The Tucson citizen., 1902-12-01

ness, the tramp I1VeS-SeluOm III ulS-
tress and often in excessive indulgence
at the expense of the community.
rendering no equivalent. At worst
he becomes a highwayman, or foot
pad, a sneak thief or burglar. In
any case he is a disease a cancerous
sore in the social organism. And
people who give him thoughtless aims
at their door, or in any way invite MS
presence or make easy his existence in
the community, instead of performing
a Christian and praiseWorthy act, are
injecting the community with germs
of social disease which only the most
stringent measures are able to Grad
icate.
The second point to which
wish to call attention is the methods
which are being used to mitigate ana
abate the tramp evil. No "cure-alI
has yet been invented. Social re- |
formers are still at sea regarding the
best and most effective measures OF
procedure A beginning, however
has been made, both in this country
and in Europe, and the results are
most encouraging.
On account of the severe winters
making outdoor life for the tramp i'm
possible. in certain sections of our
country, coupled with a lack of ac-
| commodations in small places, a few
| large cities became the rendezvous OF
an almost incredible number of this
class of men. Police stations, and
every other available place, would be
crowded to their greatest capacity
| standing room, even, would be at a
premium The situation finally be-
came serious, aud these cities began
to look about for means of self-pro-
| lection. It was decided in Boston to
adopt two measures for that purpose
First, to operate municipal lodging
house, that must be owned by the city
"a place where able-bodied men
might be provided with clean, COM
Portable and ample accommodations,
and pay for them by a few hours
daily labor To gain entrance to this
institution one must have an order
from some police station. Second
since men coud be provided for in this
simple and prompt manner, rendering
begging absolutely unnecessary, it
was decided to close the police sta
tions and make vagrancy matter OF
police supervision-all offenders to be
arrested and promptly dealt with. AS
a result of these measures. 'in no city
in the country are people in actual
need better cared for than in Boston
and in none is the amount of begging
! smaller"
The other large cities Of the east
!. falling into line, the tramp was soon
forced to seek more favorable quar-
ters Chicago soon became center
of operation. It is estimated that
from 1000 to 10000 trmps visited
Chicago every winter. Three years
ago one station alone accommodated
3.255 men. There were times when
!; the dodgers were forced to stand all
rioht owing to the stations crowded
condition. and the writer. who was
then studying the problem and spend
ing many of his nights with them in
1, their various "hang-outs," found up
IN Investigation that the other sta
+ihns around the center of the city We're
o~rally we'll patronized. Just think
7f it! twelve thousand men, most OF
sNom able-bodied being housed and
e clothed and fed bv one CITY. without
l rendering the slightest service in re-
IL. bUI CutCdSO ledILOu uCI les
SON. and has fallen into line. Last
wear the city established municipa
d lodging hose. closed the station doors
d to all propective lodgers and enforced
S the vagrancy law to the Letter. AS g
0 result in Ona year Chicaoo's tramL
: population was reduced about two.
d thirds. This action on the part OF
e the authorities is of vast importance
e to the city. and is another step in the
Y direction Of larger and much needed
n reform. Nearly all the larger cities
t of the United States. especially in the
g east and west, have organized, or are
t organizing, for elf-protection in this
: respect; but such measures add bur
e little to the final solution of the tramI
r prOblem-they are intended to bt
It purely local. For MANY years these
r cities have had to bear the chief bur
n dem of trampism, although the entire
vi country is responsible for it, They
j now claim that until the nation be
Is comes awake to the evil. and is read!
8 to undertake broad measures and pol
= icies for it's remedy. it is but fair tha
d the country at large should bear il
= fair proportion of the burden. Sucf
II DrOCSCJIF0 measures as LnoSo clC1os
,r have taken, while not greatly reducing
" the total number of tramps, will tent
!. to distribute them more equally: ard
). if the effect of this wider distribution
# awakens smaller cities and towns t.
n the magnitude of the tramp evil, tn.
q day may be hastened when the coun
IS try will be ready to undertake meas
10 ures Of national scope. In the mean
" time it is the duty of every commu
nifty to protect itself, and this can b
70 most effectively done by forcing ever
- tramp in the same way that it force
Iv every honest citizen, to render a
n equivalent, either in money or labor
n. for all he receives-to encourage thi
h most stupendous imposition b
~ thoughtless and promiscuous givin
: is uncharitable and unsocial.
! B. F. STACEY
~ University of Arizona