New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-07
CRIlfE IN 1SQ0.

Two of the census bulletins which Superln-
tendent Porter has been issuing since his statlS-
tics were gathered have dealt with the convict
population. their number and nativity, and the
length of the sentences they are serving This
imnortant subject will be completed so far as
the bulletin announcements are concerned, so
soon as the nature of the crimes proven against
the cOnvicts and the relation of sentences to
offences have been aScertained Undoubtedly
MANY suggestions as to legislation and prison
management will be found in the facts and
figures set forth by Mr.. Porters experts. those
already given out are Of decided value. They
are not. however, reaSsuring. They indicate
considerable increase in crime and they tremen-
dousy enforce the necessity for discrimination
in the classes of foreigners who shall be per-
mtted to come into our society. In 1880 the
number of conyicts actually under sentence IN
the United States was 35,53S, or 7O9 IN each
million of the population, while in 1880 1t Is
45.233, or 1872 in each million. In other
words, with an increase Of 24.S6 per cent In
the total population there was an increase OF
27.2S per cent in the convict class. We admit
that these figures are merely suggestive. They
proye nothing An enumeration to-day might
show a different result, as, of course, the num-
Der of persons in prison continually fiuctuates'
1t is possible, too that the prison class may
largely increase while serious crime greatly de-
creased. Further investigations into the census
records will throw more light on this matter
So far as the facts appear however, they are
disquieting.
So, too, is the relation of immigration to
crime OF the 45, 233 prisoners IN confinement
in 1890, 1867 were colOred, 7,267 were for
eign-born, 1854 were native but OF foreign
parents 1.747 were native but with one parent
foreigner. and only 1882 were white natives
of native parentage. There can be no doubt
that the native white population OF native
parentqge is greater than the colored pOpua-
tion. the foreign-bOn and that of immediate
foreign extraction combined, and yet of the
present prison inhabitants those who are col
ored number 1867, those who are OF foreign
birth or parentage number 14725, while the
native whites of native extraction number only
13.715. The total immigration of America
since the foundation of the Government has
amounted to about 15,0O0,0O0 nearly half
coming within the last ten years. The
total col3red population is less than 100000,
and the population of the Nation is nearly
GO. 900. coo. These figures plainly indicate the
direction in which our effort for the prevention
and suppression of crime should be directed.
Bad immigration can be cut off. If it con-
tinucs to find entry and to burden lis with the
bui ding ana maintenance of prisons, poor
houses and courts, we have only ourselves to
blame. For such criminal tendencies as exist
among the negroes, we, as Nation, are mainly
responsible. We brought them here, and for
three centuries we did all we could to keep them
ignorant and british. 1t is true that 14,6S7
convic.s drawn from 5000, 900 colored people
is large proportion when compared with
1915 drawn from probably 40, 100000 native
whites, but it is infinitely small when the hor-
ribe devices to which we reSOrted to make them
criminal are recalled. Our present duty is to
afford them as great an opportunity as we can
for education and industrial occupation. If we
restrain immigration and throw open school
houses to the coored people, the criminal Stats
tics of the next census will be pleasanter read
ing than are the bulletins before US.