The evening times., 1899-11-24

! the special offence charged has little to dc
| with the proper treatment. Where the mag
istrates are intelligent and trustworthy ii
| Is best TO have a maximum sentence say
of one year, which the judge may impose
! even for the first offence. but which he will
ordinarily tighten at discretion for the
first or second offence. 1t is deemed most
| essential to the satisfactory working of
| any vagrancy law that the magistrate
should always keep in clear touch with the
| prison officials. There should be telephone
| connection
| THE house Of correction should be en-
powered TO grant revokable permits OF dis
! charge upon condition of good behavior. so
| that the prisoner if recommitted could be
! compelled to serve out the remainder of
| his first sentence in addition TO the second
I one
There should Be no commitments to the
almshouse. This latter institution should
! be an asylum for the worthy poor who are
worsted in the social struggle. Its phys
ical comforts should not be so great as to
make it TOO inviting. but those who are
compelled to resort to il ought not 10 be
forced into contact with lawbreakers and
thereby suffer a further injury to their
self-respect"
In furtherance of the committees plans
the commitment to the house of correc-
tion instead of to the almshouse of all Of
tenders against the vagrancy laws who are
not infirm in body and mind the following
amendment has been prepared TO Article
~ OF the Code of Public Local Laws of
Maryland so to make section S6S read
as follows:
The said court. said justice. upon proof that
any person Is i pauper. an habitual begcar
grant, or 4 vsgabond aforesaid, shall. in the
discretion of aid court, or justice. commit said
pauper. habitual beggar. vagrant. or vaGabond to
rI. Na=N far,1 -
other suitable place may he provided for said
panpcr by the mayor and city council Of Balti-
more provided that any person found be a
pauper an habitual begyar who NAV be lged
or seriously crippled or infirm in mind or l.ody,
may In the discretion of said court justice.
be committed to the almshouse of said city, ard
that any minor committed under this section may
be sent TO any reformatory institution 10 which
minors may he committed under Article % Of
the Code of Public General Laws.
When the legislature meets the mem
bers of the committee expect to commence
active work to secure the passage of the
proposed amendment. The committee COM
prises Messrs. Theodore Marburg, William
Reynolds. and Elisha II. Perkins.
Another project which the committee
has under investigation is that of the IS
tabliskment of a workshop for cripp,es and
a training school for crippled children. SO
that they may become self-supportin ting 1t
is stated that the object OF the workshop
is that it shall have no atmosphere OF
charity, but be place where the cripple
may always find work and earn liveli-
hood. After the initial capital is supp led
1t is expected that such an institution
would become self-suporting.
1t is stated that the reason why the |
State cannot offer work freely to the IN /!
is that it would weaken the in !
centives to seek work in private industries |
and thereby unsettle the normal relations |
Of capital and labor by a tendency to in |
crease the number of State employees to N |
extent. This objection. it is |!
said. does not apply to furnishing work
Tor cripples. Their number is no. likely |
10 be increased by the State Offering them
work. as few persons would be tempted
10 cripple themselves in order to gain an
,ntry to the State workshops. Information
Is to the class of work provided and the
method Of conducting such institutions
Ibroad is being sought by the committee
before formulating its plans.