Immigrants arriving at Ellis Island, New York. |
PAGE
TWO—EDITORIALS.
Guard
Against European Criminals.
The compilation of the census reports for
1890 is nearly complete in some departments, and the facts presented are now in
form for careful study. Many of the figures are of great interest from a sociological
and patriotic point of view. Especially
is this true of the statistics of crime, which have a direct bearing upon many
of the problems involved in the welfare of the country.
At the time of the census there were confined
in the penal institutions of the United States 82,329 criminals, 75,924 being
males and 6,405 females. This was one male criminal for each 422 of male
population, and one female criminal to each 4,770 of female population. It
appears also that 57,310 of the prisoners were white and 25,019 colored, or one
in each 958 of white population and one in each 305 of the colored race.
A good argument in favor of rigid immigrant inspection
is found in the fact that 56.81 per cent of the crime chargeable to the white
population was committed by foreign born people although they form only 14.77
per cent of the total population. When there is added to this the largest
percentage of foreigners among the pauper element, it will be seen that loose
immigration laws are responsible for a big share of the burden of criminality
and poverty which the people of the United States are compelled to bear.
Of course the great body of the criminals appeared
in the older and more densely populated section, but the West takes the leads
when it comes to percentage of criminality to population. In the Western
sections there were 2,221 criminals to every million of population, in the
North Atlantic 1,624, in the South Central 1,466, in the South Atlantic 1,288, and
in the North Central 888. This speaks well for the German and Scandinavian elements
which have made their homes in the last named division, and sustains the opinion
already held in regard to desirable and undesirable immigrants.
In percentage of criminality to population
Arizona heads the list, having forty-two criminals to each 10,000 of
population. Nevada is next with thirty-three, Montana third with thirty-two, California
fourth with twenty-eight, and Massachusetts fifth with twenty-three. South
Dakota, North Dakota and Iowa come last, with only five criminals for each
10,000 of population. New York is well toward the top, having nineteen
criminals for each 10,000.
A fact which should not be lost sight of is
that in the decade between 1880 and 1890
the population of the United States increased about twenty-five per cent, while
the criminals increased forty per cent. In 1880 there were 1,109 for each million
of population, while in 1890 there were 1,315. All this occurred
notwithstanding the great activity in moral and religious work, and the
unexampled progress made in the way of educational facilities. It may be that
some of the increase in imprisoned criminals can be attributed to greater
vigilance on the part of the guardians of the law, but not all of it can be
accounted for it that way. The first impulse is to charge it to unrestricted
immigration, and this view is borne out by the large proportion of foreigners
among the criminals.
There is need for radical action if this drift
in the wrong direction is to be checked, and obviously the first and the easiest
precaution to be taken, says the Troy
Times, is to shut out the criminality which Europe so industriously seeks to
force upon us. The ports of the United States must be closed against all except
those who will make honest and industrious citizens. To adopt radical
restrictions is not to do violence to the old idea that this country should be a
haven for the oppressed of all nations. We can shelter the really oppressed,
but self preservation demands that we rigidly exclude all who should be
suppressed.
From last Thursday afternoon to Friday afternoon
more than 4,000 immigrants arrived at Ellis Island. As many of them had to be
detained for special inquiry, the Immigration officials had their hands full.
With proper foreign inspection and registration the labors at the port of New
York would be greatly simplified. Experience
has so thoroughly decided what legislation is needed that congress can have no
excuse for further delay. The immigration laws should be amended in the
direction of shutting out undesirables and simplifying the work of inspection.
A
Grand Army Colony.
On the very ground in Georgia on which May
10, 1865, Jefferson Davis was captured by Wilson's cavalry there now flourishes
a colony of Union veterans. The
south received them with open arms, and Governor Northen of Georgia offered
them good agricultural lands for $3.50 an acre. The region belongs to the pine
land country. The soil will produce all the grains and vegetables of a
temperate climate and delicious fruits, as grapes, peaches, figs, apples and
apricots.
