Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 March 1902 — A STRIKING FACT [ARTICLE]

A STRIKING FACT

Prosperity has a Remarkable Effect on Prison Population. It is a remarkable fact that there is a report on file in the office of the prison at Joliet, Ills., which shows that a whole month passed and not a single new prisoner was received there. Not a new arrival during a whole month! What is true of this prison is substantially true of prisons in Indiana. The report above mentioned shows that the prison population of that institution has been decreasing during the last five years, in fact ever since prosperous times began. In May, 1895, the prison contained 1,623 convicts, while at the time of writing said report there were but 1,212 men and 66 women in the institution. In order to show the wide difference in prison population during hard times and prosperous times, it is necessary to show the receipts or the number admitted for a year during each period. The years 1893 and 1894 helped to fill the prison cells. From Oct. 1, 1894, to September 39, 1895, 927 new prisoners were received in the Joliet institution. From Oct. 1. 1898 to Sept. 28, 1899, only 506 new prisoners were received, showing a decrease of 421 in favor of the year of prosperity and plenty of work. The number of prisoners convicted and sentenced from Chicago and Cook county during a like period has fallen off greatly. During the year 1805 Chicago sent to this institution 485 prisoners, in 1897 but 288, and durirg the ■ ea ■ ending with September, 1899, ’nt 216. - The Joliet institution cannot be an exception with reference to this matter. The records of the institutions in all states would show similar sta tistlcs. The President met the situation forced on him by Senator Tillman in the only proper way. Fie tried the courteous plan of a friendly personal envoy first and when that failed he was forced to write the note that enabled him to avoid forcing on the nation’s guest the company of a brawler. The action of the pocketedition Lieutenant-Governor of South Carolina, Mr. Roosevelt has met with silent contempt. ———————o— General Miles and the President do not ride together as before the late reprimand, but the Assistant Secretary of War and the President take frequent pedestrian exercise. The Assistant Secretary, speaking of General Miles, said something about being out with the President. Miles said, “Well, can’t you keep up with him?” “Yes, very well when he is walking, but every once in a while he says; ‘Now let’s take a little run’—and that just about kills me.”