St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-06-17

"oSe, oo Ill thc VIII CitleS tne NOBILITY
and intelligence of the people was not
| surpassed upon the continent. After
| these words of acknowledgment and
courtesy, he delivered his annual ad
dress. the major and material portion of
which was the following:
| Mr.. Chairman and Ladies and Gentle
men: In response to the cordial well
come you have given US, / am very
| sure l voice the sentiments of everv
member of the national prison con-
gress In saying that we are glad to be
here, aud have long anticipated with
| pleasure the opportunity of spending a
| few days in the commercial and incl.
! lectual center of the great Northwest.
| Inc name and fame of the Twin Cities
are know n wherever enterprise and III
| telllgence are valued, and st. Paul es-
! peclally is noteworthy in its hospitality
| to associations and conferences, and,
| therefore. like your illustrious name
| sake, I'VE consider ourselves happy be.
cause we shall answer before thee touch
| ing all the things whereof we are ac-
| cused."
To an audience as intelligent as this.
| 1t is hardly necessary to indicate the
purpose OF the congress you have wei
coined tonight; but still. as an introduce
ton, something in regard to its history
and Its hopes may not be out OF place.
The National Prison association was
organized nearly quarter of century
ago, and for dozen years past its an
nual meetings have been held in the
leading cities of the United States and
Canada, and for the last ter years its
presiding officer was an ex-presldent of
the United States, and therefore it is
fairly presumable that the average
American has heard its name and some
thing of its objects.
Still, to the average American the
consideration of crime and criminals is
an uncanny subject, and therefore he is
little shy OF those who are interested.
In II, and his private opinion, | fear. is
that such people are to be avoided.
rather than commended.
Still. in our country the average AM
erican Is the final arbiter in all matters
OF progress or reform, aud, as Il rule, his
!; verdict for the right can be relied upon
when all the facts are botore him, and,
therefore, this association confronts
him with the magnitude of the prison
question and its requirements.
THE PRISON QUESTION.
The truth, as we beieve, is that the
Importance of the prison question can
not we'll be exaggerated, and that the
perpetuity OF the republic depends upon
its solution.
Other questions which agitate the
public aud divide parties are doubtless
important, but the country can live and
prosper under flee trade or protection:
under bimetallism or monometallis m;
under Democracy or Republicanism;
but 1t cannot survive demoralized peo-
pie, with crime in the ascendant. That
we are approaching such condition of
affairs is not nightmare dream, but
pOrtentOuS reality,
THE INCREASE OF CRIME.
That crime is on the increase out of
proportion to population is Indicated in
many ways, but, for the country as a
whole. the United States census is the
most reliable guide. Let us look at it
by decades:
Ratio of
Year. Prisoners. Formulation.
1880. O.......... -. 6.737 l out of 5,442
1860. .......... 80. .l9,OS6 out of l,647
1870 ...... ........32,9O1 out of LII
1880. So. ........5 $500 out of $50
1880 ..... .... S2,320 out of 757
This rate OF increase, in few states,
we are glad to note. has not been main
tanned, and in one or two, for the higher
crimes, it has been decreased trliie.
but upon the whole the swell has been
continuous like tide that has no ebb.
When the waters OF the Mississippi.
49, AcoNs AA"uue up W tiC OuHSOt
mark every one knows that unless they
halt disaster is inevitable. So with the
tioodFot crime. we are past the danger
line knd there is no, ebb.
Ii this increase is to be continued the
decades can be counted upon the fingers
of esingle hand, when Meme, Meme,
tekel, upharsin, will be written upon
the banquet hall of the republic.
CRIME IN EUROPE.
1t is doubtless true that these census
figures are not so bad aSthey look. and
are largely subject to explanation, but
yet, with all explanation possible. the
portentious fact remainS that crime Is
rising with continuing swell.
1t is said that.misefy loves company,
and therefore it may be some comfort
to know that America is not alone i'll
this experience with crime, and that
some of the leading European countries
are in the same category.
Havelock Ellis, in his instructive
book entitled "'rhe Criminal" recently
published, said;
The level Of criminality, it is well