The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-07-07

DGga5a;;s'sar 8 S Sss o Ta'ss "a s sHs
GlG New 81 l p.@s
TO SAVE THE COUNTY EXPENSE.
Last week, we took occasion to
call the attention of taxpayers to the
heavy expense entailed on them by the
commitment of tramps to the House
of Correction on the charge of tres
passing on one of the railroads. As
was then pointed out, it seemed to
be an unnecessary hardship to entail
such heavy costs upon those who
have to contribute to the mainten-
ance of the legal machinery of the
county and we mentioned, two
possible ways to correct the abuse.
Since then, our attention has been
called to an act of Assembly of 1898
that would seem to be a practical
solution Of the whole question if our
county magistrates would join in the
movement to lessen the costs that
are now being put upon the county.
This act was adopted at the request
of the town officials of the different
public interpretations in our county,
and it has in measure served to rid
these places Of the overflow Of
tramps. The law also confers upon
the county commissioners as we'll as
town commissioners the power to
make all such rules and regulations
as may be necessary to suppress and
prevent the wandering of tramps
and Migrants within the limits of the
county and to compel tramps and
Migrants convicted of violating any
such rules to labor upon the roads
Of said county or to work for the i'm
provement of the same.
Further provisions authorize that
the work be done at the county Jail
or the almshouse and that the circuit
court and the justices of the peace of
the county shall have jurisdiction to
enforce the rules and regulations,
and upon conviction of violating
the same, to pass such sentence as
may be right.
The enforcement of this act will re-
quire certain necessary preliminary
steps on the part of the county COM
missioners. The rules and regula-
tions should be made under the direc-
ton of their attorney so that there
could be no slip-ups to allow subse-
quent legal proceedings.
The mode of procedure would be
simple. Persons arrested as tres
passers on the railroads could in
stead of being sentenced to the House
of Correction, have the charge of
vagrancy laid against them and on
conviction, the committing magis.
trate could make the sentence at so
many months labor at breaking stone
for the public roads. This would be
another means of turning into practi-
cal use, the hordes of men, who even
in these good times seem to have no
employment. They could be forced
to render some service as a recon-
pense that they owe to society, and
perhaps work in this manner might
inculcate habits that might serve the
unfortunates good stead in the
future.
1t has been said that in a number
of the cases, complained of in our
article last week, mere boys have
been sent the House of Correction.
Were these cases brought into our
midst, it would allow au opportuni-
ty for Christian work on the part of
our good people that might here
after show beneficial results. The
stigma of being herded with regular
criminals would not be so strongly
impressed on their young minds, and
an excellent opportunity would be
offered for a formation that may
lead the youthful culprits to nobler
walks in life.
There is still another phase to this
question, Hartford county each year
is compelled to feed a large number
of tramps. Put a stone pile in the
backyard Of the jail and make every
applicant for charity break a certain
amount of stone in order to pay for
his feed and lodging. The sheriff
could and would exercise intelligent
superintendent of these minor crimi-
nal offenses, and in the result the
county would in every way be the
paineT,