The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-03-23
THE CENSUS OF 1880.
How It is to Be Conducted and What Il
win Show.

The Washington correspondent Of
the New York Graphic writes: 1t is
evident that one of the first things
President Harrison will be called
upon to do after his induction into
Office will be to appoint a Superin-
tendent of the Census, and the bill
which has passed Congress was in
such good s, ape that there is every
reason to believe that the work on
the new census will be begun in good
season. The salary Of the Superin-
tendent will be $4,000 a year, 81, 900
more than was received by the pre-
vious Superintendent. There is to
be thorough organization this time
ten chiefs of division, disbursing
clerk and two stenographers at
- 900 a year each, and there are to
be Ito supervisors instead Of $50,
owing to the increase Of population.
Enumerators are to be paid the
same as in 1880, excepting for spc-
cial work. In 1880 the compensa-
tion was 10 cents for each farm and
Is cents for each establishment Of
productive industry. The pay has
been increased to Is and 90 cents re-
spectively.
In 1880 there we're 4,00S, 907 farms.
Mr.. Wright, Commissioner Of Labor
Statistics, thinks that at the outside
there will not be more than 5000, 900
farms in 1890, as consolidation rath-
cr than disintegration is the rule.
This would add $250,000 to the cost
of enumerating the farms. There
were 253,S52 manufacturing estab-
lishments in 1880, and the increase
now will not add greatly to the cost
of enumerating them.
One provision in the bill is new to
the Federal census and will please
the Grand Army men. 1t provides
for securing facts relative to survi-
vors OF the late war. with an enumer-
alton Of all veterans living. This
will give name, age, residence, length
of service, and command Of every
surviving veteran.
Another important provision re-
lates to the recorded Indebtedness of
private corporations and individuals.
This will cost $250,000 to collate.
1t is not expected to get absolutely
reliable statististies on this subject,
but all recorded Indebtedness and
enough other information which will
approximately show the indebted
ness Of the whole people.
Still another important provision
will secure reliable statistics of the
negro race, giving number of mulat-
toes, quadroons and octoroons.
Whether the race is becoming more
purely negro will be settled by sta
tistics, OF which this census will give
the starting point. The ordinary
statistics will show whether or not
the negroes are concentrating in GER
tain localities, as is claimed by some
persons, who say that the Gulf
States will be largely given up to
them in time.
A most important return will be
made concerning the defective class
ea, who have increased 400 per cent.
in thirty years, while the general
population has simply doubled -
These statistics were partly in the
last census.
Another defect of previous cen
suses is to be remedied in giving q
record Of animals not on farms
Heretofore horses in cities and viii
lagos, etc, have not been counted.
Not only are the horses mot on
FARMS omitted from the census, but
the milcb cows and swine of cities,
towns, villages, hamlets and even on
stock farms. The horse OF the par
son and the doctor are left out Of
the census, as we'll as the costly
coaches" of the millionaire and the
.'scrawny horse frame Of the junk
collector Taken altogether there
is an immense value in these ami
mails and their owners have just
cause of complaint that they are not
enumerated. The absurdity Of the
returns made when city and town
horses are not enumerated is illus
trated in New York county, which
was returned in 1880 as having only
297 horses when it probably had
$4,000. The last census has not
yet been all published. This kind
Of work will not be repeated, and it
is the intention TO keep within the
limit of the bill which places the
cost as $6,000,000. To carry on the
same work as in 1880 would cost
over 81, 100000.