Huntsville gazette., 1890-11-08
THE CENSUS.
A Bulletine Showing the Increase
During the Last Decade.
Returns from the Different States by Geo.
graphical Groups-The Superintend-
ent's Argument in Explanation of
the Apparent Small Increase.

WASHINGTON. Nov 1.-The twelfth of
the series of census bulletins was issued
yesterday on the population of the
United States. The bulletin says:
The population of the United States on
June !. 1899, as shown by the first count of
persons and families. exclusive of white
persons In Indian Territory, Indians on
reservations and Alaska, was 62. .4s0, $40.
These figures may be slightly changed by
later and more exact compilations, but such
changes will not be material. In 1887 the
population was so, 155,7S3. The absolute in
crease of the population In the ten y ears in
tervening was 12,32i.757. and the percentage
OF increase was 2457 In 1870 the population
was stated as S,55S,31. According to these
figures the absolute increase in the decade
between 1870 and 1889 was 11,5l7, ,412, and the
percentage of increase was 3O05
Upon their face these figures show that
the population has increased between 1880
and 1s9) only IA. 3i5 moro than between 1870
ana 1850, while the rate of increase has ap-
parently diminished from 300s to PAST per
cent. II these figures were derived from
correct data. they would be disappoint-
ing. Such reduction in the rate of
increase In the face of the enormous immi-
grafton during the past ten years would ar
que great diminution in the fecundity of
the population or a corresponding increase
ever, easily explained when the character
of the data used i5 understood. 1t
Is we'll known, the fact having been
demonstrated by extensive and thorough
investigation, that the census of 1870 was
grossly deficient in the Southern States, so
much so as not only to give an exaggerated
rate of increase of the population between
1870 and 1880 in these States, but to affect
very materially the rate of increase in the
country at large. These omissions were not
the fault nor were they within the control OF
the Census Office. The census of 1870 was
taken under law which the Saperintend-
ent, General Francis A. Walker, character
lied as "clumsey, antiquated and barbar-
ous." The Census Office had no power
over it's enumerators save barren
protest, and its right was even ques-
toned in some others. In referring
to these omission, the superintendent OF
the tenth census said in his report In rea-
tion to the taking of the census in South
Carolina: lit follows, as a conclusion of
the highest authority, either that the CEN
sus of 1870 was grossly defective in regard
to the whole of the State, or of some con-
siderable parts thereof, or else that the
census OF 1889 was fraudulent" Those,
therefore, who believe IN the accuracy and
honesty of the tenth census-and that was
thoroughly establshed-must accept the
other alternative offered by General
walker, namely, iLnaC lHe HfntH CENSUS
was grossly defective" What was
true of South Carolina was also true, in
greater or less degree, Of all the South
ern States. There arc, of course,
no means of ascerta aiming accurately
the extent OF these omissions, but in all
probability they amounted to not less than
100000. There is but little question that
the population Of the United States in 1870
was at least 40 900, 600 instead of 49, 81, as
stated. If this estimate of the extent of the
omissions in 1870 be correct, the absolute
ini rease between 1870 and 1880 was only
about 10 900, ,01O, and the rate of increase was
not far from 25 per cent. These figures COM
pare much more reasonably with similar
deducto from the population in 1889 and
1890.
Omitting from consideration those States
in which the census of 1870 is known or is
presumed to have been faulty, the rate OF
Increase between 1870 and 1880 In the remain
ing States has been very nearly maintained
in the dec ade between 1880 and 1893. Refer
ring TO the principal table of the bulletin,
the census of 1870 is known or is presumed
to have been deficient in nearly all the States
OF the South Atlantic and Southern Central
divisions, while in the North Atlantic,
Northern Central and estern divisions no
evidence OF incomplcteness has been de-
tected The population of these three last
named divisions in 1877. 1880 and 1899, the ab-
solute increase for the two decades and the
rate OF increase are set forth in the follow
faI,1