Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-04-16
JAIL THE TRAMPS
AND FEED THEM
Vesper Will Have Mail Service
Soon Over Wisconsin Central
Railroad
(By c. Edmonde Lavigne.)

D3BnOlId Ifee'1nSIu6 CbC w iiCO iAoNA"S
railings has uncurled its creany-white
petals, the bridal-Wreath sprays are
in:fuHbloom, blosSoming,bu in La
fayettespark are So many showers of
gold. There s.candy.in'the air: some
thing like that.
Busy political bees have bnckled on
their loudest buzZerS, already heading
forithe national convention at Chica-
90, June Is. The spring poet has COM
gress restive. Adjournment is a live
topic of speculation. Anxious mem
bers hope to start. home May 20; con-
servatives say May %; all agree that
the Sixtieth Congress, first session,
will cease it's Iabors not lat er than June
lst.
Seuuentially the plants will no doubt
soon begin to vegetate and rise IN
Wisconsin. You welcome the change.
Then appears the tramp bee. What
are you going to do to eXterminat the
genus hobo as he swarmS northward,
a blight midst the waking Hover !?
Chief Garihee had GS specimens of this
pest TO deal with in Grand Rapids the
last twentysdays of March. Horrors.
Now you talk the tramp problem al
over again; and the progressive club
of G rand Rapids women, who are ac-
compli>hing so many good things for
the city, plan how5they can sprinkle
more parks around town aud have
them cared for and attractive.
Every day tn ough the long summer
here, promptly al s O'Clock a M. two
large vans crowded with men in
striped suits pass my window. A
guard on horseback, with rifle hang
ing over his shoulder, follows the pro-
cession. 'Tis gang from the work
house-minor offenders against law,
and dodgers of work who are taken
QUITO Rock Creek Park and compelle /
to exercise the proper number OF
hours They repair driyeways, rake
the grass, gather papers and rubbish
and become useful citizens in spite of
themselves while serving out
sentence This is the scheme Of pro-
cedure that has made Rock Creek
Park place beautiful. 1t is the
popular driving ground around Wash
ington, great patch OF acres ac-
knowledged to be one OF the incest IN
all our country. The District main
tains it at comparative small cost by
application of the workhouse gang
Jail your tramps for the longest
sentence the law permits, feed them,
set them building up your parks ana
cleaning the city property. Put other
small crimes men at work in the same
way. 1t might prove profitable in,
vestment. 1t is very likely, at least,
TO minimize the tramp nuisance as
soon as they learn what you have in
store for them.
The bill presented by Congressman
Morse ''to authorize the cutting OF
timber. the manufacture and sale OF
lumber, and the preservation OF the
forests on the Menominee Indian he
servation in the state of Wisconsin
has passed House and Senate, was
signed by the president today, and is
now law. 1t is presumed that the
government will promptly cause to be
built, equipped and operated three
sawmils-one large permanent struc-
ture on the railroad in the center OF
the reservation, two smaller portable
mills at suitable sites. The lumber,
lath. shingles, bolts, pulpwood and
other marketable material manu-
factured will be sold to the highest
and best bidder for cash, net proceeds
TO be deposited in the United States
treasury to the credit of the Menoml-
nee tribe AS far as practicable none
but Indians shall be employed. in or
profit by these operations. Inc
Forestry Service is to take especial care
of the building of roads, improvement
of streams, and perpetuating of trees
in this forest. The advanced method
of forestry to be attempted under the
foregoing law must now bespeak lts
own expediency and merit after-a fair
trial.
Mr.. Cushman, of Washington State,
remarked yesterday: 1.-The forest re-
serve and its so called problems touch
closely those of US who live in the far
western States. Ny friend, the dis
tinguished gentleman from Iowa Nr.
Hepburnl, compla ms somewhat be-
cause those of US who live in the West
should assume to have particular
interest in this proposition. Why
should not we be interested in 1t? L
will say to the Members OF this House
that the forest. reserve problem is a
little like the smallpox, in way II
is thought the most of by people who
do not have it. +"
Vesper, Wood County. Wis, is TO
have improved mail facilities in very
short while. Congressman Morse upon
petition of residents of that town, has
used good his offices with the Postotfice
Department to establish mail station
at Vesper, with the Wisconsin Central
R'y. Co., as the transportating medi-
um. The department has called up
on the Central people to establish and
perform the service. The only hitch
at present is in regard to mileage
charges for carrying this mail, a
matter which is certain to be adj
justed.
What is Stock Gamble? Senasor