The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-11
SENSE IN CENSUS MAKING.

Upon the authority of the Congressional
Committee on the Ninth Census, we are au-
thorized to state that there is ins existence a
distinct account of q census ordained by the
Emperor Yee of China in the year 2042. This
census antedates that of Moses and the Israel
ties at the time of the exodus by half dozen
centuries probably 1t is curious that these
Chinese are found to have originated or dis
covered several centuries before anybody else
the things which pertain to civilization.
Printing gnnpowder, the magnetic needle,
and innufnerable inventions in the arts, must
be placed to their credit, and now we seem to
find them the first census makers. Since the
time of the Emperor Yee, it is to be supposed
that the art of census-making has advanced
somewhat. Statistics are now recognized as
a science. China made the first census in
2O42 b. c., and the United States made the
best in 1860 A.. ID. But there are few things
in the world that cannot be improved; and
while Emperor Yee deserves credit for esta-
blishing the first census, Mr.. Garfield de-
serves no less for q well-planned attempt to
better the last and best. Mr.. Garfield and the
committee reported numerous and considera-
BILE objections to the present method of taking
the census.
An unknown census taker calls on a family
and spreads before them his array of blanks,
which they see for the first time. They fear
it is not all right that an unknown individual
with lot of legal looking blanks should poke
all sorts of questions at them, and suspicion
of his inquisitorial character must be allayed
fears that it is an assessment for purposes of
| taxation must be quieted and the subject
| explained, and the memories of the families
stimulated, before anything like the proper
| data can be ascertained. Under the present
| law the operations of the census are not sutfi-
! clently confidential, the citizen is not freed
| from the apprehension that his private
affairs, the secrets of his family and bust
! ness, will not be disclosed to his neighbors.
| The facts given by members of one family
| will be seen 10y all those whose record
| succeeds theirs ON the same blank, and
| the returns at the central Office are
not properly guarded from observation. In
| accuracy and waste of time are the resultant
| of these objections 100 much time is
| allowed in taking and publishing the census.
| The main report of 1850 was not published
till 1868, and the volume relating TO manufac
lures not till 1859. The preliminary report
of 1860 was printed in 1862; full reports on
| population and agriculture were delayed unit
| 1864; and those on manufactures and NOR.
tality till the end Of 1866, when the reports
were sadly out of date. For these and Other
defects in taking and issuing the census Mr.
Garfelds bill proposed reasonable remedies
Smaller districts should be instituted, the
present Congressional districts being the
most convenient, probably, and small enough
for any man to intelligently arrange the worl
therein, and put its carrying out into th'
hands OF intelligent men chosen for thei
especial fitness for the work. Separat,
schedules for the various topics of inuuir,
should be distributed before the visit of tn,
census officer, and by this means it wa
believed that much greater correctness woulc
be attained in the reports, and that the tim
required for the enumeration might b.
reduced to one month.
But Mr.. Garfield's bill proposed not only q
remedy certain defects in the taking and pub
fishing of the census but also thorough re
vision of the present schedules sof inquiry
That which had exclusive reference to slave
can now happily be dropped that to colo
should include distinctively the Chinese, VIII
certainly deserve such recognition, il fo
no other reason than that of having been tn
first census takers. Inquiries as to the edr
cation of children were to be adyautageousl
? increased. In accordance with the earnel
! desire of DIR. Jarvis, the branch of vita
: statistics was deservedly to receive more a
: tention. The importance OF inquiries as