Perhaps the most eloquent persuader that led
to the warm welcome given to the colony of veterans by southerners was the fact
that their presence would bring into the state of Georgia $50,000 a month of
pension money. Before the magic spell of the mighty dollar the bitterest
animosities melt away like April snow wreaths. And it is a good thing. In this
pleasant spot in Georgia, in Wilcox and Irwin counties, where the thermometer
averages 50 degrees in winter and where it is no hotter in summer than in the
north, these old boys will spend the rest of their days.
They are Grand Army men, mostly farmers and
a majority of them pensioners. Their town, which is already blossoming into a
city, is called Fitzgerald, for the founder of the colony, Captain P. H.
Fitzgerald of Indianapolis. In spite of being a pension attorney before founding
the colony, Captain Fitzgerald is universally trusted by his old comrades.
By the end of this year the Fitzgerald colony
will contain 10,000 inhabitants. It
has already 6,000. Like magic the settlement is growing. With the newest and
best ideas in architecture, in sanitation and in agriculture to aid them, with a
sure if moderate amount of money flowing to them constantly from the government,
these intelligent and experienced men ought to make the Fitzgerald colony the
nucleus of one of the world's model settlements. No doubt they will do so.
The tract of land upon which the colony settled
comprises 118,000 acres. It is 117 miles south of Macon. In the laying out of
their town the old boys distribute the names of streets equally between Union
and Confederate heroes. On one side of the main thoroughfare the streets are
named for Union generals, on the other side for Confederate. This colony is one
more link, and one of the brightest, in the chain which binds together the gray
and the blue.
◘ The faculty, students and alumni
of Antioch college, which Horace Mann founded, issued a neat little memorial book
in honor of the one hundredth anniversary of his birth, May 4. In the front of
the volume arc quoted the following words from Horace Mann's last baccalaureate
address to his students in June, 1859: "I beseech you to treasure up in
your hearts these, my parting words: Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory
for humanity."
THE CANDY KITCHEN.
Grand Formal
Opening Occurs Tomorrow Night.
The Candy Kitchen, which has just been moved
from the Cortland House block into the store, 17 Railroad-st., formerly occupied
by Fred I. Graham, druggist, has been elegantly fitted up and now is one of the
neatest places in town. In the front part is the soda fountain and also a full
assortment of fresh home-made candies, also Wallace & Co.'s fine candies in
packages or in bulk. A low partition separates this from the ice cream
department which has been nicely carpeted and fitted with large mirrors on each
side.
Back of this is the shop for the manufacture
of candy in which Rood & Co. are excelled by none. A small building has
been erected at the rear of the block to be used especially for the manufacture
of "The Delicious" ice cream.
The location is an admirable one and the
arrangements those of beauty and convenience. The rooms are very cool and at
the same time there is plenty of light. It makes a very tasty place to drop in
for a glass of soda or a dish of cream. The whole establishment is fitted with
combination gas and electric light fixtures.
Rood & Co., the proprietors, announce that
their formal opening will take place to-morrow evening, at which time an orchestra
will be in attendance and where they will be pleased to see all their old
patrons together with many new ones.
[Mr. Rood was manager of the Cortland Opera House and sold theater tickets from his candy store--CC editor.]
In Police Court.
A man giving his name as James H. Warren of
Elmira was found by the police lying down on Tompkins-st., yesterday afternoon.
He was promptly gathered in and placed in the cooler. This morning he tried to
make Police Justice Mellon believe he was tired but failing in that, pleaded
guilty to the charge of public intoxication. He was given his choice of paying
$5 fine or going to jail for five days. He went to jail.
He claimed to be a peddler of eyeglasses. He
had been seen in the vicinity of Tompkins-st. for some time before being
arrested and is alleged to have been guilty of indecent exposure upon which
charge he will be arrested when released from jail.
UNDOUBTEDLY SO.
National Express Company Will Probably Vacate Oct.
1.
It is reported that the United States express
company, which operates over the Lehigh Valley railroad
system, has served notice on the National express company to vacate the E., C.
& N. branch by Oct 1, next. When the change is made it will give Canastota
another competing express company, and the large volume of business which now
comes this way over the E., C. & N. will then doubtless go the other way.
