The herald., 1895-01-04
THE TRAMP PROBLEM

EDITOR HERALD:-I have something
to say on the tramp problem. l have
looked at it from several points Of view /;
have interviewed great many, and a
great variety OF trsmps, have fed and
sheltered hundreds Of them, and assist
ed very many liz finding employment. l
think know something of the problem.
II do, the discussion of it is generally
superficial, and strikes me as evidence
ing general anxiety not to get at
either the real causes or the real solu-
ton of the difficulty.
OF course, recognize the benevolent
impulses that take communities like a
spaem when the tramps swarm. "Some-
thing muet be done"-and woodyards,
! public squares, streets, soup houses,
baths, csst-off clothing, etc.. in endless
variety OF notifications are generously
suggested by those, usually, who have
not thought Of the tramps and the
problem since the last overwhelming
influx, and who, when these relief
meaEurea have been put in operation,
ing consciousness OF duty done.
the exigsncies as they arose from day to
day during q ak months' campaign
among them, included, besides these
regular ships discipline in quarters. the
utilization of the ahoemakers, tsilors,
BARRIERS, etc.. among them in reciprocal
service and religious exercises.
We ran an employ ment bureau, and
men we're compelled to go to any kind
of job, yard or house cleaning, dish
washing, coal shoveling, or anything
else, on pain OF dismiesal. / furnis he'd
more than 5000 lodgings and 5000 meals
to total OF about $500 men. About $50
OF these. chiefly young men. were saved
to lives OF honor and usefulness, many
of them entering the church.
Many husbands and sons were re-
stored TO their families, and have given
every evidence of thorough and permap.
ent reformation.
But ell this still falls short. The
causes OF particular cases must be
sought and specified treatment given to
each. These causes are almost as va
rious as individual Observation-Disclosures
ton. business failure, incom potency and
domestic trouble. being chief among
them. Loss of self-respect, discourage.
ment, despair, are the effects. Utmost
patience, unfailing charity, tact, courage,
and then, more than all, genuine
sympathy that spares not self in the
service OF the lowest. are essential to
SUCCESS in dealing with them. They are
men, some OF them mon of intelligence
and even high degree Of culture some
OF them are low and british; but have
seldom found one who was not accessible
to good Samaritan.
My profound conviction is that all ef.
tort to deal with the tramp question
through merely police methods, or by
any other method that ignores the lat,
ent manhood and fails to reawaken it, ia
ultimately failure. The broadcast in
telligence and the sweetest spirit of
Christianity will find largest field and
most satisfactory results.
But this is not all. We are lookino
only at the immediate and urgent neces.
sities. The tramps are on US. and "some.
thing must be done at once" The
tramps have been coming for 80 years.
Steadily their number has been increas.
lng-recruited from ths laboring classes.
chiefly American. My observation is
tnat Dy lar the majority of them are
native Americans, though many are of
foreign psrentage. They have been
crowded out Of employ ment in two
ways. First, by the influx Of cheap
laborsrs and the introduction of ma.
chinery on the one hand; and on the
other by limitations of Opportunity for
expansion and readiusment.
Land and capital have been preoccu-
pied IL advance OF them, and cheap
labor has crowded them from behind.
until they are thrown upon the surface
to tramp. million more ere on tho
way from the ranks of the workinpmen.
within this year. For 80 years the
problem has been growing in com.
piexity; a few political econ
omlsts have been gathering stet;stics.
and few hot.hearted ministers have
been saying impractical things. but mo
single bit of legislation to check the en-.
croachments of either cheap labor or
capital has found its way into our econ
omy.
The causes remain, the difficulty in.
cressea, and no sign appears in the No.
iiticsl sky that promises relief, The ia
suanoe of bonds, the increase Of tha
army's efficiency. the railroad pooling