Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-08-24
WHAT Is THE CENSUS W0RrnY
lChristian Science Monitorl

Christian Science Monitor)
One of the privileges that we enjoy
as civilized people is that of pay
ing out huge sums for the purpose 81
taking national census. This year
the cost of this decennial tabulation
OF the statistics of the nation is ap-
proximately s15,000,0OO. 1t amounts
TO little more than the cost of a bat
tleship. and is sufficient, If otherwise
applied, to carry out some really col
ossal public work like constructive
an artificial tarbor, equipping and ca
downing a great university, or building
national highway What is there to
be gained by taking the census that
iustifies expanding such a sum everg
ten years?
It enables the American people to
take their own measure. to estimate
their resources and capabilities, to b.,
hold themselves economically, as it
We're in looking glass and to feel
their thews and sinews. 1t enables
them to know that the annual product
of manufacture in the state of Della
ware is a trifle more than $4,000, 600
and similar essential facts, without
which information the banking. rail-
road and various construction actiyi-
ties of the country would be merely
| guesswork and cropping in the dark.
The fact that the value of the ayr
cultural products of the United States
last year was $8.756,0O0 is of more
than academic interest. The value Of
harm products is tire basis OF the bor-
Lowing power OF the American people.
Int is a certificate OF financial response
Dility, without which quality it is vain
for individual or nation to seek tie
market place with intent to do bust
iness Without the power to float a
bond issue, a nation might as wen
cancel ali its relations with foreign
| mations, for its power to maintaia
/ those relations would be gone The
luarmer, manufacturer or merchant who
did not know whether his balance
was on the side of profit or loss would
mot be long concerned with balance
on the side of profit. TIE same law
! governs nations. The census is the
balance sheet Of the entire people
crop reporting is census taking in =
specialized form. When it is known
that the harvest viii be abundant
money begins t. move throughout the
Eliation and between the nations ThN
noney movement signifies that bust
mess is being done. The census taker
! therefore is the agent of prosperity
There is no Eattleship, harbor or pup
Tic Highway that could be built with
$15,000,0 900 that is nearly so essen
ton to the we'll being of the nation as
is the census
/ An example of a country that di1
mot grasp the Importance of a census
1lntil recently is China The casual
Chinese, if asked how many people
there are in his native city, would r4-
/ Dly that they were as numerous as the
f1eayes on trees, or, perhaps. that no
| body could possibly know The Chi
nese are frugal. Industrious, a saving
| people; but for years their nations
credit has tottere1, because there
was no definite knowledge on witch
ITO base an estimate of their earning
capacity. The value Of the farm prod
Iucts of her wide-extended and careful,
1y titled domain no one could tell with
amy degree OF certaintude. China
managed TO borrow money from time
to time, but the most hazardous Of ex-
pedients had to be resorted to to show
mp her credit China, however. is taxi.
ing q new stand, and some day, BE-
fore long, her resources in minerals
in bushels of wheat, and best Of all
in potential days work viii be reveaIa,
to all men. Then China will be able
10 sell her four per cents as readily
as THE American administrator nov
places Philippine government bonds.