Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-02

PEOPLE EXPLAINING WHY THEY CONTRACTED
DEBTs-THE SCHEME OF THE INQUIRY.
unique investigation is being made by the
Census Office. 1t will be remembered that
some stir was made i'll the newspapers about the
time the work of taking the census was begun
IN regard to some of the questions in the
schedule, which were criticised as being in
quisitorlal in character. These were the ques-
lions III regard to the ownership Of property
and whether the property was mortgaged or
not. The apprehension that the people would
resent this attempt, as it WAS termed, to pry
into their affairs does not seem to have been
realized. In fact. the supervisors, or the Off
cials who had charge of the census work
throughout the country, reported that these
questions were answered more freely than some
others on the schedules. For example quite
large numberwere recor ied as having refused to
tell their age. The fact was that there was
nothing involved in these questions which
made them OF sufficient consequence to refuse
the information. People rule were per-
fectly willing to tell whether they owned the
house they lived in or whether they occupied
1t as tenants and i'll the former case whether or
not 1t was mortga9ed. This information when
once obtained ouables the Census Office statis-
tlclans to ascertain how many people in this
country own and occupy their houses and
farms, and whether they are encountered with
debt.
WHAT SOCIAL ECONOMISTS WANT TO KNOW.
But there are other questions which social
economists have been anxious for a number of
years to ascertain with eXactness, and SO far
their wishes have not been gratifed. For exr
ample, 1t Is an important problem about which
there grave differences of opinion
rs to the cause OF debt. Farms and houses.
in fact, property of all kinds are known to be
covered to a greater Or less extent with mort
gage. This Ii true in this country as well as
III other parts of the globe Now why are these
mortgages placed upon property? Why do peo-
pie borrow money! Some writer's on social
questions, arguing on the basis of this ascer-
tanned prevalence OF debt, claim that it is due
TO the poverty of the people, and tina. in spite
OF rich soil and apparent prosperity in bust
ness people are growing poorer instead of
richer. On the other hand it is claimed that
debt is an indication OF prosperity; that people
borrow in order to enlarge their bust
ness. In the absence of positive
facts one argument OF which the above are
only samples. was as good as another. In all
the countries of Europe, where statistics were
reduced to exact science before such
thing as q national census known in this
country there has been no effort made to
find out the cause of indebtedness. That in
why the inquiry now being made under the
direction Of Mr.. George X. Holmes. the chief
OF the division of recorded indebtedness, was
described rs unique. 1t will stand alone IN the
annals OF the statistical inquiries of the world.
THE MODE OF THE INQUIRY.
As this collection of facts is somewhat novel,
the method by which it is being done will be
of interest. For months past large force of
special agents, under the supervision OF Mr.
Holiness has been engaged in taking from the
records OF counties anu cities the recorded mort
cages OF private individuals and corporations
The names Of the mortgagers and their I'D
dresses are obtained only. however, Ill certain
counties throughout the country, whore the
inquiry will be made complete. Then letters
are addressed to those persons asking the fol-
lowing questions: Was this mortgage fully paid
January l. 1890? If not fully paid. how much
was due upon the principal January /, 1S9O2
Was this mortgage made To secure part of pur-
chase money, to make improvements, or for
what other purpose; or, 1t made to renew.a pre-
vious mortgage, what was the debt originally
created for!
In cases where no answers are received
special agents will be sent out to obtain tho in
| formation by calling upon the persons OF
course this method will not be followed in
every county in every state. That would in
volve not only large expenditure OF money
but also occupy long period of time. This
detailed inquiry will, therefore, be confined to
the country, and the conditions as ascertained
| then Will form broad basis upon which the
| entire mass of statistics can rest.
aLIMPsEs OF LIFE.
Every day Mr.. Holmes receives replies to his
circulars and the correspondence gives some
curious glimpses of human nature as well as
! OF life in the different sections OF the country.
STAR reporter was given some extracts from
these letters. which are, OF course, confidential,
aud therefore the names, places and anything
that might identify the writer's are left out. 1t
| viii be seen that large number OF the writer's
are not disposed to tamely confne themselves
to answering the questions but they branch
| forth into variety OF personal and family de-
tails which are amusing at times and then again
| pathetic.
| EXPLANATIONS OF SOME OF THE DEBTORS
| One man states that his friend shot a negro
and the mortgage was incurred in raising the
money to bail him out of Jail and for lawyers
| fees.
| Another one writes: Borrowed money for
general uses on account of failure in crops, and
reckon, he adds. with southern naiyeness.
| you'll think that am d bad manager:
but there are plenty more in the same fix.
Misery loves company"
very large and ample explanation seems to
| be that offered by the man who wrote that he
bad mortgage of si0O put on his house to pay
debts contracted in raising . family Of ten