The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-17
How the Next Census Should be Taken.

lately introduced a bill in the House of Rep
rcscntativcs. With some OF the suggestions
offered we heartily concur, for they deeply
interest the people of this country; but we
can Indicate others which are susceptible OF
improvement.
Tho bill provides, as heretofore, for re-
sponsiblc head OF tine whole business, to be
called the Superintendent OF the Census,
and to be under the direction Of the Interior
Department. But il makes an important
innovation 10y giving the nomination of the
next grade Of officials, namely, the Super
visors resident in the several localities, not
to the Secretary Of the Interior, but to the
Governors Of their respective States and
Territories. On the Supervisors thus So
lcctcd will devolve the designation Of all the
subordnatcs employed in the process OF
enumeration within their sections This Is
rs it should be. lndisputably, the Governor
OF State Is far more competent than the
head OF II department at Washington TO
pick out the men best qualified by charac-
ter, experience, and long acquaintance with
their localities, TO namc control, and super
wise the persons fit TO be intrusted with the
actual taking OF the census. matter Of
such grave concern, and involving such
large uses calls for the utmost care and ca
pacity In the choice OF agents. The APP
pOintmrnt OF cnumerators ought not to be
the subject OF political patronage at all, and
certainly it should not be the perquisltcof
any single department, or Of any one polti-
cal party.
The sum allotted In this bill as the maxi
mum cost of the next census, exclusive Of
ipf nd M IL Of
dollars. That is too much. 1t is true that
the amount expended in 1870 was three and
a half millions; but there was n great deal
Of wastcfulucss in connection with the last
canyasslnE. and the process of enumeration
was most unrcasonably prolonged. Proper
measures Of precautiOn against error in
those particulars, coupled with the fact that
the purchasing power Of money is about a
third greater than it was ten years ago, will
much more than meet any augmented
outlay called for by our growth in popula-
tion and n more exhaustive schedule OF liz
quircs. In regard to the length Of time
required by this act for the completion Of
the enumeration, we observe that fifteen
days are allowed for cities having over
10000 inhabitants, and one month for other
districts. This is move in the right direc-
ton, but it does not go far enough. In 1870
the period contemplated by law was about
one hundred days. but the last returns were
not received until the end Of August. 1871,
or nearly fifteen months after the census
was begun OF course such preposterpus
delays would be impossible under the pro-
visions of this bill but We see no reason
why n much closer approximation to the
r.tul mn l..4r nf mia L.,
compasscd by the plan urged By Supcrn-
tcndent WALKER. The latter's experience
had convinced him that the census uf
every city and manufacturing town in
the United States might be taken in a
single day. while the enumeration OF agri-
cultural districts need not exact more
than three days, allowing for the canvass
ing OF the most sparscly settled regions
longer term OF perhaps month. We may
add that accuracy, as we'll as time ana
expense, might be furthcrcd In 1850 by tho
use OF prior schedules" containing printed
inquiries and directions 10 bc distributed in
advance among families, aud subsequently
collected 10y the census agent II Is time
that this cXpedicnt practl-cd with success
in other countries, should be tried in the
United States.
1t is well known that the census OF the
United States is esteemed 10y statisticiuns Is
the most minute and inquisitivc, though by
no means the most accurate, owing 10 the
system of prutracted enumeration. But the
scope OF inquiry fixed by Mr.. Cox 5 bill il
wider and more suggestive than that con
templated by any previous census. We
find, for instance. that the schedule for So
ola ~ "a IL
the public indebtedness of cities, counties
and towns, and, what is specially interesting
to the ownership OF the public debt OF the
United States. The same document con
tains questions calculated 10 elicit data Of
value regarding paupersm and crime.
Among the information which the takers
Of the census are enjoned by this bill to OBJ
tain from every railroad corporation, are
some matters about which Stockholders
feel the livelcst concern. Such are the
terms Of all agreements and contracts by
which sleeping cars, palace and parlor
cars, express and transportation cars,
and all other parasitic organizations
are enabled TO eat up the legit-
innate profits Of a railroad. Inquiries
equally pertinent and interesting are to be
| put 10 life insurance companies, eXactng a
! detailed exhibit Of assets and liabilities, to-
| gcthcr with minute specification Of all
sums paid by way of salaries, commissions,
fees bonuses and donations to officers and
employees. When we consider the eager
! curiosity Of stockholders and policy hold
ers on these heads, and how sparingly and
reluctantly knowledge is communicated, iii
satisfactory TO learn that any president or
officer Of corporation who shall neglect or
refuse 10 give true and complete answer to
! any question authorized by this bill will
| forfeit sum not less than five hundred or
| more than ten thousand dollars. Some ma
/ say the sole objection 20 tins fine Is that IL
is not large enough. No doubt, in the iudg-
mcnt Of many shareholders, the minimum
should rather be twenty-five hundred dol
lars, while the fine might be accompanied
by the penalty OF Imprisonment to be i'm
posed in the discretion OF the Court.
There are other sections Of this bill To
which we may hereafter direct attention,
especially the mortality and agricultural
schedule, But taken a. u whole, and with