The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-18

Seattle. Dec. y.

rsrs- Some were merely 70 serve . i
vehicle for mediocre wis.scsnis and gers
were more seriously toned
Now. the truth is. the police d3rot
merit AT this blame Curiosity has ftsa
led me into the Tenderaosn district tspTy
In dark corners for familiar faces wen
long residence IN other cities cause3Ee
10 expect 20 see here. have seea md
recognized many notorious criminaissna
vasahonds. bu, I noticed that the res
were constantly changing. clearly sbw-
ing that The poiiee were keeping the 500
OF dangerous characters moving. Thu IS
all they can do. 1t Is beyond the pser
Of any police force to check the infovof
men constantly swsrm;ng 20 the Pafac
coast over the great overland railroSs,
unless inspectors are placed az some -
lated points far from the city 10 un
the thieves and tramps back. whicAis
clearly irpracticable-
In the past two months have noted
a marked decrease in the numheref
msndicants I encounter In my waSs
through the streets. At one time IS
asked for money frequently each tinsI
made the trip 30 and from my lodgixs
10 a restaurant. For some time past. ~
for aims, although I have followed mtn
the same route in my walks as befoe.
and have not established a repellant reur
tation by always refusing or INDUCING
words Of rebuke.
I have seen much good work done =
the police. having had the doubtful sath
faction OF finding myself an object Of -
QUESTION The policemen are as alert an
~et,< r-t asr,ft ~
1t Is only the extraordinary conditions q
the gold excitement that exposes them y
facile criticism Nevertheless. must at
NIT that this unmerited prodding maj
serve the purpose OF keeping them awake
This much for the police. ! now havs
q few words about almsgiving. 1t is .
bad practice. It is always best TO refuse
peremptoriiy IL one has not the time on
the inclination TO pay for the meal and
know that the asker" eats 1t, or at least
IS without the power to divert the money
for the other purpose. namely, beer
drinking. Virtuous men are rarely or
never so far reduced in fortune as TO Dc
forced 10 resort TO street begging. Sens
ihle men do not look for virtue among
the shivering, whining outcasts. They
are weak men, given UP TO bad habits.
They may be honest and hard-working.
yet their weakness and folly makes beg
gars out of them In the short iapses be-
tween periods Of toll. Thus money IN the
hand to these weak men is a temptation.
I have studied this hapless class most
conscientiously. and can say that the
deserving men" Of whom the ladies
speak do not exist: those who pass mus
ter before the aid societies. being protect
ed by strong veneer oe perience IN
cunning. Yet the ''un wing weak
men are more TO be 81 than the
snivel;ng deserving men" the imaginary
creatures who have always been firm and
honest and virtuous. and yet, through
the peryersIty of fate, have fallen low.
Men do not 20 TO the dogs unless they
have bad habits. or at least commit the
miider follies.
The mere matter OF making living I.
not embarrassing to any ordinarily intel
Hgent man. who Is not sick or dismem'
bered. Least of all, Is 1t so to the wan
derers To them the whole country Is
play ground or, il not a play ground
familiar territory. They know where and
at what time work Is plentiful In each
varying section Of the land and know how
to travel long distances In very few days
by means Of box cars, ct cetera. Local
laborers, to whom the town Is the world
who have never sauntered along the Bow
cry, or waited for trains at the Grand
crossing, are the men who need patient
friendly and watchfui attention lest they
too. Join the army OF unregenerate trarnps
The tramps do very well II fed and kept
moving. A little sojourn by the way on
he nil IA No harm
Pounding rock may be ignominious.
fancy it would be hard on soft hands
Yet the vagabond. who finds consolation
In going the rounds OF the back doors by
mentally recalling that lire in Shake
speare about the begsar In the stock. car
take the same consolation on the roch
pile. 1t is certainly no greater wear and
tear on an individuals self respect te
pound rock than TO cat cold victuals on tn.
back stoop, In view of the electric cars
I am sure seQuestration would be quite .
relief to a pride-strung person, and the
practice at manual labor at public expense
would enable many men to acquire cal
loused hands. by which they could temp
employers to give them the means of ear n
ing toii-savored bread.
Strong men show their true strength By
plying their weaker brothers. Abuse snt
cuffs do not make the weak stronger. Il
only degrades them; and. by rousing ,heil
rage and malice, fits them for those con
temptible Gets Of petty pilfering and law
lessness which are SO annoying; as wher
a man goes 20 his room TO change his We
shoes and finds the extra pair gone, alons
with the soap and towel. The best system
and the most economical. Is to keep vaga
bonds and all suspected characters NOV
ing. except star performers meriting goot
long terms on the rock pile An coca
sional mistake by which some needy fel
low. whose clamoring stomach has forced
him to the forbidden region of back doors
is compelled 10 break rock with worse Of
Tenders, will only furnish q martyr 10 cor
recting n tasures, and martyrs are needed
IN all great reforms. hence no one shoult
oppose rock-breaking In behalf Of posst
bic martyrs. Rip-rap In the rear OF III,
city jail will create a scramble among IN,
element from which the martyrs may b,
drawn. and II few frightened honest In
borers join the exodus OF thieves ant
tramps. they will hardly be missed. a,
each incoming train brings box car load,
OF the mixed elsmsn. to be found IN ~.