The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01
rarsok ArroHx nv VIneIvr1.
ArFs-Ansertcans Unasrtske the work which
the state mas FAiied te No.

the Dtnte lhnn bntteo - w.
HAMPTON, Va, July 27.-The State of vir-
glnia, which deliberately repudiated q large
part Of It's public debt. Is not ashamed to have
IL published broadcast to tho world that 1t Is
too porr to make proper and humane pro
vision for its psupcrs and Juvenile criminals.
Tho barbarlty Of tho criminal system OF Vir-
ginia, like that Of most of the states
OF tho South, has been n hyword for
| years. but with all the agitation which the sub
ject has provoked, there has boon very little I'M
| provomcnt in tho system In the past ton years.
A Stnte rich in mineral and agricultural and
manufacturing resources pleads poverty
whenever the question Of taxation to maintain
its public school system or 10 make proper pro-
Vision for its criminals, Its paupcrt, and It's In
spns u proposed. The close observer has no
difficulty in reaching the conclusion that II Is
not because Of poverty Mt all, but because OF
lack Of humanity and public spirit and wiso
and aggressive state-nianship. The Southern
people, OF whom tho virginiuns arc typical,
show a remarkable willingness to shirk their
obligations TO their creditors and to the help
less youth and the criminal and unfortunate
members o the population, when those arc TO
TO met by tho imposition Of taxation. The ap-
preparations for school purposes, for the main
tenanco OF the penal system, and for the care
Of the orphans and paupers and the insane In
all the Southern States bear out this harsh but
truthful presentation Of the case.
Virginia has some 500 insane Afro.Ameri-
cans alone. and-an asylum Is maintained for
them, after a fashion. but % one who has looked
into the institution and It's management has
failed to DO shocked. We have n right to OK
, pect rs much humanity and foresight of vir-
ginia in this matter rs in Now York or Ohio, for
surely no Virginian would admit for a moment
that the people OF his State arc less humane
and wise than the citizens Of Now York or Ohio
or other States north or west Of Ohio; but they
are none the less go, as their public acts and
expressions amply show.
The Auditor of Virginia has furnished. upon
application Of a reputable person. the prison
statistics for tho past fourteen years, which
show that. instead Of decreasing, crime is stead
blacks and GO whites in the State poniten-
tiary. whose maintenance cost the State $lllt.
542.53 POI. annuin; In 1907 there were ,325
blacks and $40 whites, at a cost Of S31S,2S1.
It is stated that the cost of maintaining the
blacks for the last fiscal year vas 5000 al .o5;
by the same high authority, that the real, per;
sonal property and c;apitation taxes collected
ed TO $ll6.OoO. showing that for every. dollar
paid in taxes by black taxpayers. nearly two
were, expended by the State to maintain black
some Of the white newspapers Of Virginia arc
advocating that the Democratic party mako
IL u IChluTC vi purity pOlltS ~ otNolC III \
paid by Afro.Americhns TO the support OF the
Afro.Amcricar schools II crime among these
wisdom or justice in the maintenance OF a dual
as an excuse for INADEQUATE provision for school,
penal. and charitable purpOses, and for proper
separation OF black female and juvcrile con
victs from black adult ones. And is 1t not a
house, OF Virginia, feed the penltcntiary; that
the black criminals Of the State are drawn
from the educated and not from the ignorant
cltsaf The suC0pstion In mt only DreIOster-
GUS, but libellously malicious. The Hampton
Institute and the other schools OF higher learn
ing and the public schools maintained in Vir-
recruit the criminal class. Indeed. they are
State has. Everybody admits that except tax.
payers who want the benefits Of COVER nmert
ing in the elements Of humanity and foresight.
II the scioolhousc and the church art not the
strongest bulwarks against the TAIL and the
pcnitcn,iary then the wise men OF the nation
should flock to Virginia and make haste to sit
at the feet Of her wise lawmakers and learn
th,r tho white criminal population OF Virginia
increased in fourteen Years from So to $40.
entirely upon whose OK Ia gored.
Hut the infamy Of the penal system OF Nir.
s afIo. As,s 1Ssnd male m the and RFGf% ems's snd mi inVsIi p
crimiIa i $ .n no T,, sss1 10 ,S Of ,R9T snt ,u viii , be &c.
States. It IS r%epulsive. to the lowest form Of in.
teliigence, As II to rub the matter in, TO show
tDtI bilNE JuNeUllt CTlIlllndls ~ "oEbc tnNU
white ones and more incorrig;ble, the whites
Of Virginia have organized Il voluntary Prison
bH b. aS aet 1of E March 's g. 1888 8seSFe Clothed hhetfi MitS o ns'
THAT Whenever any minor CHARGED with any
crime, or with being u warrant, or disorderly
person. ia arrested or convicted IL shall be law.
ful for the court, Judge, or Justice causing the
arrest, or before whom tho conviction is had, in
the discretion OF such court. Judge. or Justice,
with III. consent OF the Prison Association OF
Virginia TO direct that the minor arrested or
PnnvfstRl ma tho rnSp NAV lac shall 10 tt,,,t.
Prison Association OF Virginia. and said asso:
ity over any such minor a. tie proper aNtno,: !.
ties OF the State P-hitentiarv now have. with
be "nii,led to the fanle componsation for caring
for them which the ,niie's Of this Common;
Ge,i, n, nov G';nd haze Ss. Or b are co Sn,i'lsd TO- - p 1Ss s,.
tody and control Of the said Prison Association
before conviction, without the consent Of the
parent or Legal guardian OF said minor If any
Tic Prison Association OF virsinia has es.
though there are $50 boys there, whose labor
pays in large rart the cost OF their ,naintcnnucc,
fact that there are far more black juvenile
criminals IN tho state than white ones. The
and the voluntary association indorecd by the
n nea'i Interested rS,"sSs 10 in M black lac pr SSman acp 1rsSas' a, and =
misery, although, from the nature Of tie case
more danger IL To he fcarcd rom This class OF
young criminals than from the white, because
there arc many more OF them.
In an address Delivered beiorc the Prison As.
sociNtion by John II. Smyth. cN.Minister Of the
United States to Liberia, who spoke with
sp cial reference to the matter of Afro. 4 mcri
gan Juvenile Offenders, he said, and II must
have done good the hearts OF the members OF
the Prison Association Of Virginia:
by, The language OF the charter OF the Prison
Association, by the first act passed in further.
nn'e Of lis rorm:,. while neither by direct express
zion nor by i'nrlicSi!on, Is any reference made
the fact that there Is not at Laurel u sins Il
negro culprii. male or female, seems clearly L.
imply that tho design Of neither the charter
nor the Oct In inrthernnce of its dcsign and
purpose contemplated the denial of the OK
.%cnsi9n 2; The humanity OF the nssociation e
light OF tho past and present relation subsist
.nS between the races; In appealing to your hu
r'hnity, | do not ask that negro youth ant
CHI lnhood be admitted to Laurel"
~ ado of Thomas Jefferson!
Time Is tho very essence Of good relations
se!wSsn the races continues ?ir, smytlr
fi-tcnae. rpOn its exercise i corcerncd, unit
mems i~ntel!igencos and humanities are dc
ya1nTpH IN tho n,lpt 80 ra,avnttin, - 4, -