Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-07-15
: TUESDAY MORNING, July Is, 1878.
INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS.


The Scientific American has been looking
over the census returns in order to fad out
how many working people there are in the
United States aud the specific occupations
they follow. The result arrived at is, that
we have 12.500,S2S workers out of total
population of 50, SIS, 39I, of which 10 $780,
1856 are males and i 1886, 4S7 are females
We incline to the opinion. that the number of
females industrially employed is very much
larger than these figures indicate, many women
and girls being put down in the census as
Having no occupation who are constantly en-.
gagged in domestic or household duties.
The returns, as given, ind:cate that nearly
one>third of our people have some regular
industrial business, and if reasonable addi>
tion for female workers be made the indus
trial classes will embrace about half of our
entire population. By the war material
change seems to have been made in this re-
gard. When the census Of 1860 was taken,
the ratio of workers to the entire population
was but little over one-fourth; now, as above
Stated, it is nearly onetthird. The greatest
women as we'll as men who once considered
themselves beyond tho reach of want, but
who are now forced by the stern demands of
necessity to labor for their daily bread.
1t is clear, however, that the census returns
as a whole are incorrect. This is proved by
the tests made in Massachusetts, through the
agency Of the Massachusetts Bureau of Labor
Statistics. This Bureau inds~gross discrep-
ancies in the census returns for that State, the
number of workers in the table Of occupa-
tions being four times as great as the number
of workers in the table of manufacturers,
whereas in manufacturing community the
difference should be comparatively small. OF
the females, in our whole country, between
l6 and so years of age, no less than $780,
0oo do not appear in any manner in the table
OF occupations, though the greater portion of
them do certainly have some kind of regular
employment.
Statistical knowledge is highly important
but its chief value depends upon its accuracy.
We must, therefore, have more accurate re-
turns than those at present furnished before
we can correctly judge of that division of
labor by which the material wants of our peo
pie are supplied.
On the question of nativity we suppose
greater accuracy has been attained by our
census takers than that which exists as to oc.
equations. Of our working force $500, S3S
were born in this country, 949, l61 in Ireland,
S36,5O2 in Germany, 3Ol,779 in England
and Wales, 1879, 6Sl in Norway, Sweden and
Denmark, 1888 in Scotland, SO. 1877 in
France, 46, 800 in China and Japan.
The army of husbandmen devoted to agri
culture is returned by the census, and un-
doubtedly with some approach to accuracy.
as numbering 5000, All the number devoted
to manufactures, mining and mechanical pur-
suits is returned as 3,707, 42l, and 9, GIL .793
are set down as rendering personal and pro-
fessional services, leaving 1,119,22s as en-
gagged in trade and transportation
Among mechanical and manufacturing oc
equations carpenters take the lead in num-
bers. Next como tailors, miners and blacks
smiths; and then in regular order, milliners,
masons, painters, Inachinists, sawmill tenders.
butchers, cabinet makers, millers, printers.
harness makers, timers, tanners, cigar makers
bakers, fishermen, etc. OF sailors sc, OG4 are
set down, together with 1856 canal men.
1919 steamboat men. There are moreover
62.2s2 physicians, 4s, s74 clergymen, 40, 1856
lawyers, and 1901 teachers Hotels and
restaurants require 94,170 attendants, and
livery.stables 10000. The cf1ice>holders
number 67,912, BARRIERS 2G, 1884, musicians
9,21O, journalists 5, 2S7, and army and navy
officers 2,2S6.
@- The Baltimore Gazette says only few
mouths ago it was feariulIy disloyal and UNI
Just to say anythisg against the extraordinary
spectacle of Cabinet deserving its post to
man and taking the stump to elect its creator
: Now, how different is the situation of affairs
A few days since Judge West, a prominent
and honored Republican member of the Ohio
Constitutional Convention, used this language
upon proposition to change the time of hold
ing the State election from October to No
vember: 81 am Republican of the strict,
est sect, and. Radical as have been, now
declare that it was absolutely humiliating to
'Ae" VI u'Sniheu sehSiolHtles 10 see l)eiano,
Secretary of the Interior, Boutwell,, and Cres-
well, Postmaster General, going down last fall
first to North Carolina, and, after having carr
ried that State by detail, folding their tents
like the Arabs, and silently stealing away to
the State of Maine, and then fitting away to
other States and working to carry elections
for the Administration party. hope to God
the time will come when such spectacle will
no longer be witnessed on the Aa1nerican
continent"
GS An ingenious, accurate, and intelli>
e Al.