Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-24
The Election and IlIiterncy.
of The Evening, Star:

To the Editor of The Evenin; Star:
A communication appeared in last Tues
day evenings Star Under the caption OF
Statistical Tables prepared by a Gov
eminent Clerk whose statements are
manifestly unfair. ,1s Zoo --u.:. .l..-..e ...
1t Is not the intention of the writer OF
this article to furnish more tables for COM
parison. for in my first I gave full. COM
plete and authentic statement of the popu
lation. wealth and per, cent of illiteracy in
the forty-five states that took part in the
selection of Maj. Mckinley for the office
of President of the United States.
Government Clerk acknowledges the
truthfulness of the statement that two
thirds of the population are in states that
repudia, ID free silver. In this does he not
likewise acknowledge the truthfulness of
the particular point to which he makes
such strong objections? The gentleman
says that 1 included the "colored popula-
ton in the preparing of my table of illil-
eracy. Most assuredly. but no more in
the column OF illiteracy than in the col
umns of wealth and population. Let me
ask Government Clerk what warrant he
has for emitting the colored popula ton
from either Of the tables mentioned? Are
they net part and parcel of this great
and glorious nation? Are they not also
subject to the laws, of the land? Why,
then, eliminate them in any such eompari-
son? Why not obiterate the entire female
population Of the United States? There
would be just as much justice in so doing
as there would be in counting out" the
colored population. The statistics furnished
in the article so unfairly criticised by
Government Clerk" embrace the entire
population, wealth and per cent Of Hitter
acy in the forty-f1ve states.
He says that my first article Is mani
testify unfair to the southern states and I'M
just to the western states who supported
free silver.
Let me ask wherein this is an Injustice
to these states? Do they not constitute
nearly 25,OOO.OO0 Of the population and
about SIT ,0OO, 100000 of its Industrial wealth?
Why did he select Kansas, Colorado, Ne
braska, Montana and Idaho, whose entire
population is only 3.273,OOO. for comparison
with the states of Vermont, New Hamp-
shire, Massachusetts, New York and Penn
sylvania, whose population is 15,8S831a or
nearly five times as great. If, as he says,
his only "object is to get at the truth?''
quite agree with the gentleman's eulogy
of the citizens of the western states No
one who has traversed that country will
deny the fact that it's citizens are "a law
abiding, intelligent and enterprsing as can
be found anywhere in the world, and that
the percentage of illiteracy is verv small
compared to its population. I can cite the
gentleman to many counties in the states
Of Kansas and Nebraska whose every in
habitant over seven years of age can either
read or write. But this Is not the question
In controversy.
We find the states that voted in favor of
reputation when grouped together have
an illiteracy of y per cent of their entire
population: No one knows what the per-
centage of illiteracy might have been
had not the free silver republicans in the
five western states mentioned assisted in
giving its electoral vote for the fifty-cent
dollar.
Government Clerk, says manv econo.
mists contend that the west has been a
prey to the east for, a, generation through
unjust tariff legisla ton. II this he true
why is it that the five states whose init
eracy, according to his own figures is only
$50 of its population, have insisted from the
time when they first put on their robes OF
statehood on sending lawmakers to both
protective tariff? As,aimatter of fact. the
,'s, country including Kansas, Ne.
all in favor of protection, and have 50 re.
corded their votes in the selection of their
members to Congress-.
In conclusion. let me say that I insis,
that the tables as published in The Eyenine
Star of the 9th instant. are absolutely and
unaGalfiedly correct, and. in my humble
manner of computing percentages of this
character. STATISTICS