Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1894-01-12
Good Roads and Tramps

lfuaturc and man were perfectly bal
anced in that one respect, the tramps
would take sufficient interest in The roads
of the country to make them better, AMI
there would DC no need of discussing the
advantages OF tramp Labor on roads. As
it is the tramp and the road have been
put together. and a legal plan evolved
which has at least given a governor
something to say i'll his message. In his
last annual message to the Maryland
legislature Governor Brown suggests a
plan for the construction and improve
ment of roads in that state, which, to
the extent that labor is available from
the source mentioned, could doubtless be
made practicable and help to the public
welfare i'll several ways. It is needless
to remark that he does not ask the pat
crnal aid of the general government in
this behalf His idea is to utilize the
Migrants and tramps, whose number is
largely increasing by accessions from
other states, and whose frequent acts OF
lawlessncss and intimidation have become
subjects of general complaint. The gov
crnor seems to fail to take into account
the fact that if the tramp is put to work
in MARYLAND the tramp will keep out OF
| MARYLAND. The only way to catch the
tramp would be to have all the states
adopt the same measures and thereby
surround the tramp by so great a chain
oflaws for good roads that he could not
escape. The governors ideas are good
however. Instead of quartering offend
erS of this class, as IS now done under
the statute, in the house of correction,
which is ALWAYS overcrowdcd and where
they have to be maintained at public cx.
pence in condition OF idleness, to which
they do not object, he would provide by
! legislative amendment, that their scr.
vices bc Conhscatcd. asst were, for the use
of the state Briefly stated his plan is
this
| HClS - d Slp"llS I'pulhl bNilhh''
for improved roads-a demand which is
fully justified upon economic and social
grounds. Therefore, desire to recon-.
mend measure by which tramps and
vagabon as defined by statute, may,
upon conviction, be sentenced in the
different counties tat the discretion Of the
court or the justice of the peace having
Ijursdiction) to labor upon the public
roads or village and town districts, un.
der the direction of the county commss
toner's, and while in the custody of the
shcriffs Of the counties. Such a law
pcnse involved in conveying convicted
trampS to the house of correction which
is now incurred, while the cost of the ad-
dtonal force of deputy shcritfs rcqustc
for guarding the convicts when at work
and in the county jails would be more
than covered by the value of the improv.
cd roads and the lesscning Of the road
tax. Provision may also be made that
those tramps and Migrants who are sent
to the house of correction from Baltimore
city should be turned over for the time OF
their sentence by the board of managers
to the commissioners of such counties as
make application for their labor"
BY this means the state would not
, only be relieved Of the cost Of supporting
large number of nlerdicants and vaga-
bonds, getting nothing in return, but be
enabled to inouguratc system Of road
improvements by whicE the entire com
, munity would be largely benefited. As
most of the tramps arc upakilled in any
special trades, their labor thus employed
would not compete with established in
dustrics, and instead Of being thrown
away and lost as it is under present cnn-
ditions, would yield substantial returns
to the public. The governors PROPOSE
ton is sensible and timely; and if the
proposed scheme were found to work
we'll i'll Maryland, in all probability it
would soon be adopted elsewhere Man