In August, 1896, there was published, under the auspices of the American Economic Association, a work entitled “Race Traits and Tendencies of the American Negro, ” by Frederick L. Hoffman, F. S. S. , statistician to the Prudential Insurance Company of America. This work presents by far the most thorough and comprehensive treatment of the Negro problem, from a statistical standpoint, which has yet appeared. In fact, it may be regarded as the most important utterance on the subject since the publication of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin;” for the interest which the famous novel aroused in the domain of sentiment and generous feelings, the present work seems destined to awaken in the field of science and exact inquiry.
