The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-12-19
Vagrancy Law
Should Be Enforced.

Complaints are being made in diff
ferent parts Of the state against the
usual winter tourist" of the tramp
or hobo" variety, but If the officers
of the counties where these com
plants are coming from would see
to 1t that the vagrancy laws are prop
! erly enforced these unwelcome tour
;sts would soon emigrate to different
| climes
Several years ago there was a gen.
eral demand for a law of this nature
that would fully cover the case of
these tourists" and when the legis-
lature of 1905 met this demand had
become so universal in all sections
of the state that no less than fifty
bills were introduced on the subject.
The bills varied mainly in the defini-
! ton of what a vagrant was but the
law that was enacted is broad
enough to cover almost any person
in a community that is Objectionable.
The maximum penalty prescribed
is two hundred and fifty dollars or
six months in prison OF course it is
not supposed that the maximum pen
atty will be imposed in every case,
and in fact it has seldom been i'm
posed in any case. The law allows
the trial Judge discretion in the i'm
posing of a sentence and usually
gives him much latitude, which is
eminently proper, but in this question
of vagrancy the courts seem to have
been too lenient. A fine of five or
item dollars and costs imposed on one
convicted of vagrancy makes but
little impression on him.
The statute on the question of va
grancy declares to be Migrants all
''rogues and vagabonds, idle or dis
solute persons who go about begging,
common gamblers, persons who use
Juggling or unlawful games or plays,
common pipers and fiddlers, common
thieves, pilferers, traders in stolen
property, lewd, wanton, and lascivious
persons in speech or behavior, keep
ers of gambling places, common rail-
ers and brawlerS. persons who neg
lect their calling or employment and
misspend what they earn, and do not
provide for themselves or for the
support of their families, persons
wandering from place to place able
to work and who are without means,
and who neglect to earn their support
and live by pilfering or begging, idle
and disorderly persons including
therein those who neglect all lawful
business and habitually misspend
their time by frequenting houses Of
i'll fame, gaming houses or tipping
shops, persons able to work but are
habitually idle and live upon the
earnings of their wives or minor chill
dren. and all able bodied male persons
over eighteen years of age who are
without means of support, and whose
parents or guardians are unable to
support them. and who are not usual
" in attendance upon some school or
educational establishment, but who
live in habitual idleness."
If the sheriffs and police officers
will keep a sharp lookout for these
winter tourists" and arrest every
one who cannot give plausible ac-
count of himself. and the judge. when
they have been convicted under this
statute, will make the sentences Sc
we're enough to convince them that 1t
is best to seek work or other quarters
the nuisance Will be abated and there
will be no cause fer further COM
plant. IL "a town in Florida is wor-
ried with these visitors it is because
their officers are not properly dis
charging their duties and not because
there is no law under which they can
secure relief.