Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1880-04-08


The term census l. Of old Roman orr
gin. group Of the many functions per-
formed by the high officials called cen
scr having received the name census.
in modern acceptation il IS ''an official
enumeration Of persons, their property
generally. with such facts as tend TO
show their moral, social, physical and
Industrial condition" in the Penta-
touch, enumeration Of the.peoplr i en-
,irined sadie nscsf ancient staiiatises
-iEc0ru O9tsasakind . - iol 1sxssssa.s|
the wilderness. There Is record Of q
Chinese census made BY command OF
the Emperor Fee, 2042 b. c., and Of
one in JapaFf under the Mika6o Sujun
in the last century before Christ. Un-
der the constitution of Scion the cIti-
gems of Athens were divided and regis
tered in four classes, according to the
amount Of their taxable property or in
come.
The Roman census originated under
Servius Tullius, the sixth king Of Rome,
in the distribution of citizens into clas-
ses, in a most solemn manner, on the
Campus Martius, where every citizen
had TO appear and to declare under
oath, his name and dwelling, the num-
Der and age Of his children and the val
ne Of his property, under penalty Of
having his goods confscated, and OF be.
ing scourged and sold for a slave. The
whole population was divided into six
classes, based upon property qualifica-
tons; improvement were made under
Augustus. In the sixteenth century
came into vogue the practice of keep
ing church registers of birth. marriages
and deaths, and Of which grew the modern
systems of recording the movements oil
the population. Peter the Great. in
I719, had a census taken of the male
population, for the purpose Of conscriP-
ton, additions being made until 1902,
when a "Central Bureau OF Statistics"
was organized, which was recognized
in 1859. From 1S5S-67 the Russian
census grew to include legal popula-
ton, information in reference 10 sexes,
number of horses in town, churches,
institutions, manufacturing establish
ments, etc.
In Prussia census-taking dates back
to Frederic l., and was improved under
Frederick III. The enumeration en-
braces mechanics, etc., and is made by
civil officers on one day IN December.
The new German empire, on Deem
Der /, 1871, took census for the first
time. The German states, for the most
part, take a census triennIally. Austris's
census was first taken in 1874, and un-
ill 1857 was used entirely for military
purposes. II is taken every three
years.
The science Of statistics has been
more cultivated in Sweden than in any
other country. The practice oates back
to 1886, and has been carried TO high
state Of perfection. In Turkey the cen
sus is taken for cOnscription. The first
taken in France as in 100; it is now
taken al quinquennIal periods, Denmark
being the only other country that takes
its census every Eve years. The Uni
ted States, Great Britain and Ireland,
Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Portu-
gal, Sweden and Norway, on the other
hand, do the work every ten years
The origin of the American census may
be traced to the colonial period, when
the British board Of trade caused emu
meralions to be made for commercial
purposes. The census Of the United
States presents the unusual fact of be-
ing ordained by the constitution OF The
government, and really att the very britt
OF the government itself, in 1890. II
was then decided to take a census ev-
cry ten years as political necessity
General Janis A. Garfield presented a
bill in 1870 TO take from the control of
marshals the collecting Of census re-
turns, and provisions were made 20 meet
the requirments of scIence. but the bill
was defeated by the Senate. The ninth
census was then taken, under act Of
1880, by 6,572 assistant marshals, SUI
pervised by sixty-one marshals Of The
United States courts, at coast Of s, g.
$50, 1874. 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 For
ty-fifth Congress, allows $4,000, 900,
and has some excellent provisions
Supervisors are 10 be appointed for d.
visions. they appointing enumerators OF
subdivisions, who are TO be selected
solely with reference to their fitness
for these duties, and without reference
10 political or party affiliations. Under
The old law. subdivisions were limited
to %, 900 inhabitants. while By the pres
ent law they are limited to 1000. By
the old law, the time from June to
November ] was allowed for enumera-
ton. while under the present statute II
is required to be done in June. and in
cities Of more than 10000 inhabitants
IN the two weeks from the first Monday
in June. ScboOl-masters have largely
been found 10 England among The best
qualified enumeraiors. 1t is proposed
here TO employ local officers and physi-
clans. as it is thought they would make
excellent euumeraSors.-Fred. l.. Jen-
kins, in .NeW York Tribune.