Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 229, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 September 1912 — PROSPERITY LESSENS CRIME [ARTICLE]

PROSPERITY LESSENS CRIME

Secret Service Chief Bays That With Good Times There la Leaa Law-Breaking. From the Buffalo, N. Y„ Inquirer. The department of agriculture in its latest announcement reports bumper crops of corn, white potatoes, spring wheat, oats, rye and buckwheat. Business agencies report booming iron and steel trade, strong demand for cars and decrease in the number of commercial failures. The most hovel sign of prosperity, however, is recorded by Chief John E. Wilkie of the United States secret service. “Whenever work is plentiful and employment easily obtainable,” says Chief Wilkie, “crime is less, and thiß rule, which has been demonstrated by years of experience, applies as much to counterfeiting as to other offenses against the law.” As a general proposition easy times are the times freest of crime, indicating that distress is the cause of much law breaking.