Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-10-16
The Tramp Qsss.lea.

Editors Kenncbec Journal:
wish to add word TO the try H..
- now going up from all parts OF Maine
especially from its rural communit,.,
(which, unlike the large cities. are nm
able to maintain police forces) for ~,
better enforcement Of the tram Iau
Aias' we who live In the country know
but too well. the contemptuous indif.
Hrehce with which people who live in
iaree cities. where there are day and
nisht ponce FORCES to protect their
MONIES, and where the very closeness OF
the houses to one another is, in itself
protection, are disposed to treat this
tramp question" We know too. that IL
II the easy going complacent manner
III which the officials-and especially
municipal Judges, whose duty il lis to
bind over for trial every tramp brought
before them-treat this question that
- largely responsible for the preya-
lence OF the nuisance in our country
towns. In this course they probably
have the cordial announcement OF
those officials who have a chance to
make a dollar" in handling and
boarding these fellows
This may be a fine thing for such Of
fcials; but it Is hard on the tax
payers who are obliged to pay the
bills. The people of the State
are beginning to appreciate very
clearly what an enormous burden
IL imposed upon the people of our
State as a. result of the non-enforce-
mcnt of the tramp law which enables
Migrants and criminals to
turn our good State into a veritable
happy hunting ground"
By the time our lawmakers convene
at Augusta the coming winter every
county Jail in Maine will be filled to
overlooking with professional tramps
from all parts of the country whose
the profits that accrue
TO the officials in charge of them-must
be borne by the ong-suffering tax
payers Of the State. How long is this
sort of thing to be tolerated by the
good people of our State?
Let us bear clearly in mind this
fact, that is entirely palpable to all
who have looked into the matter viz:
IF A SINGLE HALF DOZEN TRAMPS
SHOULD BE TRIED. CONVICTED
AND SENT TO THE STATE PRISON
THIS FALL THERE WOULDN'T BE
AN EQUAL NUMBER OF PROFESS
SIONAL HOBOES IN ALL THE
COUNTY JAILSOF THE STATE THE
COMING WINTER
This would be quite a respectable
saving to the people of the State
But there is another. and, il seems to
me. an exceedingly important reason
why we should take prompt and vigor-
Gus measures to rid our State of pro-
fessional tramps. People who live in
country towns, and especially those
who reside on farms, are often obliged
o work at distances from home, which
cave the women and children of their
antilles unprotected from the insults
md the abuse of the professional
ramps who call to bully and to beg
There can be little doubt but what
cry large proportion of the crimes
ommitted in our country communities
Turing the past few years at least,
lave been the work of tramps. 1t
must be admitted that these fellows
re getting decidedly bold in their
perations. Some horrible, and mys-
erious crimes-an unusually long list
are unquestionably attributable to
his source-to say nothing of innum-
rable petty thefts and depredations.
Mystery is in fact a characteristic of :.
rimes committed by tramps. Such
len have no abiding place, and no
nown connections. 1t is difficult to To-
ate them. They come and go-and.
} far as this State is concerned-in
increasing numbers.
The people are growing weary of it.
he many shocking crimes committed
our State the past year have been
ystallizing public sentiment on this
lbject. The result is that a protest is
ping up so loud and long that it bids
lir to attract the attention even of
lose officials whose Indifference to the
'quirements of our tramp law has
zen so largely responsible for the gen.
al prevalence of the hobo" nuisance
this State.
TAXPAYER.