The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-03-09

in drawing up a bill which has been
introduced in the legislature That
this bill will become law. II not
at this session of the legislature.
eventually. is regarded as certain
The measure appropriat,s three.quar.
ters of million dollars to establish
three tramp colonies. one near New
York City the second in the neighbor.
hood OF Albany and the third in the
vicinity Of Buffalo. Part OF this fund.
1t is proposed. will be used in buying
sufficient areas of waste lanf for
the colonies, and the remainder for
the erection Of necessary buildings.
who shall constitute a board OF trus.
tees of labor colonies. and who are
To serve without pay This provision
is intended 10 obviate purely polite.
al appointments ard 10 secure compo.
tent officials These colonies. the bin
sets forth. are TO be devoted TO the
detention. reformation and instruH
tion of persons convicted Of vagran-
cy habitual drunkenness and viola
tion Of section i2G OF the penal code.
This c'iou. IT may be- notpl. is the
particular one covering ofcnscs
against railroads. such as theft. tres.
passing and other crimes All three
colonies are TO be- places of compul.
sorry detention MagisJrat are To
have the fun power OF fixing the du-
ration %. sentence. although no sen
tence Is to exceed two years Any
inmate will br able to get parole
upon giving proofs of good behavior
ard If the trustees are convinced that
he will not violate the law But
II any tramp attempts to escape from
the colony in which he is confined.
he is to b. subject TO term in state
prison for period Of from one to
three years
The colonies are TO be more agri.
cultural than Industrial The aim will
be- TO subordinate the industrial fca.
tur 10 the agricultural. Competition
with free labor will be- strictly avoid.
ed Waste LAM will be- reclaimed and
cultivated a. truck gardens II is
believed that the larger cities are
able To absorb 50 much produce that
these gardens will not interfere with
the trade of small farmers Prob.
ably the entire product of the colo.
MES may be supplied TO state iustitu.
tions Every inmate is to he paid for
his labor aud the cumulative amount
given him when he is released This
compensation. it Is provided shall
be based upon the pecuniary value
OF the work performed and "also on
the Willingness, industry and good
conduct OF the inmate. In place OF
other penalties and punishments the
superintendent OF each colony Is en-
powered to maintain system OF
fines to be imposed at his discretion
Any tramp who violates the terms
Of his conditional release IS to for
felt all that he has earned.
one of the most important provi
sions Is that allowing the trustees tC
/ appoint as adviser any person VIII,
/ has acted in the same capacity it
any similar institution outside of thD
/ United States. In Europe numbe
of tramp colonies ara in successful
| operation, and it Is the intention t,
engage an expert from one OF them I,
initiate a similar system here. NJ
Edmond Kelly, who for years ha
been studying these European cole
MES and has personally visited al
of them, SAYS that III American lee
islatures were TO take the matter i
hand vaeaondage and all its attent
ing evils would disappear like magi
from Americai soil-as it has a
ready disappeared in Holland, Belg
um and switzerland, and not onl
have labor colonies rid the street
and highways of tramps in Hollan
and Belgium but they have don
so mcXpensiyely in Switzerland