The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-06-02
PRESENT UNITED STATES CENSUS.
The Sun almanac, 1900.


The twelfth census of the United States will
be begun, so far as regards active enumeration,
on June LIST, 1900. 1t will be the first census
in which all the work Of recording and COM
putting statistics is to be done by mechanical
means.
Without such assistance the taking of the
twelfth census would be practically an impos-
sibility. In the eleventh census it was seven
years before the final volume of the principal
report-that on population-was off the press
In the census of 1880 the last volume was pub
lished in 1889. Congress stipulates that the
four principal reports of the coming enumera-
tion-on population mortality, agriculture and
manufactures-must be ready for publication
on July LIST, 1902.
In addition to this strict time limit are to be
taken into consideration the entirely changed
conditions of the next census. It will en-
brace for the first time the inhabitants of
Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, and will
count 5000, 600 people. Concerning each Of
these human beings, who are scattered over
some 4. 0O0, 900 square miles of the earth's sur
face, dozen facts must be recorded. The tax
ing of the census will occupy the services of
more than 10000 persons The members Of
the field force, in themselves nearly 10000.
will forward their data to headquarters in
Washington, where it will be compiled and
prepared for publication by staff of 5000
clerks in the central Office. Each of the TO-
900, 900 cards used, on which are punched the
statistics concerning each person, are num-
bered to correspond with the numbers oppo-
site the names in the schedules. They contain
228 symbols, each of which is an abbreviation
representing some fact within the range of the
census enumeration. They are punched by
means of machine something like type
writer as clerk reads from the schedule the
required information to the operator at the
keyboard. In this way 700 cards can be dis
posed Of in one day by one clerk. One thou
sand clerks are to be put to this special work
go to the electric tabulating mschine,. which
collects all the information they convey and
puts it into systematized form. One machine
does the labor of 20 clerks under the old sys-
tenn. From here the record slips pass to a
force of 1000 clerks, who make up the tables
and prepare copy for the printers
On the 10Th of August, 1899, an order was
made for the taking OF the census in the island
OF Cuba, which was completed on the Both of
November BY thetreaty of peace the Spanish
people on the island have until April III. 1900.
to elect whether they will remain citizens Of
Spain or become citizens of Cuba. Until then
it cannot be definitely ascertained who shall
be entitled to participate in the formation of
the government of Cuba.
By the census of 1900 Congress will establish
the basis of representation in the u s. House
of Representatives for the next decade
The census may also change the basis of rep
resentation of some of the counties of Mary
land in the House of Delegates of the State.
After every national census or State enumer-
alton of population. the Governor of Mary
land, for the time being, is required to adjust
the representation and declare by proclamation
the number of Delegates TO which each county
and the city of Baltimore may be entitled.
This apportionment is made upon basis fixed
by the State Constitution, as follows
Every county having $1,000 population or
less 2 Delegates.
Every county having over 1900 and less
than Is, 900, Delegates.
28,0OO and less than 10000, Delegates
10000 and less than $1,000, Delegates.
5000 and upwards. 6 Delegates
Each of the three legislative districts of Bal
Iimore city is entitled to as many Delegates as
The largest county and no county can have
more than six Delegates.