The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-08-05
TIE cunAN CENSUS.
To Be Taken Immediately BY the United
States Authorities.

NEW YORK AUG, IA special 70 the
Trqbone erom Washington says; The
president directed that the census OF
C,sba be taken as soon as possible. The
matter has been energeta'a-ly taken up
by the war department with the ex-
prciatlon OF completing the work and
furnishing the PRINCIPAL results to con-
grcss al the opening Of the next session.
on sel- sary Roots return TO Washing
icn next Tuesday he viii hold anal
conference In this ONCE TO settle the de-
.ails OF the undertaking with Assistant
Secretary Meik.ejoha, who has immedi-
ate charge of c0oaial affairs and WIKI
the officials OF the census bureau. The
latter have already drafted the blanks
which probably wHl be used by the en-
umera.ors. and these schedules are now
In process OF translation into Spanish.
Gener d Brooke. commanding the depart
ment OF Cuba. has appointed Ave super
intending enumerators, who are on
their way to Washington 10 receive in
structions as 10 the matter " taking the
cersus ana to famhiarlze themselves
with American methods OF insuring ac-
ouracy N the data to be obtained.
The CiIban census Is to he wholly indie
pendent Of rhe United States census Of
next year. although the large organiza.
tion under Director Herman, which win
not begin us actual iie,d work until the
first cf the year. may be utilized no some
extent In the taouiatlon and arrangement
of Cubaa data secured In the next three
months, Il Is determined that the Cuban
census slraf be finished before the CEN
slis OF the United States. including Porto
Rico. o. gins The object OF haste in
dotermlclag the condition Of affairs sta
tlsnCany In Cuba : to FURNISH congress
such an exhaustive statement OF facts
that legislation for the future OF the
island may be promptly and inielligently
accomplished
1t Is expected that the president VIII
Zoe able TO Snclude summary OF the re-
suits In his next message and at the
same time furnish a preliminary report
OF the census, with the prospect Of CIV
inS the senate and house the final and
9, mple,c detailed result by the middle of
January. 1t Is not Intended TO secure
simply an enumeration Of the Islands
but to detesuine as precisely as possible |
Its agricultural and Industrial conditions.
The last Spanish census Of Cuba was |
taken In 1887, While Its accuracy was In
many respects doubtful, as a whole II was
conceded to give q fair idea Of the con-
dltlons then existing, The population
was said to be l.eSl,6S7 Of whom nearly
65 per cent were white.
Army officers who have been connected |
with the Cuban administration since the
American occupation began estimate that |
this total has fallen to about 100000. |
The census of 1857 gave nearly 100000 |
horses and mules. 100000 cattle and |
COO 900 pigs in the island These accord-
ing to the army officers have practically |
disappeared as result Of the long war.
The ncome OF plantations, the sugar |
making capacity and acreage under culti-
vatlon for tooacco have been almost Oh
literatei, but these and other vast sour
ces Of wealth are being rapidly restored
and It will be one Of the objects of the
census to show what opportunities may |
be found cor the revival and development |
of Cuban resources. The collection Of |
information will be In General Brooke's |
charge the expense being met from the
Cuban revenues,