The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-08
The Tramp Problem.

The Woman's Christian Temperance
curing the services Of Mr.. W. M. Cole,
late secretary of the Massachusetts Com
mission on the Unemployed, who spoke
to them on the "Tramp Problem"
Mr.. Cole remarked at the beginning Of
his address that "the unemployed" is SO
large a subject that but few points could
be considered in one brief talk. He said
that the first step in settling the profile M
is the separation Of the unemployed from
the unemployable. The latter seek
work only as an excuse for seeking aid.
They seek work, but "pray that they
may not find it," Mr.. Cole confined
his talk to that part of the problem
which is called the tramp question. He
said that this question is becoming more
and more serious every day-indeed is be-
coming vital. From whatever point 1t
is looked at reform must come soon. The
present system of caring for tramps is q
menace both to the honest working man
who may be temporarily out of employ
| ment and to society at large.
| Perhaps three-fourths of the tramps
are professional dead-beats. Another
eighth are probably temporary dead
| beats. But small proportion of men
honest men and the dead beats are
thrown together in their travels, and the
| former soon learns the methods of the
| latter, soon learns, moreover, that to beg
n living from the community is easier
than earning one. The honest man may
be forced now and then, on his travels,
to beg meal. His manhood becomes
Slapped thereby, and, indeed. in a few
| days begging, against which his whole
nature recently protested, seems natural.
| The life which he leads, moreover, dulls
his aspirations, and he soon becomes rec
onciled to mere british existence. A
few months of tramping will demoralize
any man who is not of the very finest
character; and when be has once fallen
victim to the lazy, irresponsible fasoi
nation of the life, having already lost
all ambition, he is practically irreclaim.
able.
| Not only is he lost to decency from thai
time but he is power for evil il the
community. Every dend-beat Is a public
| living example Of the ease OF preying OF
the community, and by SO much is tempt
ing others to adopt his profession.
Finally. the tramp. though commonly
a coward, is guilty of numerous misde
meanors and crimes which menace moi
only life and property, but some thing
which are even more precious than life
itself. The only protection is to Stang
out the tramp evil.
Can this be done without bringing
hardship to the man honestly seeking fol
work? If every town furnishes accom-
modations for wayfarers, in which they
may have decent lodging and food Cat al
expense of few cents per.day), in return
for some labor performed, the tramp evi
may be abolished. The usual objection
to demanding labor of the tramp is that
it interfsres with honest labor. This i.
not true of stone breaking. No city Oh
town can have too much broken stone
for Its roads. The work is not too hare
for the average man. and may be grad
uated in duration according to the
strength and docility of the applicant TO,
lodging By this method the honest
work er gains his support while seeking
employment without injury to his man
hood; and the dead beat is discouraged
Giving at house doors must be stopped
under such system. Wherever the ex
pertinent has been tired it has brought
| great success.
Mr.. Cole told the experience of mum
Der of towns in their dealings with
tramps, and thereby emphasized the nee(
| nf reform.