The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-13

and the good who are conscientiously labor
ing for the benefit of mankind, the more
important is il for those to investigate these
subjects, who are charged with the RESPONSE
ble duty of making laws for the people.
Liberal expenditures of the money of the
public are justified by the promise of sub
stsntial benefits society in the future is to re-
ceive for this outlay, but wisdom suggests
that such liberality should only be authorized
after thorough investigation of the means
by which those objects and results to be
attained. To do this effectively involves a
philosophical examination of the social struc-
ture and its defects, errors, evils, vices,
crimes, and their causes, and that which
would tend to remove or change them, and
the most reasonable correctives or remedies.
Legislation which may tend to prevent
crime is more necessary than that which only
Furnishes its commission. If imperfect sys-
TENS Of education, ill-digested plans for pub
lie charity, narrow and injudicious admins
tration of correctional or preventive agencies,
or those abuses which result from public or
private contributions for meritorious objects,
but which too often pauperize without aiding
their recipients, can be shown to exist, then
legislation is needed to correct such evils
II is assumed as impossible that there can
be two different standards of integrity, one
of which governs the private citizen, but has
DO control over public action.
convicts in this penitentiary; 113 were illite-
rate, 121 could spell and read. 4Ol could
read and write, and ~ had a good education.
OF these 647, 1913 had parents living, 1919
parents dead, 50 fathers living, 155 mothers
living.
In the year 1870 there was total of 953
convicts in this penitentiary, of whom 265
were unable to read. There were 315 con-
victs received during 1S70 of these 81 we're
write.
OF these 315 convcts, 100 had parents
living 94 parents dead, 40 fathers and ~
mothers living.
Of the 315 prisoners received during 1870,
164 were born in the State, 6S we're natives
Of other States, and SO were foreigners.
1t will he conceded, after an examination
of the foregoing statements, limited as they
are to the very small number of individuals
sent to this prison, that a similar statement
comprising the population of the State would
be of great value. Reliable returns could be
obtained from all the Justicas of the Peace in
Pennsylvania of the whole nunber of arrests
of persons charged with criminal offenses,
the crime charged, and the dis position by the
justices of these cases. By the records of the
courts of each county in the State it will ap-
pear how many of these cases were returned
by the justices to court for trial, how many
were acquitted by the jury, how many we're
convicted, and the sentence of the court in
each case. 1t would require comparatively
little trouble to ascertain the ages of these
! persons, and whether they had gone to school
OF had learned a trade.
From these returns the Legislature would
be enabled to consider the important subject
| Of establishing county prisons for first
offenses and short sentences of the young
offenders also the effect of imprisonlng such
| at their homes, or domicil, or where the
| offense was committed Sentencing such to
State penitentiary, and placing on them in
their youth, the character of convict, when it
may be that the intention to commit crime
and the opportunity of committing it we're
| not prevented from coming in contact for
want of discretion, might then be open to
grave question.
In 1850 the total population of Pennsyl.
vania was 231I 7S6. OF these 1865 were in
sane and 1882 idiotic. There we're 9606 pub
lie schools, colleges, and private schools and
academies in the State, at which 440, 74t
pupils were in attendance, as by census of the
wear. The same census reports, however
That the whole number of youth attending
school was 5O4, ,61O, and that 1922 adults
could not read and write.
BY the census of 1860 the total population
of the State is given at 9, 2,9O6, 215; of these
2760 were insane and 1912 idiotic. By the
census of 1870 the population of the State
| appears to be 3,5l5, ,99z.
BY the State Report of Pennsylvania i
appears that in 1870 the number of schoo
districts in the State was 2002; the numbe
of schools, 14,212; the number of pupils
S2S, S91; the average number of pupils
555, ,941, at q total cost of 7,771, 761 20.
From advance sheets of the late census j
appears that there are 1872 schools in th'
State, with 355, 796 male and $50, 776 femal
pupils. Income received from tax alone
S5,547, ,OO4; received from public funds
1856, 124. There are 541 private schools
with 81, SAT male and 20, 669 female pupils
There are POS colleges and academies, wit
|. Is, 1O6 male and 6770 female pupile. Tots
population of Pennsylvania by first enumers
ton, 3, ,499, 24S; by second count, 3,5l5, 99S
The report of the inspectors then present
a number of interesting schedules and state
ments, showing the relation of crime to ignC
rance as evinced by the convicts for the pas
ten years.
The inspectors say that, owing to the recer
establishment of the Communication law, the
can as yet form no opinion as to its usefu
ness.
: The inspectors call attention to the fa
a that very long terms of imprisonment a.
5 now frequently imposed, and express IL
: belief that time is no true element in punis
!, ment by imprisonment.
It During the year but fourteen persons wei
i pardoned-none for ill-health or insanity, b
n all for special reasons. The inspectors OF
y attention to the benefits of the separate co
o fnement system as beneficial to the convic
l. and most economical 10 the State. In su
p port of this the inspectors compare the ST
?, tstics of the aggregate system as exhibit
) III the Massachusetts prison and the statlsti