New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-23
A CENSUS OF MORTGAGES.
THE RECORDS OF EVERY STATE AND TERRI
TORY EXAMINED.
PRELIMINARY REPORT on THE INQUIRY IN
ALABAMA AND IOwA-INTEREST-
ING STATI sTICS.
IEY TELEGRAPH TO THE TDBUNE.r

Washington Feb 22.-The superintendent Of the
census las prepared his first BuetiA on the results OF
'e examination ordered by Congress into The mortgage
and other Indebtedness of individuals and corporations
III the various States. and into tie quesGOn Ci TIC
ownership OF farms and homes The Introductory
statement IS devoted chiefly TO explanation Of the
methods employed to collect the Information required
but asmuch ii summarizes in part the results OD-
taned In the two States Of Alabama and Iowa, IL VIII
De OF great interest and importance In showing 10 WaU
extent Indebtedness prevails III two Gstnct and widely
separated portions of the country and what proportion
Of farm and other lands in each Is now enculnbercd
with mortgages As will be from the figures gwen
below, the total real estate mortgage debt III Alabamt
In 1880 500, 027 083 While in Iowa IL was Sloo
oJ4b11. The acres OF land m0rtsaged III Alaodma
numbered lfi42O, and In Iona, 3,24O f3&-belhg uuI
% per cent of the total acreage In Alabama ana Du1
81 per cent In Iowa. Judging from these Two otaN'S'
less than per cent the farm and other lands In tle
sections which they represent are to be cons eed rs
burdencd with mortgage membranes. In his preface
to the bulletin Mr. Porter says
Senate resolution introduced by Senator Cockrc' o.
Missouri April %, 1890 enabled me 20 lay before that
body Census Bulletin no ., tho instructions rules
and regulations formulated by the Census ONCE Tor t9
purp0 o! asccrainng the facts required by the several
Census relating recorded Indebtedness, the owner
ship u farms and homes. and the amount OF mof'sasc
Indebtedness thereon In fact did more. II gave me
the opportunity pointing out in advance the Immediate
difficulties which 4 Nm tho way OF successfully conducting
novel statistical inquiry IL Is. tccve the irst th
Government ha, ever attempted to invade or st''a'
purposes the realm Of private debt dnesS For tla
I'D because questions relating to debt are likely
10 popular r aGce against the census proper IL
b'camc necessary tn adopt some plan that "ou" ''c"o
The Information demanded By Congress with the least I">
Ole friction. This has In large M asure been a'co"''
phcd and although the just demand the part OF tho
people to take An inventory Of private Indebtedness has
been used for The purVos Of making partisan attacks on
tho Census ONCE work has teen prosecuted with
far beyond anticipation Of statstcsns VINO
have stuGld the question for years. At the present
writing impossible estimate the full benefits when
VIII be derived such investigation
The employment Of small army OF special agents 70
make abstract OF every mortgage placed on frcoi" "
every county IN TIE United for the last tn years
Ia, attracted attention the dangers Of those incum'
hranccs to the enormous burdens in the way Of interest,"
alarming extent in which 10 pracscd ana 70
the dciocyene, Of these records In all parts OF inc cou'
try. The agents Census O0ce have matter oil
fact oychaulcd records IN state and TERRITORY
They have travelled horseback and on foot through u
sor-,y districts search OF mortgages ana
have done their work thoroughly and 20 mdus'Fou'5
have now on file In Washington, as result OF
their labor abstracts Of about 100000 mortgages
Some months before the inquiry was begun the public
put In possession of the scope q the plan adopted
That pan with hardly any Change has been successfully
comprised two distinct methods one nav
Ing local records for the basis OF operation the o'F
the population schedule, uad hence the individual As
VIII De seen from the accompanying preliminary report
fo the State, u Alabama and Iowa, the hst plaa naHea
10 possible determine with reasonable accuracy uIe
amount of existing debt January l. 1890 the rate Of IN
t.-f and e., motive the Loan whether Tor purchase
nancy inp-oy,menc or other purposes. The second plan
Will show the number Of persons by counties IN Inc
United states who their farms and mgr homes Tree
from debt and the number having ncumbrahc' thereon
the amount of such Indebtedness ths value Of such farms
and ,tl.r fact. %, minor Importance These two nqui.
re, combined Will throw light upon the whole question
II ortgag. Indebtedness and Will form basis Tor 'ub'e-