The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-09-01

Now, the total white population Of
the four Northern States is l5,477,-
600, and the total white population of
the four Southern States is ~3,OOO,4OO,
being about one-ffth.
The negro has been eliminated in
both statements, and as the popula-
ton of the four northern States is
five times that Of ours we will multi
ply our convicted white prisoners by
five, which would give US 1880,
against 21,745. I said in a recent let
ter that there were 50 per cent. more
Of felonies in New York or Massachu-
setts than in Georgia. I was mista-
ken. There are FIVE times as many,
which is 500 per cent, and this is the
ratio according to white population.
I tell you, my brethren, this census
compendium proves 81 alarming con-
dition of things up North, and it is
high time our Southern churches were
organizing boards of missions and
sending missionaries up there. We
send them to Mexico and China and
Brazil and to the Indians in the West;
why not to Massachusetts, and New
York and Ohio, where crime and i'm
morality prevail to a greater extent
than in any civilized country? That
is just what Mr.. Stetson said-the
statistician of Massachusetts,. His
language as published was: "There is
no country upon earth where crime is
so fragrant and so frequent as in Mas
sachusctts." Her population is about
double our white population, and yet
she has fifteen times as many white
criminals in her prisons-and what is
worse than all, my brethren, 74S OF
them arc women. Just ponder over
it, and, like the prophet, exclaim:
Chow are the mighty fallen Only
one white woman in the jails or chain
gangs of Georgia, and 74S in the puri-
tan State of New England! What
shall We do about it? What can we
do about it? But this is not all that
the census tells. In addition to this
vast army Of prisoners, Massachusetts,
has 700 juvenile prisoners, while New
York has 1876 and Ohio 1880. Then
there are over 5000 paupers in the
four States, besides the thousands that
are in private benevolent institutions.
How in the world do those States up
North support such a vast army of
criminals, paupers, tramps and nom
producers? No wonder they want
protection and pensions; no wonder
they plumber the public treasury.
They arc obliged to do it. Ninety
per cent. of all tho money that goes
into it comes out of their pockets.
Still they are not happy; they want
the other ten.
But what is the relative condition
of the common people of the sections?
How about homes and mortgages and
debts? 1t is the common people who
constitute a State or a nation. They
support it with their labor and defend
it with their arms. In numbers they
are as 800 to l of the aristocracy.
They all deserve, to have homes
homes OF their own, unenculnDcred.
A home means more than shelter. 1t
means roses and vines and shade trees
and fruit. Ask the poor renter who
is bumped about from place to place
every year. Ask his wife and daugh-
ters what they think of home. The
census puts down $3.50 white fami-
lies in Georgia who have homes, and
says that sc per cent. of these are paid
for and have no incumbrance. Vir.
ginia has 81 per cent. paid for; Missis-
sippi and South Carolina SO per cent.
each.