New-York tribune., 1879-11-28
THE HISTORY OF THE CENSUS.
STATISTICS OF POPULATION IL THE PAsT-THF
PRACTICE OF DnFERENT NATIONS.

STATISTICS OF POPULATION IL IHE PAoI-IHE
PRACTICE OF DuFERENT NATIONS.
To the Edttor OF The TrtbUHe.
SIR In view of the recent discussion of the
census, and preparations gong for the
taxing next year OF census for the United states
the direction or that able and skilled sastican,
General T. \. Walker glance at the subject IN
era way may be Of interest TO some.
The term is OF old Roman origin. a group OF
the many functions performed by high officer called
censor. having received the name census. In modern
acceptaton it Is an official enumeration OF persons.
their property generally, With such facts tend 70
show their moral. social, physical and indus
trial condition. In the Pentateuch, the emu
mcration OF the people is enioined. and the
most ancient statistical record OF the kind
is that ~ Moses in the wilderness There record Of
Chinese made by command OF the Emperor Fee
2Ol2 T.. C.; and OF one in Japan under the Mikado
suiun IN the last century before Christ Under the
stuton Of SOlon the citizens Of Athens were divided
and registered four according to the amount
OF their taxable property or income.
The Roman census originated under servus Tuus
the sixth King Of Rome in the distribution OF citizens
into classes IN a most solemn manner on the Campus
Martius where every citizen had TO appear. and to
declare upon oath his name and dwelling the number
and age his children and the value OF his property
under penalty OF having his goods conhscated and Of
being scOurgcd and sold for slave. The whole popula
ton was divided into six classes based upon prop.
erty qualifications; Improvements were made under
Augustus.
In the sixteenth century into vogue the practice
of keeping church registers OF births marriages and
deaths out OF which grew the modern systems Of
coring the movements Of the population. Peter the
Great. in 17i9. had taken OF the male popula
for purposes Of conscrpton additions beng made
until 1902 when Central Bureau Of Statistics was
organized. which was reorganlzed in l~52. From
1s5867 the Russian census grew 10 include legal pop
uauOn. Information with reference To sexes number OF
houses In towns churches chapels, institutions. manu-
featuring establishments, etc
In Prussia. censustaking dates back to Frederick
William L. and improved under Frederick II. The
enumeration embraces mechanics. medicine, rel gion
etc. and is made by civil officers day in Decen-
Der. The new German Empire, on December l, ISL
took census for the hrs time The German States, for
the most part, take rienniallY Ausiras CEN
first taken in 1884, and until 1857 used en-.
trelY for military purposes. IL Is taken every three
years
Tue science Of statistics has been more cultivated in
Sweden than In any other country The practice dates
back 70 1896, and has been carried high state of
perfe cton. In Turkey the taken Tor couscrl
ton The first taken IN France In 1900; u Is
taken quinquennial periods Denmark being only
other country tAat takes IT, census every nye years
The United states Great Britain and ireland. Hoi-
land, Belgium. switzerland, Portugal, sweden an,l
years. BY the Statute " 1888 this state takes censas
evrty five years
traced to the colonial period. when the british
| Board Of Trade caused enuinrraiion5 20 be made
| tor commercial purposes. The of the
United states presents the unusual met of be-
ing ordained ny the CONSTITUTION oi iH' cover u
mcnt, aud really the very birth az the 'iuy-
eminent ltseif IN 1870 10 then fccdel o. take a
census every years a political necessity. General
James A. Garfield presented m 1870 b 10 take nom
ontr0l of Marsngls the collecting ~ census returns
gud pr visions made 10 meet the requirements "a
science; hut the bill dreaed by the senatc The
umth census tAen taken. under act of 1880, By
6oI2 ssistant ia shaa, supervised by sXN-uuo Mar
| shals o. The Quilted States C0Urls, at eoss VI