stone shed requirements relig-
| iously lived up to.