The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-01-15
Ano.her yyoman's Views.

discussed as the tramp situation since
the symposiuin1 were admitted III your
valuable columns. which reveals the
fact that we have "climats for opin-
ions," as we'll as for tramps. began
the study OF this increasing nomadic
population in our republic II the winter
of 1856 while detained In MISSOURI
during the railroad strike. Since then
have personally interviewed hundreds
and conclude, thas W hie few sre born
tramps more achieve trsmpdom, and
many more havs it thrust 1pon them.
From whatever cause, whsthe: from
heredity, cultivation or neglect. this
weary wsnderer and brRkebeam tourist
are with US a. product of our present
civilization and social status, and ike
| othsr products needs to be garnoreds or
at least taken in tout of this wet"
This great army OF the unemployed
are the ripening fruits Of tina spring
sowing, summer cultivatine, autumn
maturing and winter gathering OF high
protection to American industry. So
called, such as special legislation for ths
Carnegies and bountie5 for the Have
meyers. Had we one-half the appro-
priation of the bounty granted the sugar.
trust we could soon settla many OF these
tramps, the victim0 of false economies,
in colonies on unoccrpied lands where
they could at once begin to regain their
lost sef~respect by honest work and
sef-eustenance.
We read in the dailies, $500. 900 in the
county treasury; starving men in every
hamlet, village and town; city and
county jails full; floaters no longer use-
full, they strike on county lines and swap
counties, the Los Angeles tramp becomes
the Orange hoater, vice versa, I'D lntns
itum.
"What are you going to do about
them ?' said the police commissioner
and city council. 'Stand them up in
warehouse and properly aubdue them
on soup" slow way OF devouring them
by starvation microbes. Condenning
them like the old war horses aud shoots
ing them down would but for the looks
of it, be more humane.
Is it cheaper to hunt down, arrest,
convict and stabilized q man than to
furnish him an opportunity to shelter
and feed himself? Begging is a crime.
Stealing ia q crime. What about starv.
ing? What sad travesty on philan-
thropic intentions to resuscitate an at
tempted suicide and leave him to stsrve.
That was timely suggestion to students
and officers OF municipal economics in
the forceful argument and eloquent app
peal OF the starving man willing to work
but forced to starve, till BY the logic of
a maniac, with method in his madness,
be destroyed a plste-glass window and,
turning to the police, said: "Ses the
broken window; now L deserve place
in your city boarding house."
In q state like ours, with continual
mild climate and only per cent OF the
land under cultivation, trsmps, if they
can be utilized, would De blessing. A
destructive element may be converted
into constructive body, preserving life
and creating health. The problem
seems solvable if county and city off,
cials combine, cooperating together to
secure lands for the cultlvators, chops
for the mechanics and cobbiers; the
rockpil also foE the stronger.
The boarding houses would furnish
work for women, many now suffering
for work, others whose husbands are on
half pay. The situation 10 cad one
New fields of industries must be opened
self-preservation demands it. We arr
only in the beginning of the end. Win.
ter just begun, workingmen daily thrown
out of work in the north and the east
: wages still cut and the probabilities o
still more of these demi-tourists, thu
tramps, can we blame them for seekinl
this climate, with so many opportuni.
! tics? Farmers are demanding better
roads all over the state. Pasadena ant
Santa Monica want boulevsrds. Los
! Angeles needs these, and better streets
and parks. What, with all this snt
much more, shall hungry men stil
sleep in. sewers in the city of Los An,
Eeles, amid towering church spires ant
} costly temples? God forbid
How much like the lowly Nazarene
J these homeless tT6mps. 1.-THE foxes
have holes and the birds of the air have
nests, but the Son of Man hath no,
where to lay his head" One of these
homeless tourists wandered into one o.
these temples dedicated to the teacher
of peace on earth, good will to men, y
and was told, "our seats are paid for
one will cost you 80 cents for the even
ing" He went away sorrowful.
! really believe il our ministers, who
} have thought it more their duty tc
point to the other world than to lend 9
helping hand in solving the pressing
need OF this, would give more time and
encouragement to the employment oil
these men, they would greatly help the
cause. Only one, 80 far as | have
noticed, has written on the subject.
Since writing the above many things
have occurred in the tramp situation.
The latest up to date is the new Jail
into which the general round-ups are
I to be guarded when not In the chaiu
gang. 1t may be expedient for the
safety of the city to make this whole
sale drive in, conviction and then the
: chain work, bus it does look littls un.
American, not to say inhum an, to con-
vict man who is hunting work. Many
OF them are and have been for weeks
What hope is there for lessening the
number Of tramps, il when his term ex
, pires he ia only to be reconvicted herr
or elsewhere?
MIR. Humphreys offered a suggestion
that seemed practicable and worthy o
consideration by all sides. Even al
: honest man might submit to such hu
initiation as the chsingang with tn,
, prospect of a better future, but hare
work. no honor, no pay. the public tax
: ing all the traffic will bear" leavin,
} the individual worse for the wesr. Tn
cost OF the rounding up process OF 1O
} men, added to the board and shelter TO
: three months, if incorporated in eithe
public or private works would Civ
credit to our city and self-respect to tn
unemployed and Lasting benefit to so
+ cietv.
! The Changing is not q thing we ar