The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-09-18
Even During the Colonial Days
Enumerations Were Made
One in Virginia Made Early
in 1916.
AMERICA LEADS WORLD
IN TAKING OF CENSUS
Sweden Was the First Country
in the World to Take Thor
ough Enumeration, This
Done in 1919.
ny SIDNEY EaPEY.

Washington, Sept. 17.-Census TAX
ing In the United States 10 az old as
the republic itself. AS a matter of
|, fact estimates of population in the
various colonies were made with a
certain amount Of accuracy and fire.
lquency 40 far back AZ 1916. when Vir-
'Ginia proudly counted its 351 hopeful
white Inhabitants.
distinction of having led the world in
census enumerations. Although swed-
en- In 1919 was the first country to
complete . thorough census OF It's
population. and the United States sec.
ond In this enterprise. the latter in
augurated the system OF periodical
demonstrating.
There 10 q difference OF opinion
among the various civilized coun-
tries Of the world as to the practical
value Of census enumeration. Some
attach great importance to statistics
Of this nature. and take accurate and
detailed censuses at frequent and reg
ular periods while others manifest lit
tie Interest In the subject and make
their enumerations at irregular inter.
walls. The result IL that such statis-
tics when obtained are neither com.
parable nor satisfactory.
First Census In U. 8.
The first census Of the entire I'm
lted States was taken In 1890, or
NEARLY ten years before the Arst cen
lsus taken In any European country
the United States has received much
lcredit The nrst census of the young
republic was provided for in the con.
,stitution for purposes Of apportion.
ment a. . prerequisite to representa-.
tive government. Jefferson and Mad.
ison ut that time were strong advo-
Gates of census enumeration. The lat
ter according to certain records. may
be considered a. the father of cen
\sus" In America. He led the debates
I'm the continental congress. q the time
In favor Of taking periodical censuses.
Many Of the enumeration sheets Of
Sthe Arst census are today In the Gus
stody Of the director Of the census
land are treasured highly as a novel
land interesting history of our fore
Fathers At most interesting epoch in
1.-THE life Of this country.
In all Of the colonies prior to 1890,
|enumerations Of populations were
made. The small population was
scattered over large areas and the
lenumerators-in the most part mar.
lshals who received no extra pay for
this dificult task-met with many OBJ
ptacles in their work.
\ Were supsrstltIeus.
Strange 40 It may seem to Ameri-
Fans today. their ancestors OF those
early days were highly sensitive and
extremely superstitious. In 1712 Gov.
Hunter undertook an enumeration of
the inhabitants Of New York In
writing to the home government he
excused the imperfection OF the re-
turn In part by saying that "the peo-
pie were deferred by q simple super
stition and observation that sickness
followed upon the last numbering of
the people,"
Gov. Burnett Of New Jersey in a
communication to tho crown in 1926,
wrote: II have not taken a census of
New Jersey. a. was advised. that it
would make the people uneasy. they
being generally Of New England ex-
traction. thereby enthusiasts: and
thata they would take It for a repeti.
ton OF the same sin that David com.
mitted In numbering the people. and
might bring on the same judgments"
!. Most Of the enumerations of popu-
lation during the early colonial period
were made at the instance Of the Brit.
ish board Of trade which at that time
exercised many Of the functions now
vested In the colonial once In order
! to obtain Information that would be