Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-24
THE CENSUS WORK
Its Completion Expected by the End
of Next Month.
A PERMANENT BUREAU OF CENSUS
Some Opinions as to the Value Of
the Proposed Change.
T H E PRESE ENT STATUS

The eleventh census is closing. The Off
cials of that bureau express the belief that
the work of the census proper will be con-
cluded by October 15. There is probabil-
ity, though. that the completion of some de-
tails will occupy the balance of the month.
The only work not completed is that of pop
ulation and vital statistics. The population
statistics will be most important from the
fact that tine primary object of taking the
census is the constitutional enumeration of
the inhabitants. The article of the Const-
tuition under which national census was
instituted provides solely for an enumera-
tion of the people and a basis for apporton-
ing representation and direct taxation. The
first census, that of 1870, undertook no more
than a mere count of the people. giving, in
addition, the names of heads of families,
the sex of free whites. number of white
males under and over sixteen years of age,
Number of other free persons ana number of
slaves. In no way can the progress of CEN
sus work be more clearly seen than in a
comparison of the population schedules of
the first and eleventh censuses.
The fifth division, that of vital statistics,
Is the only division other than the fourth
that of population, which has not completed
its work. This also is one of the most i'm
portant duties required of the census Office
II iating, as 1t does, to the collection Of
statistics of births, marriages and deaths.
There at work in the census office
about 300 clerical employees. 1t is calcu-
lated that this force can complete the work
within the time indicated. After the dis
charge of the force Il corps OF professional
proof readers and skilled copy holders will
be set TO work. This force will number
fifty, and will be located on the seventh
floor of the Inter-Ocean building, the floor
now occupied by the offices of the superin-
tendent, Col. Carroll ID. Wright and the
chief clerk, Mr.. Donnell Those parts of the
building which will not be needed by the
government Will be turned over 10 the Inter-
Ocean Company. Three stories have thus
far been delivered TO the owners.
The divisions which have concluded their
work are as follows: Appointments, dis
tursementS and accounts, geography church
statistics, educational statistics, pauperism
and crime national and state finance, farms,
homes and mortgages; agriculture, manu-
facture, mines and mining, fish and fisheries
transportation, insurance. statistics of Spe-
cal classes, Alaska, statistics of Indians
social statistics of cities and revision and
results.
Permanent Census Bureau.
The proposition for a permanent census
bureau finds favor with all statfstcians
with whom The Star man has talked. In
1891 the Senate adopted a resolution direct
ing the Secretary of the Interior to con-
slider the expediency of the establishment
of a permanent census bureau, and to en-
body the results of his consideration in a
draft OF bill, should he consider ii ex-
pedient in special report to be made to
the Senate at the opening of the Fifty
second Congress. This resolution was refer
red to the superintendent of the census
with instructions to prepare the report as
called for. In doing this the superintend-
ent did not cOnfine himself to a mere ex-
preston Of personal opinion, but consulted
with statisticians and experts, and also OBJ
tanned through correspondence expressions
nf
officers of state boards of health and agri-
cultural organizations, state superintend-
ents of education, bishops and other prom
inent churchmen and oihcers of Institutions
for the insane. deaf, dumb blind, etc, all
of whom were necessarily interested in any
movement looking to the Improvement of
the present system of collecting and COM
piling census statistics.
The consensus of opinion was that the
establishment of permanent census office
would result in more scientific methods of
securing the statistics of the United States
than are possible under the present system
These statistics would be more economic
ally gathered, 1t was thought, they would
meet more nearly the scientific standards
OF statistical comparison, and the results
would be more trustworthy and more salts
factory in every way. The abandonment of
the census Office at the completion of each
decennial census involves the scattering of
expert chiefs of divisions. trained in the
handling of great masses of statistics there
by losing the benefit of proved and tested
methods of carefully determined principles
of comparison and analysis, which the GEN.
sus people claim are the prime essentials I'm
determining the value of governmental
statistics.
Defects of the Present system.
Every decennial census office is a law
unto itself. Strange heads are set to work
The gathering of statistics has become an
exact science. The danger and disadvan-
tage 1t Is claimed, of a decennial census
will increase in rapid ratio as the country
grows, and the decennial burden will be-
come more crushing 1t has been prophe-
sled that there win come a time when this
system, yoked to the constantly increasing
scope and number of schedules demanded
will break down of its own weight. In
letter to the superintendent of the census in
1891, Myron NJ. Parker. former District
Commissioner and president of the board
of trade of this city, thus expressed him
self on the matter of permanent census
bureau:
THE growth of our country from a nu-
merical standpoint would seem to be a suf-
ficient reason, but, in my judgment, there
are others more weighty. 1t may perhaps
be sufficient that on certain day, once in
ten years. we determine the population of
the United States, but there are many great
Industrial and commercial interests that
Sho lfd be continued from day to day, month
10 month and year to year, SO that at any
time Information could be had through the
census bureau respecting commercial, me-
cfanfcai, manufacturing, and other leading
industries. the use of electricity, the tele-
phone, the management and motor power
of street railroads: the dangerous aCcumu-
lation of wealth by trust companies ard
syndicates; our forests that are fast passing
away; the geological conditions, and the an
lual cereal products might be mentioned as
some of the leading industries of the Coun-
try that should be kept posted to date in
epitomized form. 1t is important to the
welfare of our people that there should be
n bureau established from which certain
information could be furnished on these and
kindred subjects, not as to what their con-
ditons were ten years ago or what they
might be ten years in the future, but what
they are today. l Eope the necessity for a
permanent census bureau will be recognized
by Congress"
1t is likely that congressional action will
be Iged In the matter.
The Maine Ready for Trial.
The Navy Department has been Informed
that the Maine is ready for trial, and the