When the change is made there will probably be very little transferring of
express at this station.
The above clipping from The Canastota Bee
was shown to G. E. Ingraham, the local agent of the National Express company
this afternoon and when asked as to the truth of it he said that it was
undoubtedly so, although he had not received official notice to that effect. He
would not be surprised to receive such a notice at any time.
Should this change take place the United
States company will handle all the express business in Cortland as they now handle
it on the D., L. & W. R. R.
Death of Miss Collins.
Miss Sara E Collins died at 10 o'clock this
morning at the residence of her brother, Mr. C. W. Collins, 18 Clinton-ave.,
after an illness lasting only from Sunday evening, although she had been almost
an invalid for over two years.
The direct cause of her
death was gastric fever which affected the heart. She was 52 years of age and
is survived by her mother and brother.
Miss Collins had been prominent in W. C. T.
U. work in Cortland county and in the state since the organization of the first
local union. She has been connected with other benevolent work. It is
impossible to-day to secure all the facts for an obituary which would in any
way be fitting, and a more extended notice will be given later.
The funeral will be held
Friday afternoon, the hour not yet having been fixed.
BREVITIES.
—The annual meeting of the Ladies' Aid
society of the Universalist church will be held to-morrow afternoon.
—New advertisements to-day are—A. S. Burgess,
biggest store because the best, page 8; L. B. Lewis, plumbing, page 7.
—C. H. Peters,
superintendent of Westcott's milk express business, was at McGrawville
yesterday negotiating for a site for the proposed creamery at that place.
—The case of Anna B. McWhorter against her
husband who is charged with nonsupport was yesterday adjourned to May 18 in
Justice Dickinson's court.
—By the explosion of a fan in the works of
the Birdsall Mfg. Co. at Auburn yesterday afternoon, Adam V. Miller,
aged 27 years, was almost instantly killed. He was married only a week ago.
—A new telephone card has been issued for
the convenience of the patrons of the exchange. The list contains the names of
ninety-three local patrons and of twelve pay stations in different towns in the
county.
—The funeral of Mrs. Sarah Miller will be
held at 1 o'clock P. M. to-morrow from the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Joseph
Livingston on East-ave. Rev. G. H. Brigham will
officiate. Interment at Homer.
—Mr. John Robbins of Clinton-ave. has new
potatoes that are large enough to eat. They were planted by accident in a
flower pot in the house in the winter, and when they came up along with a
cactus they were permitted to grow.
—William S. Sloan, second vice president of
the D. L. & W. R. R. and son of Samuel Sloan, the president of that road,
died at his home in New York Monday morning. Mr. Sloan was born in 1859 and was graduated from
Columbia college in 1882.
—The Lehigh Valley railroad will sell round
trip tickets from all stations on the old E., C. & N. division to Cortland
during the Mahan music festival at two cents per mile. These tickets will be good
coming from June 1 to 5 and returning until June 6.
—There were 366 cases taken before the grand
jury at Syracuse yesterday for alleged violations of the Raines law. The saloonkeepers
are on nettles as to who is implicated. It is said that quite a number of
complaints came from the failure to keep the windows clear of curtains.
—There is a war among milkmen at Pulaski and
the prevailing price is now two cents a quart instead of five cents as it was a
week ago. It is a war of extermination, and one dealer is quoted as saying that
quite likely he will be giving his milk to his customers within a week.
—Mr. E. J. Bennett of the E. C. Stearns
bicycle company of Syracuse is at the Messenger House to-day looking for
finishers on bicycles. He reports that his company has set out to make 27,000 wheels
this year and is now 8,000 wheels behind their orders, It is almost impossible
to get finishers enough.
—Adelbert Bundy, aged 8 years, son of
Theodore Bundy of Farm-st. was rendered unconscious by a blow on the head
Saturday. He was watching the game of ball between the high school and
Cortland Normal teams when a player let a bat slip from his bands which
struck the lad on the head, cutting a gash several inches in length. Two
spectators interested themselves in the child's case and took him to Dr.
H. B. Besemer, who dressed the injury.—Ithaca Journal.
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