Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 February 1878 — Tramp Legislation. [ARTICLE]

Tramp Legislation.

An effort is to be made in New York, as well as in M tryland and some other States, to suppress the tramp evil. A bill for that purpose has been introduced in the New York a Assembly by a Mr. Robertson. It provides for the appointment of a State Superintendent of County Workhouses. It makes it the duty of the Superintendent (who is to be subordinate to the State Board of Charities) to rent buildings in the several counties, such as may be required for the confinement and employment of vagrants. It makes him the judge of the kinds of employment to which they shall be put, and directs him to regard the interests of the vagrants in respect to morals, and the acquirement of habits of industry. When any workhouse is ready for the reception Of guests it is his duty to notify the various magistrates of the judicial department within which the workhouse is situated of the fact, and to furnish them with blank forms for the commitment of tramps. It requires the magistrates to sentence persons convicted of vagrancy under existing or future laws to labor in the workhouse for not more than three nor less than six months for the first offense; for not less than six nor more than twelve months for the second, and for an indefinite time for the third or any subsequent offense. Further, the bill provides that the vagrant shall be allowed fair compensation for his work at the qxpiration of his term. Arid, still furUier, H provides that, in order to-avoid needless competition with labor,"rihe,vagraaitesJMdlnot be hired but toprfvftteembtoyers/but shall be set at some, kind of public work.

The Springfield Republican did not put in any black rules when Mr. Bowles died. It is good to see that this antiquated style of expressing grief is passing away. Nothing is more horrible or in worse taste than a newspaper with its column rules upside (town. fytuiaville Courier*J<iurnal..