Lansing

Lansiso, May 23, 187U. ]5y fot most important legislation of the past week, if not of tl ie session, was the passage of the tramp bill, which, if rigidly enforced accordiug to the intent of the mover, will be far-reaching In its effects. Though not so stringent in its provisions as when it first passed the House.it is still. of a sweeping character and ought to materially check the growth of i nuisance 'which calis for strong measures. The following described persons are declared tramps within the meaningof the bill: All persons who shall come f rom any place without this State, or from any county, township, muneipality or place within this State, and have no legal settlement in the place in which they may be found, and live idle and without any employment, and refuse to work for the usual and commoirwages given to other persons for like work in the place where they are, and shall be found going about from door todoor, or place themselves in the streets or roadsto beg or to gather alms, and can give no reasonaole account of themselves or their business in such places. TENALTIES FOR TRAMPING. As the bill comprisea fourteen sections, giving in legal phraseology full details for the treatment of tramps, we can of course, in the limits of a paragraph give but a glimpse at its penalties. Section two provides that any tramp who shall ask from any overseer of the poor or from any other person, any food, clothing or lodging, or other assistance, may be required by such overseer of the poor in his discretion, to perfora a reasonable amount of labor in return for such food, clothing, or lodging furnished, and if he neglect or refuse, he shall, upon conviction, pay a fine of $10 and costs of prosecution, and in default of paymeut within 12 hours shall be punished by confinement in the county jail for a term not exceeding 30 days. Section three provides that any tramp who shall enter or attempt to enter any dwelling house or premises.against the will of the owner or the occupant or, having entered shall persist in remaining therein against the will of the owner or occupant. or shall kindie any lire in any outbuilding, school house or any other public or unoccupied building, or on the land of any person, without the consent of the owner or occupant and who shall threaten to in jure any person or the property of any person, shall upon conviction be punished by imprisonment in the county jail or State House of Correction for a term not exceeding one year, or by a fine not exceeding $100, together with the costs of prosecution. Section four provides that any tramp who shall willfully do any injury to any person or his property or who shall procure food, clothing or other property from any person, by threats or by force, shall be punished by conflnement at hard labor in the State Prison or State house of Correction for a term not exceeding ftve years, and not less than one year. Section six makes it the duty of sheriffs, deputy sheriff s, constables, marshals and justices of the peace to make complaints against tramps charged with violating any provisión of the bill. Sections seven and eight declare that any five or more tramps who shall congrégate together for the purpose of encouraging vagabondage, or for any other unlawful purpose, shall, on conviction, be punished by imprisonment at hard labor in the State Prison not to exceed two years, and that any tramp engaged in such assemblage may be prosecuted and convicted thereof alone, if it is alleged in the indictment of inf ormation, and proved at the trial, that flve or more tramps were engaged therein.and if known, they must be named; but if unknown, that fact must be alleged. Section nine reads : All poorhouses, county farms, houses of correction or other places which are or which may be hereafter erected for the keeping of the poor, are hereby declared to be workhouses for the purposes of this act ; and it is hereby made the duty of the officers having charge of said work houses to provide work for such persons, and to compel them to work therein when able, not less than 10 liours per day. Section eleven makes it the duty ot the keeper of any common jail, upon written request from the supervisor of any town, the president of any village, or the mayor of any city, in the county in which said conviction was had, to detail any tramps contined in said jail to such town, village, or city, in charge of an offieer, to work upon the highways or other public improvements ; such town, village or city to sustain any necessary expense in transporting such offieer and piïsoners to and from the place of labor. Any offieer having such tramps in charge while at labor as provided in this section, shall receive two dollars for each half day so employed, to be paid by the town, village, or city for whom such work is done. The bill now only awaits the Governor's signature to become a law. THE LIQUOIi. TAX BILL. Both Ilouses have finally agreed and passed the bill taxing the liquor traffic, the provisions of which were given in these letters some weeks ago. lt increases the tax on retail dealers in spirits to $200, on retail dealers in beer $64, and on wholesale dealers and brewers an advance of one-third over the present taxes. It requires that the tax shall be paid in advance, provides a penalty for selling without pre-payment, and increases the amount of the bonds to be given. Druggists will be obliged to give bonds that they will under no circumstances or by any ingenious evasions, sell liquor for a beverage, but will confine themselves strictly to a dispensatory use of spirits. Should the bill receive the Governor's approval, itwill go into effect September 1. MISCELLAXEOUS NOTES. After a prolonged debate yesterday ofternoon the House agreed to the Senate bill establishing a Reform School for girls, and passed it by a vote of 61 to 17. Governor Croswell has signed the Detroit boulevard bill, which, howeyer, by its terms, cannot become operative till after the flrst Monday in April, 1880. The Senate has also passed the bill authorizing Detroit to issue bonds for the purchase of Belle Isle. The House has passed the bill making appropriations for the State Fish Commission. It appropriates $10,000 for the next two years. As it passed the Senate it appropriated $15,500. The Senate has receded from its amendments to the Agricultural College bill, and the bill goes to the Governor as reported by the special committee in the House. The Senate has also receded from its last amendment to the kerosene oil bill, which will become a law as it was reported by the conference committee. Russia has one hundred legal holidays, and if it should become known to the colored people Kansas and its watermekius wouldn't be a circumstance in their minds. In Texas the wheat erop is reported to be a failure owing mamly to drouth. A IjETTKR OF RECOMMENDATION. - A young man in Kingston, K. Y.,being out of employment, recently requested of a former employer a letter of recommendation toa id him in securing a situation. The letter was written and handed to the applicant, who was totally unable to read it, as was every person to whorn it was shown. A friend advised him totake it toa printing office, where it could be deciphered as compositors are noted for being able to make out the worst specimens of writing. It was given#to compositors in varieus printing establishments, and in turn gtven up without being deciphered. At last, as a forlorn hope, it was given to the prescription elerk in a drug-store, who had the reputation oí' being able to read anything. The man of drugs took the paper.gazed at it long and thoughtfully, and linally seized an empty quart bottle, and hurried round the store, taking sonie fluids of various colors from sundry bottles, and flnally shaking the compound most vigorously. Then, handing it to the owner of the letter of recommendalion, he remarked to that much astonished individual, "Two dollarsand a very good cough mixture it is." At a wedding-breakfast a clumsy waiter contri ved to upset a tureen f uil of rich soup over the satin dress of a lady, Wiio took it to heart terribly, and threatened hysterics. "Don't worry, ma'am," said the vaiter kindly: "there's lots more soup in the kitchen."