Year: 1877

Among the papers read at the present session
OF the American Social Science Association was
one upon =" Tramps, prepared by Prot Francis
Wayland OF ale College. La the subject the
public generally feels a strong concern, and il
is treated in an interesting manner by Prof.
Wayland. HIS definition of a tramp il an
able bodied person without home and with
out occupation who is unwilling to labor" his
first conclusion is that tramp is vicious per Sc,
and that his class ls the embodiment of grave
social evil requiring vigorous treatment. We
have not the space to follow the essayst into
bis statement OF reasons FOR regarding ali
tramps az dangerous certainly he makes his
case, fortified with facts and by the results OF
police experience in Great Britain and on the
continent, strong one. The instances OF ID
voluntary beggary are in fact so few, and the
step from reluctant alms asking TO professional
mcndicancy is go short one, that Prof. Way
land lie undoubtedly justified in treating the
whole question of vagrancy and its position as
II summed up in the case OF the tramp. His
conception OF an adequate remedy for the evil
is as follows


He would substitute state action for that OF
the localities, as being cheaper and moro eff
cient, and gives his approval to plan already
drawn up by the New York Board OF Charities,
length. Its main features are these: Each
judicial district should have 3 workhouse con-
trolled by board Of seven managers, who
should serve without compensation. We now
quote from Prof. Wayland's paper. as follows:


The members are TO open an account with
all vagrants duly committed by the local magis-
trates to the warehouses; in their respective
districts, charging them with all the expenses
incurred by the managers for their hoard and
maintenance, and credting them with fair
and reasonable compensation for the labor per-
formed by them. and at the expiration OF their
term OF sentence, paying to them at the time
OF their discharge. The so-called Z" contract
system is strictly prohibited, and no person
is to be allowed to oversee the labor of the IN
mates who is not employed and paid by the
managers.


So coon as the workhouse in any district shall
be prepared to receive inmates il shall be the
duty OF the justices OF the peace police justices,
or other magistrates OF such district (any law
to the contrary Notwithstanding. to sentence
and commit all persons convicted OF being va
grants under any existing or future Jaw OF this
State, whether such law shall apply to the
whole State, or to any special country thereof
within which said person shall be convicted, to
the workhouse Of the judicial district in which
such conviction shall take place. for term not
less than ninety days or more than six months
on the first conviction, and for g term not ess
than six months or more than one year on
second or any subsequent conviction.


1t is further proposed that the workhouse
buildings shall be hired for that purpose, so
that as the evil OF vagrancy diminishes they
may be given up. and careful regulations are
outlined for the entire separation Of the sexes.


The Yale professor unquestionably does not
overrate the importance of devising some reme-
dy for the growing q tramp" evil bis recon-
mendations ought to form the basis OF gener.
al discussion OF the subject.