The Portland daily press., 1880-12-03
THE CENSUS.
Some Interesting Facts Cleaned
from the Reports.
POPULATION OF THE COUNTRY
PROBABLY 5o,ooo,ooo

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-The desire to make
at least approximate estimate of the aggre-
sate population OF the country for use i'll the
Presidents message has turned the attention
of the Census Office more particularly in that
line to the exclusion Of others. For this
reason the census bulletins, whose publication
vas begun on the 10th of October, are taking
for the present somewhat different character
Than was favored at first. That is, they relate
20 county tables merely, without attention for
the present to the minor civil divisions. Thus
lar nineteen of these bulletins have been
issued, treating, with but one or two excep-
ions, of the population in the aggregate ac-
cording to the minor civil division, and by
states and counties, so far as completed. by
sex, nativity and color, as we'll as in the aggre-
gate. The population of five States has thus
lar been aulhoritatively stated. namely: OF
Delaware. Massachusetts,, Rhode Island,
south Carolina and Vermont. Besides tn SO
i've States the population has been ascertain
I'd and published for Cook. Dn Page and Lake
counties in Illinois, for six counties in New
Jersey, the city and twelve counties in New
York, the city of Philadelphia, thirteen
counties in North Carolina, the city and
county of Baltimore, nineteen counties in
Alabama, four counties in New Hampshire,
four counties in Connecticut and the District
II Columbia. The aggregate population of
these various portions Of the country has been
fixed, subject to revision, at 9,442. $50. This is
III increase of 2,22O,743 over the population OF
The corresponding portions of the country in
1870, ratio OF increase Of 81 40 per cent.
OF the five completed States, South Carolina
stands as ihe most notable for fecundty. In
TACT, as every body remembers, the ratio OF in
crease in this State was 30 extraordinary that
It provoked general incredulity and was made
the matter If searching investigation by the
Census Office. Moreover. second enumera-
Ion has been ordered in some paris of the
State where the increase was regarded as
slmost incredible, with what new result it is
yet of course impossible to say. The scholar
" and exhaustive report of Superintendent
Walker on the vesigation conducted under
mis- own auspices leaves the impression Oh the
mind o the reader that the original enumera-
tion will be vindicated by the second count.
Massachusetts, shows healthy growth of 325,-
1856 against an increase Of 226 ,285 between 1860
md 1870. Rhode Island is also growing
state, gaining out of an entire population in
1870 Of 217 1853. a population of 80, ,i77 within
the last ten Years. The TWO stationary States
nut of the five are Delaware and Vermont. the
latter showing an increase of less than IL, 600
in ten Years, and the former of only 2l ,639 for
the same period. No part of the country
shows more healthful growth or one more
significant in many respects than the District
of Columbia, which in 20 years of Republican
ascendency has increased in population from
$1,000 to 1T 63S. 1t is fair to assume tn at
during the four years of General Gartield's ad-
, ninisration this total will be increased to
OF the States given in part we find large
increase in the twt I've counties OF North Caro-
lima, which jump from an aggregate popula-
zion of ZIG, ,464 in 1870, to 283,327 at the last
enumeration. Maryland so far as given, sh ows
still larger absolute increase, though her ratio
IS slightly less. Alabama, New Hampshire
aud Connecticut have been very nearly station
ary. The six counties in New Jersey show a
growth just about analogous to that observable
in Maryland. The largest ratios OF all appear
in the three Illinois counties, which, from a
population of 1T 1903 in 1850, and of 3S7 ,668 in
1870, now show 647 1854. The largest absolute
increase has been in the city and adjoining
counties of New York, which, from l,456, ,63l
in 1860, went to ,765, ,4l5 in 1870, and thence TO
2,267,2S2 at the enumeration on the first of
June.
By the light of facts now in possession at the
office and worked up so as to be trustworthy,
and of the inferences which may be logically
and safely claimed from them, the office is
now prepared to give guess as TO the popula-
tion Of the country, which would not be found
to vary materially from the results when actu-
ally ascertained. The population of the coun-
try. il is thought, will be almost exactly 50,-
100000, though this statement is without
the authority Of the responsible bureau officers.
1t will fall, probably, between 49.OO0.00O and
50,000, 900, aud it could be ascertained probably
with sufficient exactitude to warrant reap
portiOnment based upon the facts ascertained
if it was important that this business should be
accomplished during the coming season, but as
the Congress to be affected by it will not be
elected ior Two years, and as another Congress
has yet to sit before the reapportionment goes
into operation, it is probable that all sides will
prefer to wait for the official aud authenticated
hguies.
There is good deal of dissatisfaction ex-
pressed at the Census Bureau with the reports
Of manufacturing statistics from different cities
but the only responsibility that the Census Of
tiCo has respecting them is their comDilatiOn.
The work of collecting them is entirely volun.
tary. 1t is not possible for the Census Office
yet to estimate the exact population of The
country Gen. Walker places it at about fifty
millions, and believes that the final taDulation
will not vary more than one million from that
figure, but the work is yet considerably in ar
Fears, and there are eight entire states yet to
hoc cou Mi tod