The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1892-07-16
ho TimeS-MOuntaineer
SATURDAY -. JULY l6, 1892
STATISTICS OF CRIME.

The admirably compiled statistics
of prisoners from the year 1890, col,
lected by the Wardens' association of
the United States and Canada, says
the Chicago Inter Ocean. reveal some
conditions not only wholly unexpected
by the genera public, but Numerically
opposed to the belief of the general
public.
The belief Of the general public is
that the pursuit of agriculture tends
to innocence, but the statistics of pri-
sons show that the percentage of Grim
inals is greater among the agricultural
class than among people employed in
trade and transportation or in mining,
manufacturing and mechanical pur-
suits. The percentage of persons en-
gagged in agriculture was, BY the census
of 1880. 44.1O of the whole popula-
tion; the percentage of persons en-
gagged in agriculture who were con-
victed of crime sufficiently heinous to
merit imprisonment in 3S of the peni-
tentiaries Of the States and territories
was 1927. But, while tie percent
age. in relation to population, Of per-
sons engaged in mining, manufactur-
ing and mechanical pursuits was % Of,
the percentage of such persons con-
victed of crime was but 6.55. Which
is to say that, while the agricultural
population is hardly double that en-
gagged in mines, manufactures and
mechanics the criminal population
from agricultural sources Is nearly two
and half times as great. The agri-
cultural population is not quite four
times as great as that engaged in trade
:. and transportation, but the number OF
agricultural convicts is nearly five times
as great. These are astonishing fig
ures.
But 1t is from that class of popula-
ton known in all census records as
apersonal and professional, ,"the walters,
BARRIERS, body servants, lawyers, doc
tors and preachers, that the largest
percentage of criminals is recruited.
These people form less than one-fourth
of the population of the country and
evolve nearly three-fourths OF the
crime. The exact percentages are
23.42 in relation to total population
and 1900 in relation to total number
Of prisoners for crime. This class is,
on the whole, we'll educated.
Another surprise awaits us in the
discovery that the illiterate form
comparatively small part of the Grim
inal population, being but about 10
per cent among white prisoners and
only 1856 among all prisoners.
OF 1850 committed to the 38 peni-
tentiaries where statistics were avail
able by the Warden's association, but
2 1882 were colored, which certainly is
not bad showing for the race; l,S5l
were of foreign birth. During the
year under notice the Rusk peniten
tiary, of Texas, contained 3Sl white
and IA colored prisoners, while the
Gatesville prison, in the same State
had Al whites to "a colored. Mlssis'
aapi, South Carolina, Louisiana
4skansas and Alabama furnished nc
statistics of their prison population
nor do either of the Virglnias.
OF 1852 male prisoners 6,69l wers
persons who never had been married
1888 were married at the time oi
their conviction, 81 were widowers
and 81 were divorced persons. Thi
would seem to indicate that marriage
is conservator CT morals.
OF the 1850 prisoners of both sexes
inmates of 80 prisons in the states AM
territories, only 227 were women. o
whom 80 were colored. These figure
indicate that. despite Of the facilitie
for divorce, the excitements of moderl
life, and the growing freedom Of tn
sex from traditional restraints, tn
standard of womanly virtue is as big
as in the days when stShe stayed a
home and span her woop was a wo