Year: 1879

subject-"Tramp Act' and its Effects.


lDeliVered "a at the meeting of the laboring men,


heio IN the Fair Ground, Sept. 9th, 1871


MIR. CHAIRMAN:-I have been re-


quested by those calling this meeting


and who have it in charge, to discuss a


certain law enacted by the Legislature


OF Ohio. And [ am requested that nv


remarks should not be of a political


nature, any more than possible.


will first read the law. | don't know


what the views of others are concern
ing this law, and | don't care. am
requested to give my own views and
opinions, and that is what I will give.


He here read the law.


SECTION !; Be it enacted by the General AS
lives or has his home, who is found going about
begging and asking subsistence by charity,
shall De taken and deemed to be tramp.
SEC: 2 That any tramp that shall enter any
dwelling mouse, or shall enter the yard or en-
closure about any dwelling house against the
will or without the permission of the owner or
occupant thereof and shall not when requested,
fnnnd ieave such place, or shall be
weapons, or shall do or threaten to do any in
Jf Jury 10 me real or personal estate or property
imprisoned In the penitentiary not less than
one year nor more than three years.


SEC. A. That any person, upon view of the
offense described in this act, may apprehend
the IN offender, and take him before justice of
tne peace Tor examination.


SEC 4. This act shall not apply to any female
or blind person.


SEC. 5. This act shall take effect and be in
force from and after the first day OF July, 1879.


This is the law | am requested to
speak of. [ am opposed to it and
favor its repeal, because,


l. 1t is unnecessary.


2. 1t is tyrannical, and,


3. 1t disgraces labor, and points the
finger OF seorn at the poor man.


1t IS disgrace to the State [ won't
say anything about who voted for it,
or who voted against it, but | will
speak of the man who introduced it
in the Legislature. 1t was intro
duced in the Senate by a man named
Owens. He is Democrat. He was
poor man and married rich woman,
and became proud and fool. The
law is an outrage on humanity. | am
not talking politics. If a Democrat
voted for it | would like to have him
pointed out. Now, let US look at the
law. All that is necessary is for you
w uC POoIs W NC OuU VI Guc COuuGy,
and hunting work, no money in your
pocket, and get hungry; go to house
and tell your story, and ask for
piece Of bread or something to eat,
and any human being who sees you,
or hears you ask for something to eat
can prosecute you and send you to the
Penitentiary from one to three years


1t is unnecessary, uncharitable, and
inhuman. You all know how the
times have been in the last few years.
You know how many were in search
of work. Some of you We're. You
would ask for bread. | would give it
if | had it. So would you. Since
July 1st for asking for bread the SEN
tence is one year in the penitentiary


What is tramp? The 1st Section
of the law tells. Anybody out of
money and asking charity, and he
may be arrested. The person of whom
he asks may arrest him.


You go to a house and ask if you
can come in. They answer yes, and
ask you what you want. You tell
them you are hungry and want bread,
or ask bed to sleep in. They say,
Get out of here If you insist on
getting a bite to eat it is peniten-
tiary offense.


The law is unnecessary. 1t speaks
of carrying firearms. Now we see
every term of the court some foolish
boy or somebody punished for carry
ing firearms. We have got laws for
that. IF anybody threatens to do an
injury to your person or property,
we've got laws to punish him-the
peace warrant law. IF you insult a
woman, attempt to commit rape,
robbery, or burglary, we have had
laws years and years to punish you.
Who is tramp? Any person poor
enough to beg. 1t is mean thing
for person to beg who is able to sup
port himself But what harm is it ?
| wouldn't think of sending him to
the penitentiary. [ live on the road
on the railroad side. | have lived
there long time. Many men who
are passing, come in and ask for some
thing to eat, and [ always divided. If
they are hungry it is my religion to
give them something. One day men
stopped there. They had been to John
Longs. They didn't know Long, but
pointed to where they had been. They
were eating something. They said
Long had given three of them some
thing, but that the other two had not
had anything. | gave them some
thing. They might have had money.
Why send them to the penitentiary?
This law was prompted by brutal men
without any humanity. l have read
the Good Book, and learned in it to
give aims and help the needy. | am
not religious, and | hope Mackley
won t throw it up to me. Religion
teaches charity. You can not find