The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1886-10-08
THE COST OF CRIME.
MAGNITUDE OF THE BURDEN THE
NATION HAS TO CARRY.

Some Comparative statistics-The Ma
tiOnal Debt and the Estimated Value
of vice-Additi nal Data-A Few
Words to the Wise.
No doubt there are many who think that
interest In the care of the criminal and the
unfortunate Is an idle sentiment, more credit
able to the heart than to the head of him who
feels It, or at least that this is u matter with
which mon in ordinary life have no concern.
The growth of spirit of indifference to tho
| whole subject is promoted by our system of
local self-government and divided authority.
II the budgets for the support of institutions
devoted to the care of these classes could be
consolidated, and the actual amount of the
drain upon the people Of the country which
they involve were known, popular interest in
them would receive a sudden impulse It is
pitiable to think that human nature is so gross
that financial considerations have more weight
than any other. But inasmuch rs dollars and
cents are universal language, ineligible to
everybody, we will try to give our readers
some idea of the magnitude of the burden
which the nation has to carry, by reducing it
to money standard.
SOME STARTLING FIGURES.
-Four hundred and fifty thousand insane,
idiotic, deaf, blind pauper or criminal in
habitants of the United States cost, for their
annual maintenance, probably not less, on
the average, than sl75 each, directly or in
directly, or let us say s75,OOO,OOO in the ag-
gregate. Seventy-fve million dollars is a,
per capita tax of S.50 on every man,
woman and child in America, which we pay
almost without our knowledge. At 3 per
s, l., ,n<,,
what is S2,5O0,0O0,000! When the census of
1880 was taken the national debt of the
United States was 81, 120, 4l5370 The invest
ment in the debt did not equal the perma-
nent investment in misfortune and crime
represented in the returns of the defective,
dependent and delinquent classes.
The total permanent investments by the
railroad corporations, including construction,
equipment, lands, stocks, bonds, telegraph
lines, ETC., were S., 1872 45,S06. Our invest
ment in crime and misfortune was about half
of that in railroads. The amount invested in
railroads is about equivalent to the valuation
of the yearly products OF manufacturers
which was reported at S5,3G9,579l9 Were
onc-half of ell the moneys received by manu-
facturers in any single year to be set apart as
a special fund for the care of the criminal and
unfortunate, and invested at 3 per cent, the
whole of the interest received would be alb
sorbcd. The value of farm products is not
quite half that of manufactured articles; it
is 50, Al, 53S, 65S The whole of the farm
products of the United States for one year
would not be more than sufficient for the
creation of the fund suggested.
ADDITIONAL DATA.
The assessed valuation of the state OF New
in II ta,
than the amount of capital required for the
care of our unfortunatcs and criminals. The
assessed value of the six New England
states was s2,652,OO0,O00. All of New Eng
land, with her cities, her mills and her banks,
would not be more than enough to appro-
pirate to this special purpose, if the capitaliza
ton of this expenditure were necessity.
And yet the men who see these relations are
dreamers, while those who shut their eyes to-
them are not. The world esteems and APP
plauds him who shows it how to add to its
gains by increased receipts from agriculture
or the mechanic arts, or by diminished charges
for doing the business. But it has no word
of commentator and no hand of help for the
man who points out that further element
must be taken into the calculation before the
balance is struck between gain and losses,
that the stoppage of the leak occasoned by
the growth of classes of the population who
are, to large extent, incapable of self sup
port might prove to he fresh source of in
come. Such reasoning is too remote and cir
cuitous; it is visionary and with that word
it is dismissed. But why should students pore
over tables of figures on every other subject
under heaven and neglect this, which lies so
much nearer to the life of humanity! Is it
nothing to seek to improve the efficiency and
economy of necessary but painful service!
to labor for the mitigation of suffering. to
assuage where we cannot cure? and to hunt
for means of preventing the spread of the
contagion Of grief. -Internationa Record.