The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1895-03-20
Communicated
BEN LoMoND. W. V hIareh 16


an article concerning the action of
one of your town officials toward a
tramp who applied to him for food
and shelter. 1 do not have the
article before me and have forgot
ten some of the particulars, but for
some time l have been questioning
if his way of dealing with the
tramp was the best way Under
stand me, that l do cot question
the motives that prompted the act,
for no doubt they were pure and
noble, inspired by sympathy for
the unfortunate man.
But will that kind of treatment
always produce the best results?
Is it best for the tramp himself?
Will he go away inspired by higher
aims, with a purpose TO be some
body once more, or will he go
away with the intention of return
ing some day in the future to again
become the recipient of the same
hospitality?
In dealing with tramps we must
consider two things; VII the vel
fare of the individual ang fho well
fare of those who support him.
1 know it is sometimes hard to
distinguish between the, man who
tramps because he can not get
work and the man who tramps be-
cause he won't work and prefers
that mode of getting a living.
1t often occurs that man who
tramps because he can not find
work, though once self reliant and
independent, loses his self-respect
and his spirit of independence and
becomes pauper by preference.
He knows that he is considered par
isite upon the charity of those Hho
toll for their bread and often this
very consciousness, instead of dli5
ing him TO work for living, drags
him lower down in vagrancy.
The question is, what should be
our action toward such persons?
To continue feeding and sheltering
them gratis, is only to settle them
more deeply in their pauperism, for
it is evident that the more we con-
tribute to the support of a pauper,
the more dependent he becomes,
and the more he demands our aid
1t is my opinion that, if a pro
fessional tramp is ever to be re
claimed, it must be by work. There
are certain curative properties in
work that will act in almost all
moral diseases. 1t awakens ambi-
ton in the individual 1t rouses
his spirit of independence. 1t
banishes the feeling that one is a
burden upon his fellow-men aud
like every other habit, the mere
one follows it, the stronger it be
comes.
Some advocate that tramps be ar
rested, that is, prohibited from
wandering through the country,
stealing from, aud terrorizing tie
people and tempting young men TO
join them in their career Of
vagrancy, and that they be sent to
institutions established by each
state or county, or, where these arc
not provided, to the county Jail,
and that they be compelled to labor
upon some public improvement,
such as the building and improving
of roads, bridges, &c; that they be
not given the best hotel fare; that
their surroundings be such as will
not be as desirable to them as EN-
ployment outside and thus slimu-
late them to seek honest employ;
ment elsewhere; and after they are
discharged, if they are found
tramping again, that they be ar
rested and again remanded TO the
institution provided for them.
This seems to me to be an ex-
celIent plan.
But it may be asked, as we have
no such institutions and laws, what
should our action be toward tramps
in the present condition of affairs?
would advocate that each appli-
cant for food or lodging be made 10
do some manual labor in pay
ment for the same. / believe that
it is our duty toward the man to do
this. 1t is said that tramps use
certain characters that are intelli-
gible to other tramps, and when
one receives good or bad treatment
at house, be leaves a mark in the
neighborhcod TO inform his col
leagues of his reception, that they
may seek or avoid such places. Be
that true or not, it is certain that
the saving of wood for u meal does
the tramp no injury but is often a
great benefit to him. | know a
prosperous farmer who says that he
! - 80 -. 1900 tIo ,,J,,, e ., r,