The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-05
NERVT TRAVELLING PAUPERS.
A Growing EVIL THAT Is Diff
CULT TO DEAL WITH.

of the Citizens ana the Railroads.
Have Ceused to Regard Such Aid
a. a Charity and Demand 1t as
Right - An Instance of GIarinE
Nerve Which Occurred at the City
exchange Recently.
The mendicant evil is again becoming
a problem to demand some action on the
part of the city authorities. Not only is
there a large class of local mendicants
whose condition appears to be permanent
blt the number of travelling mendcants
appears to be on the increase. The ease
Win which these people manage to get
bout over the country ana the assurance
with which they insist that the city shall
nd them in their peregrinatons would
make the uninilated stare. There is
hardly day but that from one 20 half
"A dozen of these people do not put in an
appearance at the City Exchange, seeking
either financial assistance or railroad
transportation, and urging various spe-
cious pleas in behalf of their requests.
some years ago the city undertook to
pat an end TO this sort of business by
shutting down absolutely on all classes of
knA to applicants The inslstence of
charitable People in the city is RESPONSE
bile Tor III . -re-estahlishment of a growing
evil and decided nuisance. II is not in
lreque haiy the case that a family or an in
diyid Aal is found in des titue circums tances
who have friends or relatives elsewhere,
W 10. if they can be reached are willing
% undertake the care of the unGortunates.
Sometimes it is a widow with children,
whose parents are willing to give her aud
her children a home, but who are unable
themselves to furnish money for railroad
fare. Charitable people, who interest
themselves in these cases and learn the
circumstances, lay the case before the
Mayor, The usual conclusion is that il
Is better policy, as well as real charity,
40 eXpend small sum in sending these
people where they can be taken care of
than 10 allow them to remain here 10 be-
come a charge upon the public. The city
mas an arrangement with the railroads
by which it is given transportation at half
rates in such cases.
This policy would be all right it is said,
If it stopped with purely local charity.
The same policy prevails in other cities,
however, and the large and growing class
of wandering meudicants are well aware
of and take advantage of it. Landing in
the city, apparently without means or
resources of any kind, they will apply al
the Mayors office with a wen told story
of their anxiety to reach some other city,
where they have been promised employ
ment or have relatives who will care for
The n. The fact that they have been as
sl9ted thus far by other cities is used
rs an argument why assistance should be
given them here to enable them to con-
ainue on their journey. These people come
rom points as far distant as Texas, and
there are a few old regulars who come
South regularly every winter and go
North in the spring, urging thar it is
necessary for their health. There are
some who do not hesitate to acknowledge
that they have received similar assistance
from the city on former journeys.
1t does not require a pracFiced eye TO
see that many of these people are profess
sonal mendcants and that they are sim
piy beating their way about the country,
When there is reason to believe that such
is the case Mayor Myers turns chem down
without hesitation. There are frequently
cases, however, which appear to be meriS
torious, and the same argument applies
here as in cases of local origin, that it
is better public policy to enable paupers
to go elsewhere than 20 leave them TO
become charges upon the city
II is against the policy of the city, how
ever, to unload its paupers on other cities
or to have other cities unload their pau
pers on Savannah. There is an ordinance
requiring railroad and steamship comp7-
MES bringing parties TO the city who may
become charges upon the public to return
them to the points from which they We're
brought. This ordinance has been rigid
ly enforced of late with a view of stem
ming the tide of mendicancy, but with
little apparent effect. The Ocean Steam
ship Company was recently required 10
return an entire family to New York.
which came down in the Storage and
landed on the dock without money enough
TO have their belongings brought up to the
city.
The most glaring instance of this abuse
Of public kindness was witnessed IN the
City Exchange one day recently. An old
couple stroed into the Mayors office,
where Clerk Bailey and his assistants are
at present installed pending the removal
ton of the clerk Office, and inquired for
the Mayor, Both appeared to be close TO
the half century mark and their dress
and appearance gave every indication OF
the fact that they We're old timers. They
were informed that the Mayor had left
town to be absent several days and that
there was no one with authority TO grant
their request which was for transporta-
ton ~further North. They evidently did
not believe this and took seats with the
determination apparently of awaiting the
Mayors arrival.
That's the Mayor" remarked the man
20 the woman, indicating Mayor Myers
picture on the wall. He had evidently
been there before. This was his only re-
mark as he had evidently obtained Char
ity'' enough somewhere to accumulate
comfortable jeg.
After waiting some time and receiving
D. attention from the attaches Of the Of
tec. The woman rose and repeated her de-
m"ud to see the Mayor She was again
informed that the Mayor was out of the
cits and that it would be impossible to
do ything for her She became very in
uiruant and decred against such hard
loartednoss
When did you get here?' Mr.. Bailey
Inquired
We Just got in on The train last night,
ana We want to go right on to-day" she