The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-12-19

pounds Of fax, S2,270; bushels flaxseed,
1882; pounds Of hops, 1881; maple sugar,
4sO,6O6; gallons maple syrup, 10000; gal
Ions Of wine, COOS.
The above are only some Of the items Of
information that subordinates in each
county will be required to CLEAN. They
will have vast field Of industrial and 90.
cial statistics TO 90 over. The questions to
be asked and answered are very minute
In some cases, and to properly discharge
the position OF an enumeratOr will require
intelligence and skill Of a pretty high or.
der. No wonder that q move was made
at Washington yesterday to increase the
pay OF these employees, with view, as we
suppose, Of securing better class OF men
than the wages first contemplated Would
compensate,
The true guarantee Of a fair census lies
first in the high personal character Of the
two public officers directly responsible for
the next enumeration-Genera Walker
and Secretary schurz. Politically, a
strong protection against the suspicion Of
fraud exists in the fact that while the
nominations Of supervisors are to be made
by Republican President, they are to be
confirmed BY a Democratic Senate. 1t
ought to be possible under these circum.
stances to secure officers the results OF
whose work will be above suspicion.
The origin Of the American census may
be traced to the colonial period, when the
British Board Of Trade caused enumera.
tons to be made for commercial purposes.
The census OF the United States presents
the unusual fact Of being ordained by the
constitution Of the government, and
really at the very birth Of the government
itself in 1890. 1t was then decided TO
take census every ten years as a political
necessity, General James A. Garfield
presented in 1870 a bill to take from tue
control Of mArshals the collecting OF CEN
sas returns, and provisions were made to
meet the requirements OF science; but the
bill was defeated by the Senate. The
ninth census was then taken, under act Of
1850, by 6,572 assistant marshals, super.
vised by sixty.one marshals OF the United
States Courts, at a cost OF $500, SS4.
General Walker is considered to have
made it ninth census) the most complete
in detail and accuracy that has ever been
accomplished.
The present law, passed by the XLvth
Congress, allows 100000, and has some
excellent provisions. supervisorsare to be
appointed. for divisions, they appoint.
ing enumerators Of subdivisions, who are
to be chosen solely with reference to their
fitness for those duties, and without refer
ence to political or party affiliations. I'm
der the old law subdivisions were limited
to 10000 inhabitants, while by the present
law they are limited to 1000. By the old
law the time from June to November /
was allowed for enumeration, while under
the present statute it is required to be
done in June, and in cities of more than
10000 inhabitants in the two weeks from
thetirst Monday in June. schoolmasters
have largely been found in England among
the best qualified enumerators. 1t is pro-
posed here to employ local officers and
physicians, as it is thought they would
make excellent enumerators. The decen.
NAL census is taken in Great Britain and
Ireland in the months OF March and April
from climatic reasons.
1t has been remarked by eminent au
thority on this subject that in ireland the
greatest progress has been made. The first
census was taken in 1911, but was not con.
sidered trustworthy. An English Report
says: "Prior to 1S4l the Irish enumera.
tors were persons taken from the general
community. In the years ls4l.5l. 6l.7l,
the census was taken by the constabulary
and police under the control Of the officers
of these forces; their knowledge rendered
them particularly well suited for this un.
dertaking, and their position throughout
has afforded us a sufficient staff OF eff.
cient enumerators, over whom the gov.
eminent continues to exercise control.
They are, We have reason to believe, per.
sonally acquainted with every house in
their respective districts. Five thousand
and niuety.six men belong to the constab.
ulary, fifteen Coast Guards and one hun.
dred and seventy.three of the Dublin Me.
tropolitan Police were employed as emu.
merators." DR.. Jervis, WHO'S considered
the highest authority on the subject, says
that the Irish census OF lS4l.5l.6l, taken
by the COnstabulary Police, is among the
best in the world.
In view Of these facts, would it not be
well to employ the police throughout the
country as enumerators? Being uniform
ed, their authority would be undisputed,
while their experience in collecting facts
and making out reports would enable
them to perform their duties as enumera.
tors with expedition, skill and correct
ness.
PCpulaIlo OF State and NeIEhborhood