Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-07-21

Issued from the census bureau deals
with statistics of homicides in the
United States. 1t contains some in
formation that will set many good
/ people to asking themselves how far
certain reasonable presumptions are
borne out by the figures herein given.
For example, it is very often stated that
intemperance is the most prolific cause
of crime, yet these statistics show that
no less than 20.10 per cent of the
prisoners charged with homicide were
total abstainers, while only 1887 per
cent were returned as drunkards. The
remainder were classified as occasional
or moderate drinkers. Ignorance is
another generally received cause of
crime; nevertheless, 66.57 per cent of
these prisoners had received the rudi-
ments Of an education and 3.44 per cent
had received higher education. Idle
ness is another well-known cause of
crime, but no less than 1921 per cent
were employed at the time of their
arrest. The comment of the editor of
this bulletin upon these demonstrations
8:
All of these causes, and others which
might be named, are in fact only contribu-
| tory causes, whose operation is secondary
and indirect. External circumstances
facilitate or hinder the commission Of
Icrime. They operate as Il stimulant to the
4 criminal impulse or as check upon it.
; But the root of crime is not in Circum-
4 stance, but in character. The saying of
the Great Teacher will forever remain
true; Out of the heart proceed evil
10, InHa SAf. ,HpV,,a
the moral teaching of religion.
Another very generally received i'm
pression-thatlynch law is most common
where statute law is not executed and is
in effect protest against the ineiiiciency
of the courts-is met by the showing
that the sections in which there are the
most legal hangings arc those in which
there are also the most lynchings. The
number of executions and of lynchings
reported by the sheriffs in the southern
states, during the calendar year 1889,
i. was precisely the same, viz, "a. During
the same year 10 lynchings and 2S legal
executions were reported from the north
central states, and II lynchings and II
egal executions from the western
division, comprising Montana, New
Hexico, Arizona, Oregon and California
N the north Atlantic states there We're
~ legal executions. Nolynchings were
reported from this division, and the
presumption is that there were none in
1889. Several of the states, including
"'-O' ~, ~ :. So
uohs noi iy".ninss' III ,ttt ', et"'es'
Asio'e isiano' -n.onis%n' ana p" iseoIslA'
.ne uea'n pen|iIy 10 to'J'"ue' py i""'
III inui"na, hlit n,s IVA A''Oa'',''
eA"s anu y S "n ne s ~ I may W
nnposeu ~ iio" u .no u'''t pet"i'S
WINE ~ hAisaS 'i4e uea'h peii"ity "P-
pears W haSo ooei " !aFse extent
aolos"'eu sltousn 'no i"iiuro oi gov
e 81, 70 - 'ne u"'e 81 execution,
iheio "cle hFe eAeoutions fePoFteo
Ltonl hniis"s IN 1904 put tiieFe WERE III
'uhe lo'o' ~ ooh'icss IN tile sll'e
Pehieii'iaiy "nuei sen'ehce ol oeati
"hoso Puiiisti'i'0il nav os '''4S eAeeu"N'
i -" ISL ''iV""''s 0otiiiiioteu y
mt IN i'oiiiitoht'
Aho'nci ish'icaht h,at'er Is Tue
Surviving mat ilot"lthst'huiHs ING Pre-
pohaeionee VI 'le loiillet III 'ho make
up Vi our wni.o PoPu'a'ioh' nearly one
nan q 'lc ii0ihicioes co'l.nllteeu oS
WHITES were e, ehaFseAoIe 10 inc lorelgl
elenieh'' inc eAac' percentages were
Na'i'e WHITES, oo,if PCT cent foreign
Dorl anu ohsi'flhg oi foreign oofi
parents, 4o.oo per cent T., AS 70 race 'hos'
G GUti meto elnS''''e, Us i"iiows
Hhltes, 4'fSo' hesroeS' @'ioo' ShlheSe