The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-10-09

approved May %, 1850. Before the arrange
ments were perfected for commencing the
enumeration, the year had so far advanced
that it was not completed-or rather the CEN
sus was not prepared for publication for
many months. Indeed, we believe that all
the information collected has not yet, after
eight years delay, been laid before the pnb-
lie. At any rate it was several years before
even the most important part Of the census
returns was printed. Long before the sta
tistlcs gathered by the census takers was
permitted to see the light it had lost much
Of its value. However correct the inforna-
ton may have been when the census was
completed, 1t gave nc indication Of the pop
ulation, manufactures, commerce, az lcuttu-
raj products, &c., when published four or
FIVE years subsequently, The country had
so far advanced in population and material
wealth before the census tables were printed,
that they only showed what had been and
not what ,rds. If the only object of IL CEN
suS is to ascertain the population OF the
country rs basis for apportioning the
members of Congress amongst the several
States, it does not matter, perhaps, whether
any other statistics than the number of inhab-
| itants of each State be ever published or not.
But if it be designed to exhibit the real con-
d,ton of the country Mt the time It IS taken
to lay before the people, for its informa-
ton, all such statistics and facts rs have
usually been included in previous census
returns, it must be obvious to all that such
unnecessary delay as attended the puhlica-
ton of the last report almost wholly defeats
| that design. As one means of remedying
the evil, Of VIII CHI the public had SO much
| right to Complain, it seems TO US that such
! legislative action rs may be necessary under
the circumstances, should be taken by the
next Congress, and not deferred until the
subsequent session.
If this be done the United States Marshals
can appoint the census takers and complete
all their arrangements early in 1860, anc
the work completed during the summer. Ii
that case it need not require the next ter
years to perfect the returns and give the PEG
ole the benefit of information for which the,
have paid so dearly. But something more
than this will be required. Another caus,
of delay is the delay in the preparation Of TIT
returns for the press, and then the crimina
negligence of the Congressional printer
When the printing has been ordered by Con
gress, the job is secured, and the public
printer consuts his own interest and conve
nience in printing it. 1t can be laid aSid
for anything that requires more promptness
We trust that some member Of Congress
unless there are legal obstacles in the way
will bring the matter before the next session
of Congress, and that some stringent actor
may be taken to secure the prompt printing
of whatever information may be though
worth printing at all. Statistics of american
population, commerce, trade, agriculture
eight or ten years old, are an obsolete idea
only valuable to the antiquarian, or the flu
ture historian. An expenditure of million
and half of dollars for their benefit alone
is not II wise investment of the people,
money .-Det Ado.