New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-15

Tho report OF the Criminal Law Reform
Committee of the National Prison ASSOCIATION,
Of which Professor Francis Wayland, Of Yale,
i chairman. has been issued and is well worth
reading. IL discusses briefly. but effectively,
some of the causes of crime, especially the two
most potciit-unrestricted immigration and the
saloon. OF course nothing fresh can be said
ON these two topics, and unfortunately with
many people, when truth becomes trlte II ceases
n be impressive. They read so much about
tho evils of unrestricted immigration and OF
the saloon that they soon begin to skip those
topics when they come across them. and, as
result speedily lose all interest IN the questions
related 10 them.
But the fact that an evil is long standing
furnishes no excuse for allowing it to stand
longer. Nobody will deny that Unrestricted
immigration, or immigration very slightly re-
,tricted is u serious menace To tho country.
20 far Is tho transmission OF disease Is con
ccrned, this fact has been clearly brought out
during the last few months. But immigration
NAV become, and in fact has become, just rs
serious a menace 10 the moral health OF the
Nation 1--WE are says this report, and
have been for years receiving the very dreGs
Of European society, the scum of European
cities, tho destitute. tho ignorant. the Nihist
tho Anarchist by scores Of thousands annu-
auy." Does any one doubt the truth Of this
statement? Could it not, indeed, be put much
moro strongly? And is it possible for even
he lcayen of Ncw-Engand morality effcctual-
" 10 leaven this lump of dcpravity very much
longer? We do not believe that it is, and we
therefore think that the time has come for
considering this question of immigration Justly
and disla,,ionatcy and with a WOW to our
own welfare as well as the interest and con-
yenicnco Of fore gncrS. 10 Is OF no avail 10
saw that the great majority OF immigrants are
in every way desirable. That fact need not
be disputed but it does not do away with the
other fact that many criminals, As well as de-
pravcd and vicious people. do immigrate 10
this country. Such immigrants only add 10 the
sum Of crime and vice. and enormously in
crease the difficulty of the many social and
ethical problems now facing the Nation.
Then there is the saloon, another hackneyed
but powerful crime breeder. OF course no in
tcligcnt man believes that all saloons are
equally deprayng There arc grades OF de
cency even in the business of llquOr-scllIng
All saloons are not clearing houses OF vice and
crime; but without doubt all such clearing
houses arc in saloons Dr. RainSford and
others have spoken Of the saloon rs the poor
mans club But that is only ono side of the
saloon II is also the lawbrcakcrs club, and
the breeder OF crime. Tho saloon,' says the
report. "hobnobs with tho police, whom its
agents have appointed, smiles at and with the
magistrates whom it has placed in Office re-
iocCs in Mayor of its own selection, and
fears no hostile legislation from the SclonS
whom it has sent 10 the State Capitol" There
is no need of mentioning the agency which
most perfectly answers this description. 1t is
simply Tammany writ large. And that or
canizalion is the best possible obiect-eSson
Of the two causes of crime we have been dis
cllSsing.