"My “New American Cyclopaedia” (1872) tells me that in 1855 there were 25,858 people in New York who could neither read nor write, and 21,378 of them were Irish

"My “New American Cyclopaedia” (1872) tells me that in 1855 there were 25,858 people in New York who could neither read nor write, and 21,378 of them were Irish. This may well have been true, but why exactly did it need to be emphasized? Well, I think we might hazard a guess." Emphasis is justified emphasised because it is clearly significant. The question is censoring by omission warranted? Obviously this doesn't undermine the article as a whole, but whilst political correctness is fine, let's not make it a redefinition of reality. It is either patronising or delusional. (Of course deliberately censoring the fact would of course be patronising as well).