The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1909-06-30
THE TRAMP PROBLEM

drawn the attention of this section
very forcibly to the tramp problem.
Entirely too little is being done to
solve this question. The Muscatine
Journal said of Junken. "the move
ment to keep Junken from the gall
lows, should have commenced a num-
Der of years ago."
The attempts to control or to stop
entirely this drifting. shiftless. men,
acing element of our population, has
been much too local and too trivial
to deserve mention as a serious at
tempt to solve the problem. Simply
making the tramps move on, is no So
luton, for while Denison shoves its
undesirables on to Carroll, Carroll is
showing other undesirables on to Den
ison, and odds are even. The occa-
sional rock pile serves only to divert
the steam of nomads, not to stop it.
We believe it would be distinctly
worth while, now when we are holding
Congresses to consider Dry Farming
and Dry Waterways and Universal;
Peace. that we should have a confer
ence on the Tramp question and set
some bright minds at work to provide
a National remedy.
Tramps and brakemen are sworn
enemies. Az a rule the brakeman
has it all his own way, but once in q
while some wretch shoots in the dark
ness and life is ended. The trouble
arises from the fact that, too many
brakemen encourage. rather than dis
courage. this box car passenger traffic.
Just as some passenger conductors en-
courage the payment of cash fares, SO
do some brakemen regard the pickingl
from the tramps as their perquisites.
It is said by those who pretend te
know. that many brakemen make thei,
board and incidental expenses by
shaking down. the buns. In order
to maintain this petty graft, those
who do not pay must be Imam
handled" as warning to others. TIT
brakeman who does this sort of bust
ness places himself in a position wher'
the very tramps can look down on him
They are simply beating soulles
corporation which they owe no tavors
the dishonest brakeman is connivini
to beat his employer. an employee
who is paying him good wages to pro
tect the property of the road and t
prevent such q dangerous class of mel
from jeopardlizng property and de
frauding the company. Going still
farther back. however, the fault liel
with the railroads. They should no
expose their employees to such temp
tation to graft, or to such danger from
wreckless humanity. No train shout,
be allowed to leave the big terminal
like Council Bluffs until it has bee
thoroughly searched by the train crew
and yard police. and all buns an
hobose driven from it. At interval
along the line. trains should b.
searched. by parties strong enough t
repel any ordinary attack. Further
any brakeman found to be PERSISTENT
conniving at this underground passen
ger traffic should be discharged. Con
creted action along this line on tn
part of our railroads would not onl
save them large amounts in propert
stolen or destroyed through careless
but 1T would largely solve the tram
problem and incidentally save til
lives of some brakemen every year.
While it is true that the recer
murder has placed this problem befor
us. it is also true that nothing v
have said should be taken as havin
reference to this particular cast
either as an excuse for the atrocior
crime that was committed or as II
Election upon. the man whose life wa
forfeit to the careless indifference
with which our government treats I'll
submerged tenth.