The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-12-14
ILLITERACY IN THE UNITED
STATES.

lOi u SndTc Ol puDilC dlSchIiOhf VIZ
census reports regarding it having
been placed before the public. There
are some very curious features con-
nected with the reports, principal
among which is the. fact that IN
spite of the abolition of slaV'
cry and the general spread
of common free schools in all the
states, illiteracy has increased. The
illiterates above the age of ten years,
in 1880. were 4,923, 451 unable to read,
and 6,239,95S unable to write. The
number of persons above that age
unable to write in 1870 was 5.65S, IA.
The relation of illiteracy, therefore. to
population shows some decrease, while
absolute illiteracy has increased. An
attempt has been made to charge the
increase in illiteracy to foreign immi-
grafton. but this will not do as an ex-
PLANTATION. There is said to be con-
siderable illiteracy among the Ger
mans. but comparatively not so much
among the Irish. Since this general
illiteracy cannot be charged to immi-
grafton. the increase must be credited
almost wholly to natives. and here there
must be sharp lines of distinction
drawn between the different seer
tions. OF 4,6O1, 207 colored children
under 10 there are 3,220,S78, 70 per
cent, unable to write. By "colored
are meant negroes, Indians and China
men. This kind Of illiteracy includes,
among the colored people of New
Mexico 92.2 per cent, of Georgia SIG
per cent. of Alabama S06 per cent, of
Louisiana Ill per cent; of North Car
DINA ia per cent. The negroes, then,
furnish the great bulk of illiteracy in
the United States. OF 6.T4,61l for
eign-born whites, 763,620, or IL per
cent, are returned as unable to read
and write, and in this respect New
Mexico leads with 1873 per
cent, followed by Rhode Island
with 27.3 per cent. New Hamp-
shire with 1853 per cent,
Arizona with 26.8 per cent, Vermont
with 1856 per cent, Texas with PAT per
cent, Maine with 1877 per cent, and
Massachusetts, with 1915 per cent. In
New York the per centage of foreign
illiterates is 1875 per cent. in Wiscon-
sin 1913 per cent, while of colored il
literates in Massachusetts there are but
Isl per cent, against So per cent for
similar numbers in West Virginia
and 57.5 per cent in Delaware.
OF native whites it is found that
2,255, AGO are unable to write, among a
total of 25, TS5, 7S9. Again. New Mex
leo leads with 64.2 per cent, followed
by North Carolina with 31.7 per cent,
Tennessee with 27.8 per cent, Arkan-
sas with 25.5 per cent, Georgia with
23.2 per cent, Kentucky with 22.S per
cent and Florida with 30.7
per cent. There are very few
illiterates among the native whites of
Massachusetts,, per thousand; Con-
necticut, 10 per thousand; Nevada and
New Hampshire, IL per cent, while
Rhode Island reports 80 per cent,
Pennsylvania, 4.S per cent, and Della
ware 81 per cent. Illiteracy has alb
solutely increased in Alabama, Geor
gia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan
New Hampshire, Rhode Island and
South Carolina; it has absolutely de-
creased in Delaware, Maryland, Mis-
souri,, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio,
Pennsylvania and Virginia. The least
illiterate states are Iowa, "a per cent
unable to read, 3.9 unable to write;
Nebraska, 20 and SO; Maine. 2.5 and
4.3; Connecticut, AZ and 81; New
York. AZ and 5.5; while Massachusetts
5.3 and 6.5, ranks with Indiana, AS
and as. and below. Wisconsin, 4 and
So. The territories make a good
show, except New Mexico, 60.2 and
65, Aroma and the District of CO.
lumbia- The most illiterate states
are South Carolina, 1872 and 55.4,
Louisiana Alabama, Georgia and
Mississippi, all of which have oyer
40 per cent of their population illit
crate. 1t has increased in Texas,
owing to its great increase in popula-
ton A careful investigation demon
strates that Republicans cannot
afford to charge illiteracy to Demo-
crats.' the negroes. being almost al
together Republicans. give the Re
publican party, to start with
more than half the illiterates of the
country without considering the
white foreigners and natives. The
greatest amount of ignorance among
foreigners is found in the New Eng
land states, these being Republican. 1t
must be admitted that illiteracy
among the native whites of the south
prevails to an alarming extent, and
these are to be charged mostly to the
new concern inaugurated by Malone
and Speer and Chalmers and Wash
Jones and others of the same sort.
As stated. there are over six millions
of people under ten years of age una
BILE to write, and three millions of
these are whites, while over three
fourths of this number are native
born. 1t is a matter of especial
note that illiteracy is increasing
in the old states, and
not in the new. There is no state in
which the per cent of illiteracy among
negroes is not as much as fifteen per
cent Altogether there is too much
illiteracy, and when we reflect that the
common free school system has been
pushed in all the states the fact is
startling. What is to be done about
it is question for the statesmen of
the country to consider.
RENDER TO CESAR.
The Austin CORRESPONDENT of the