Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1909-03-08

1t is conservatively estimated that
there is an army of at least 100000
tramps in the United States. This
figure is caluculated by taking as a
basis the number of tramps killed
on the railroads every year and null
tiplying it by the proportion of train
men killed in the year compared to
the total number of train men en-
ployed. But it is entirely probable
that the number at present reaches
nearer 100000 than 100000. The
recent industrial depression added
large accessions. Reports from rail-
way agents throughout the country
show that never in the history OF the
railroads was so large a number of
tramps met with.
A large proportion are youths rang
ing from sixteen to twenty-one years
of age. Beginning with a yearning
for adventure, about one-half quit the
nomadic life and return home, or set
become inveterate tramps and gradu-
ally tend from vagrancy into Ca
reer of crime or semi-crime. A very
large percentage of tramps, however,
are adults, and comprise every species
from men VINO will not VIOLA or VINO
have become chronically untitled for
work, to those who are innocent vic
tins of downright adversely.
Bot hthe charitable societies and
the railroad corporations have long
desired some practicable method of
dealing effectively with all aspects of
the tramp problem. If it could be
done the charitable societies would
be relieved of a burdensome drain
upon their time and resources, and
railroads would benefit by the stop
page of the great losses and annoy
ances to which they have been SUBJ
jected, while from humanitarian
standpoint the tramp would be given
an opportunity to regain his stand
ing in society. Hitherto all expert
ments have failed. The committing
of the tramp as a vagarant to the
wOrkhOuse or Jail is of course, an
old method. More recent expedients
are the municipal lodging houses and
work yards run by charitable So
cieties. These, while of some effect,
have been utterly impotent, consid-
ering the problem as a whole.
The charitable societies and the
railroads believe that they have at
last come upon a plan which is quite
certain to prove effacious. This
plan is transplanting, with certain
notifications suitable to American
conditions, of the tramp colony idea
already in force in Holland, Belgium,
and Switzerland. Since the institut-
ing Of these colonies vagrancy has
been unknown in those countries, and
although they have certain features
which cannot well be adopted in this
country, the general plan of these
European experiments will be fol-
lowed.
These are to be places of compul-
sorry detention. Magistrates are to
have the full power of fixing the dur
alton of sentence, although no SEN
tence is to exceed two years. Any
inmate will be able to get parole
upon giving proofs of good behavior
and if the trustees are convinced that
he will not violate the law. But If
any tramp attempts to escape from
the colony in which he is confined,
he is to be subject to a 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 industri-
al features to the agricultural. Com
petition with free labor will be strict
ly avoided. Waste land will be re-
claimed and cultivated as truck gar
dens. 1t is believed that the large
cities are able to absorb so much pro-
duce that these gardens will not in
terfere with the trade Of small farm
ers. Probably the entire product of
the colonies may be supplied to state
institutions. Every inmate is to be
paid for his labor, and the cumula-
tive amount given to him when he is
released. This compensation, it is
provided, shall be based upon the Pc
culinary value Of the work performed,
and "also on the willingness, indus
try, and good conduct" of the in