Evening journal., 1900-04-30
PEOPLE WON'T
TELL THEIR AGES
Most Difficult Question Which
COnfrOntS Census Takers
WILL GIVE IROIED"NIMGERS
Age StatiSticS Considered Very Important
and ThtirElHacemacy Threatens to
Taint The Whole census

Enormous numbers OF people are
either ignorant Of the ages OF them
selves and their families, or else they
are unwilling to tell them. This might
be inferred from general experience,
but census statistics prove a. Census
age tables are honeycombed with err
ror IN every country in which such
tables are prepared says a special from
Washington. This divergence from
the truth displays several distinct char
acteristics The most important is the
tendency to express the age in round
numbers, usually at one somewhat be-
low the true age. With a fairly steady
flow of immigration and stationary
or increasing population, there ought
always TO be fewer persons OF given
age than of any single age preceding;
less people 90 years old than 40; less
60 years Of age than So and so on. But
census age tables invariably show the
reverse At the last census 240 $50 per-
sons were returned as SO years old,
while the number returned as 60 was
02,7SS. The tendency to use round
numbers arises mainly from ignorance
and carelsssncss. and is noticeable at
every period of life-from childhood 10
second childhood. But the irresistible
impulse to understate the age is espe-
cially noticeable among adults from 25
to 60 years of age. The greatest pro-
portion OF error is at the Goth year, but
the greatest actual amount is at the
30th year or 10th year. At this fatal
Rubicon an immense number falter. In
1880 there were 61S641 persons report
ed as 80 years OF age, 1887 1886 at 40,
and 4SC.S53 persons at A. Among wo-
men, 500.774 were reported 70 De 40
290.977 80, 224,551 a..
IDIOSYNCRAsIEs OF THE PEOPLE.
Where immigration is slight the per-
sons of a given age at one census must
necessarily be less than the persons ten
years younger at the preceding census.
Thus, in 1890, the persons 25 years old
are necessarily fewer in number than
the persons Is years old In 1880, be-
cause the % year class OF 1890 is COM
posed OF the survivors Of the IS year
class in $780, These are facts, but
English women are not abashed W
facts In England the number Of wo-
men returning themselves as 20 to 20
years Of age Is always greater than the
number of girls reported at the preced-
ing census from 10 to 10 years old.
And yet, people can't be born 20 years
old. These are only few OF the
idiosyncrasles of people when their
age is in question. Young people want
TO be old, elderly people want to be
younger. very old people want to be
considered centenarians. Children un-
der Is throw their ages forward to l6,
girls stretch a point to be is. and there
are always more men 2t years old than
20. When there IS no other excuse for
going wrong, people choose even num-
bers in preference TO odd. This is one
OF the most serious and difficult errors
with which age statistics are affected.
IMPORTANCE OF AGE STATISTICS,
Taken all in all the age statistics are
perhaps as important as any class Of
statistics. II the age returns are in
correct it is impossible to determine ac-
curately whether the average duration
OF life Is increasing or decreasing; IL
is impossible to compute exact life lin
surance) tables or ascertain the death
rate; we cannot tell what portion OF
the men are Of military age or what
portion OF the women are in the child
bearing class. Age statistics enter into
almost every branch Of census statis-
ties and almost every other set of
statistical returns must be classified
according to ages. In this way we as
certain as FAR as the imperfect age sta
tistics allow, whether the negroes have
more children and whether they live
longer or die earlier than the whites;
whether the criminals of the country
are In the main recruited from the
younger or older elementsof population;
whether the employment OF children Is
increasing or decreasing These are
only a few illustrations OF the vitality
important combinations which depend
upon the age returns. Their inaccuracy
threatens 20 faint the whole census
and laborious and tedious mathemati.
cal computations have 90 be employed
to rcctify the age returns. Strange e
state, the age returns are not so accu.
rate IN America as they are In Europe
But studies Of the eleventh census civ,
reason forbelief that the lastcensus wa,
The best in this respect ever yet taken
and similar studies Of the Massachu
sets census Of 1895 indicate a similar
improvement in that state.
THE MILITARY CENSUS.
Secretary Root has arranged the de
tails Of the census Of the army. and ha
issued an order for the designation o
officers as enumerators. Each depart
ment commander is to appoint an oni
Ger to take the census on June is a
each post and station in the command
The chief Of ordnance will select emu
merators at all the ordnance estat
lishments. General Merritt will desil
nate the enumerator at Willets Poln
and the surgeon-general Will do a lik
service for the general army and nav
hospital at Hot Springs, Ark, tn
sanitarium for consumptives at Fol
Bayard, n NJ, and at all general no.
pitals n-the United States. Cuba, Port
Rico. Philippines and Hawaii tn
commandant at West Point viii al
point the enumerator for that pos
These enumaators will all perfOr
their duties undor the direction of Co
ernor Merriam, director of the censu
The enumeration is to include not on
oniccrs and cnli5tei men Of the arm
but also civilian employees and all 9TH
persons connected with the service
n off aIrI ,tl In