Evening journal., 1907-06-14

the other hand estimates their direct
cost as fairly small. occurring only
when there are peculiar circumstances,
such as small child. or where the
trespasser is caught on a bridge Cases
of trespassers cause the railroads,
however. a good deal OF trouble in in
vestigation.
Great Cost to Society
The cost 10 society OF injured va
grants is ia the end. enormous. because
vagrants frequently are rendered in
capable OF doing any further work
and in consequences 40 20 tramping on
begging, spending their time between
the road. the almshouse and the jail.
Every charitable society knows OF
many instances OF persons permanent.
" mained by railroads who until the
end Of their lives Will be largely dc~.
pendent uDon the public. being main-
tanned either by individuals or by in
stitutions for the Support of the indi-
gent.
Few railroads maintain a system Of
railroad policing. The Pennsylvania Is
probably as wen policed as any Amer
ican road. but nevertheless Is able 10
arrest only a small number Of the tres
passers that at all times are illegally
using the Pennsylvania tracks. on
the Lake Shore Railroad there are
watchmen and special agents, who
patrol the large yards. ride freight
Jans and some of the passenger
trains. They find It impossible TO even
undertake TO regulate trespassing; arr
rests at their hands means absolutely
nothing. the trespassers being releas-
ed with possibly few exceptions. on
the Chesapeake q Ohio at certain
points along the line. through the CO.
operation Of the police authorities OF
towns and cities, vagrants are put to
work on rock piles, or at other hard
labor Railroads running out Of New
York have in general special officers
at terminals and at the larger cities
along the road
Suggestions Of Remedy
The railroads make varied sugges-
tions looking TO a reduction Of the H.
legal use Of railroads by vagranis.
Summarizing the principal recon-
mendations made by the railroads IL
can be said that greater cooperation
should exist between towns and rail-
roads in prosecuting and convicting
vagrants. Convicted vagrants shoulu
be imprisoned at hard labor for cons
siderable periods.
Trespass laws should be enforced
when adequate. strengthened when in
adequate. and adopted when none exist.
The costs of prosecution and main
tenance of vagrants should be made a
State charge.
individuals should refuse Kitchen
door aid" to vagrants.
Canadian and European countries
can offer excellent eXamples OF infre-
quent railroad vagrancy.
The facts presented by Mr. Lewis
which he has gathered hv correspond
ence from leading officials of the diff
ferent railroads, show conclusively
that the vagrancy question is a serious
! one, not alone to the railroads but u
society. Because the cost TO sociot}
is so indirect and not generally observ-
ed by the public, people IN general have
been indifferent to the. fact that van-
rancy is a great drain upon towns
counties and states. During the COM
/ ing year efforts viii be made through
out the country to enlist the co-opera-
] ton of railroads, Stato Boards oi
Charities. local charitable societies
and individuals IN obtaining more ade.
quate trespass laws, and more ado
quate enforcement Of tllese laws. TIT
number Of unnecessary Nagrants is no
known. but It IS probably very large
| There seems 10 be. in general, worl
for every able-bodied man willing I,
work Even in Engi3nd, where tn,
question Of the unemployed Is s,
pressing. IL Is estimated by compet
ent authorities that not over 3 per cen
of the wayfarers are honest unefn.
ployed working men seeking work