Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-02-03
INTERESTING EXHIBIT OF THE RELA-
F1oN OF ILLIrEs ACV 70 CRIME.

TON OF ILLIrEs ACv 70 CRIME.
A recent statistical report made in France
presents some showings that are interest
ing in the light of the generally accepted
doctrine in this country that the relation
between crime and education is found in
the increase of the former in almost exact
proportion TO the absence or deeadence OF
the latter. Here, however, come French
statisticians with precisely opposite exhib-
its. According to their figures 26, 600 per-
sons of the class wholly illiterate in that
ccantry furnish five criminals; %, 900 Of
the class able to read and write furnish six
criminals; %, 00o of the class favored with
superior instruction furnish more than
fifteen criminals. The conclusion drawn ia
that the increase of crime is in
direct ratio with the amount of in
struction received that in the de-
partments in which instruction Is
most disseminated" crime is greatly
more prevalent. In other words, that
morality is in inverse ratio with instruc.
ton. Lastly, that relapse into crime is
much greater among the instructed than
the non-instructed portion of the commu.
nifty. This statement flies in the face of
the theory here maintained that popular
education is preventive of crime. In other
words, that iliiteracy and ignorance are
companions of moral degeneracy. We
cannot yield to the statistics quoted and
the conclusions drawn, until we are given
all the details of the method employed in
gathering them, the conditions of the
taking, the statistics of the occupations
and residences of the people, the educa.
tional methods under which the superior
instruction" referred to was dissent
mated" etc. In short, we must have de-
tailed and explicit information of all, and
the exact factors of the statistical situation,
in order to arrive at an independent judg.
ment.
For instance, we must be informed
whether the French statisticians In their
calculations have included suicide, treating
it as crime, for it is a fact that in Swift
zerlaId, which is nearly free from illit-
eracy, there are l96 suicides to every
1000, 600 of population in the United
States, where the percentage of illiteracy
| is 20, the ratio of suicides is but 40 to
every 100000 of population. So in
Prussia: nearly free from illiteracy, the
ratio is l34 whereas, in England, the de-
gree OF illiteracy being 80, the ratio is 70.
Now, in France, according to MN. Brone
and De Lisle, who are unquestioned authori
ties, the diffusion of education and gen.
eral intelligence increases the ratio Of
suicides" The Department du Nord, first
in intelligence, has the greatest number Of
suicides, or so per cent. of all that occur
in the republic, while in the departments
where there is the lowest degree of intel
ligence, there is also the lowest rate o.
self.destruction.
There is some consolation in the exhibit
| quoted, however, as it stands, and that il
found in the partial reply it constitutes tt
the able argument of Professor Winchell
that the scheme of universal suffrage is
failure, because as intelligence is the high
est development of modern civilization
and ignorance it's lowest manifestation,
therefore to secure the best results in 9
government by people the right of suf
frage should be confined to the intelligent
classes, as they are best fitted to give and
preserve for us a pure government. It is
true that the Professor couples virtue with
intelligence throughout in his argument
and which, by the way, is one of the boldesi
and most advanced of modern times-but
how will he account for the fact, said to BIZ
established by the French statistics, that
intelligence and virtue are not concomi
tants, of necessity, but have there shown
repulsion for each other, SO far as crimi
nal returns enable judgment to be formed