The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1894-03-01
GEOGRAPHY OF CRIME.
Murder q Product of Lack of DIV.
uization.
The Restraining Influence OF Religious
Sentiment Countries Where the
Most Murders Arc
Committed.

is the product of lack of civilization,
writes Prof oettinger in his Moral
statistics" Whenever state OF gov
ernmcnt is in state of disorganization
che people become demoralizcd, educa-
oional and religious progress Is ut
tandstill, and murder Is bound to in
crease. 1t is essential to lay great
tress on the religious feeling OF
community, because comparatively few
murders occur in Turkey, country
leranged and unsettled in its af-
airs, wherein n large proportion
II the people are lacking in civiliza-
ion and culture. But the Islam faith
3 productive of certain religious
ointment In these uneducated masses
which prevents murder, the greatest
crime against human and divine laws.
'omparcd with Turkey, Greece, once
he seat of civilization, but now de-
moralizcd and degraded by Turkish in
lnence, without the prohibitive power
# the Mohammedanr religion. manifests
he truth of this assertion by rolling up,
n population of less than 1900, 900
people, 3i6 murders, and 473 felonious
assaults, an average of one killed or
MANNED for every $500 souls. This
number overshadows demoralized Ire
land, where for q number of years the
most terrible agrarian crimes, muir
ders, arson, ETC., have been committed,
the outcome OF the atrocious feeling
between landowners and the peas
lntry,
Another country with large per-
'entage is Spain, and an increase in
bloodshed goes hand in hand with its
Gradual decline. A glance at the Grim
nal statistics OF the United States
demonstrates that murder reaches it's
highest percentage among the uncdu-
Gated class, who can neither write nor
read. In the state of Texas, for ex-
ample, one murder occurs to every
sight thousand five hundred inhabi-
tants. In Illinois this percentage is
considerably lowered, one murder be-
ing quoted for every fifty thousand.
Germany of late years shows an in
crease OF murder cases and assaults,
born out of socialistic tendencies. The
murder percentage of Great Britain is
1mparatively small, with the excep-
lion of London and ireland, and per-
sonal safety in England and Scotland
ia commended on nll sides. Even few
thcfts are committed in the level por-
ions. France, Sweden, Denmark, Bel
rum, Holland and Switzerland record
murder statistics similar to those of Ger
many. No substantial data can be
obtained about Russia, but the strilS-
Ing increase in political murders, sig
nailed by the nihilistic and socialistic
era, needs no comment. No state in
the world rolls up more revolutionary
attncl,t and crimes at the present time
than GGs8ia. During the year ls5G-ST
The last authentic report that could be
obtained, three thousand persons were
luportod 20 Siberia for life.
AS with suicide and murder, II is with
ihcftrcographieally speaking. Lncls Of
culture and civilization Ia synonymous
with increased theft and dishonesty,
not 50 llrch on account OF the immoral
and dcpravod condition of the people as
because of lack OF protection. Theft in
sweden and Norway, in Denmark and
the extreme north is exceedingly rare.
The oriental aud southeastern states
show an alarming amount OF theft, and
nest TO America Turkey, Russia, the
Balkan states and Hungary contain
The most crooks.
Fraudin all itsvarious denominations,
ranging from high-grade swindle in
It's manifold phases down to small
shady transactions which hover be-
tween dishonest practices and techni-
cal evasions OF the law, has its home
principally in the large cities Of the
world. London Is a perfect mecca for
swiudlers. while throughout England,
with the exception Of London, bust
ness dealings are characterized bv
sound principles OF honesty. Lompar-
atively little fraud is practicod in the
northern and western states. AS Swc-
den, Norway, Denmark, and Finland.
Holland, Belgium, France ard Switacr-
Ian rank favorably in this rcspect, In
Germany striking decline is noticoa-
bic in fraudulent transactions. The
ramc conditons-laok of civilization
and education--which prevail with
other crimes pertain TO fraud, Spain
italy, Greece, Turkey, and, above all
Russia lead the line.