The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-11-28
The Census.

Inc lOllOWluS pdluSi" P1' :"
Superintendent Walkers census re-
port
The cordiality with which the
press and the country have recognlz
ed the publication of the prime re-
suits of the census has afforded am
ple compensation to the Superinten'
dent for all the effort that has been
required to accomplish the compile
ton of the work of compilation
within two years from the conclusion
of the enumeration, There is no
reason, however, why, with such
notifications of existing laws as
would insure that the material
should come originally to the Census
Office in tho proper shape for tabu
lation, the entire compilation should
not be concluded within ayear from
the date of the first receipt. 1t Is
possible for any one who has had
such painful occasion as the present
Superintendent to observe the work
ings of the census law of 1851 tc
| characterize it otherwise than Is
clumsy, antiquated, and barbarous
The machinery it provides is as unh
sor use in the census of the United
States, in this day of advanced st"J
istical science, as the smooth-bore
muzzle-loading "Queen's arm OF th'
Revolution would be for service
against the repeating rifle of th'
present day. 1t ought not to b'
possible that another census should
be taken under this law; such
thing ought not to be seriously pro
posed. The country has suttere.
more than enough already of discred
it and Of loss on account OF tn
wretched insuiliciancy and lnappro
priateness of the provisions OF TIN
i'll constructedand out.grown statute
| do earnestly recommend tina
the attention of Congress be espe
cially invited to the proprlety an
expediency of I'm immediate censu.
to be taken in 1875, in preparaho
for the approaching centennial eeL'
bration of the political birth OF tn
nation. A census Of the Unite
States taken under system, an
with q management which would $
3 cure the publication of the result /
l the lst OF June, 1876, would be
noble monument to erect at the en-
= of a century Of the nations ll'e.
would mark off the first grand sta|
g N an industrial and social progre
j.: altogether unprecedented in histoi
+ and ssrve as the starting point OF
e fresh career which we have, und
/ Providence. reason to believe sht
be greater and hap pier yet
L Another consideration WIN
e strongly influences me IN tins
commendation, is the belief that
l. census in 1875 would, in all pro-
t. bility, secure the taking OF the Ft
e. eral census thereafter, at intervals
five years only, The interval oil
y wears fixed by the Constitution
w been found to be far too long tor
the uses to which the statistics
lis the census are put, except only
al the redistribution of CongreSslo
y: representation.
he So rapid are the internal chan
ks of the country, of-enimes set
calculations at nought, 50 fierce
vast the growth of the nation a
whole, that the hiatus IN the
re t;stical information ut the CT
nj mand of tho Legislator,
he pamphleteer, the journalist,
it9 the social and political philoaop
.on five or six years after the date OF
er. census, becomes positively pait
ow Whoever will call to mind the
IS mates as to the population
In wealth of cities, States, an sectl
ing which Immediately before tne oc
The renee OF the last census were p
her erIy put forth, were made the {, IN
ntil rial OF political and industrial $
are ulation, and were even taken as
.ow basis OF State and national leg
.ow ion, will hardly be disposed to q
The tion that the cost of II census
md in i've years would be amply re
MS by the light it would shed upon
ma. condition of the people and the
OF oress of the nation in populo
cry and wealth. Were the country
ing to learn by practical experience
he advantages of u qnlnquennlai ei
, as Grafton, it is not likely that 10
give period would ever thereafter be
as lowed to intervene between The
t In eral censuses.
,od. -
re. J1rF on the American side oi